Can the XM really be called a BMW M car? | Axon’s Automotive Anorak

With its new Concept XM (BMW having come to an agreement with Citroën to use the XM nomenclature), the Bavarian marque is said to be debuting a new image of luxury, as well as the electrification of its celebrated M high-performance sub-brand. BMW goes on to claim that the XM’s expressive and extravagant design is set to be the most powerful model to go into series production when it arrives on the road at the end of 2022 (hopefully with the unnecessarily gargantuan nose toned down for ‘real’ consumers!).

The scary new XM Concept is BMW’s first dedicated model from its performance M division since the original ‘M1’ Turbo prototype of 1972, and was revealed therefore ahead of BMW officially celebrating the 50^th anniversary of its admired M sub-brand next year. It has seemingly been created to make a statement, which must be rather troubling for all the purists and BMW M enthusiasts out there in the real world. Available only as a plug-in hybrid, using BMW's newly developed M Hybrid drive system, the XM will pair a petrol V8 engine with a high-performance electric motor to generate up to 750PS (550kW).

Time was post-war BMW built stylish and elegant cars with subtle shapes and a pleasing face, penned by some of Italy's most gifted car designers such as Michelotti (the creator of the influential BMW ‘Neuer Klasse’ and 02-Series that set the pattern of all future BMWs for decades to come), plus Bertone/Gandini with the 1960s CS coupes and neat first-generation 5 Series saloon of 1972. In recent times, however, BMW has strangely resorted to fitting needlessly huge and ugly grilles to some of its latest models, as showcased by the ridiculous example now adorning the new 7 Series, and unfortunately gradually filtering down to the new M3 and M4. It is unclear quite as to why BMW has decided to inflict massive grilles on a growing number of its models. Maybe it’s to try and out-grille its age-old German prestige rival Mercedes-Benz, which has been (successfully) using its traditional but bold chrome grille for many years now across most of its model range. 

When the new XM does make production, there is no doubt that it will be filled with impressive state-of-the-art technology, have neck-snapping performance and drive like a dream, but sadly some potential buyers might just simply avoid it because of that obnoxious face if it makes it through to the final showroom model (here’s hoping that it will be toned down, with BMW’s product planners taking heed of the large amount of criticism and mickey-taking that the XM Concept has already received).

BMW is not the only premium carmaker to unwisely elect to fit huge chrome grilles to its latest models. Some months ago one of my GRR colleagues shared a preview photo via WhatsApp of the new Lexus GX 460, the Japanese brand’s range-topping SUV, thankfully reserved at present just for the North American and selected Asian markets, where possible such excessive use of chrome and scale is not considered to be quite so vulgar. 

Conversely, adding a well-considered grille to a car can often be the making of its, as proven by various agreeable facelifts of previously grille-less models such as the revamped Rover 800 and 200, the first-generation Fiat Punto and various older Audi models, where the previously featureless grille was replaced by a more expressive and confident version.

Equally, losing a grille can have a detrimental effect on a car’s appearance as well. Consider the pre-facelifted Tesla Model S or the latest MG ZS EV, for example, both of which looked arguably better with a grille as part of the ‘face’ of the car, even if it was something of a token gesture, with both of these models being fully-electric and not requiring the added ventilation of an open grille.

As BMW glories in the release of its XM Concept as its first dedicated M division creation to showcase its doubtless impressive new technologies, the concept’s sculptural form and extravagant luxury may not meet with widespread approval. After all, consider some of the epic past M division models that BMW has created, such as the E30 M3, the M5, M6, M1 and so on. Does this new XM Concept really successfully meet the brief of celebrating half a century of BMW’s past M division glories? I will leave you to draw your own conclusions…