The BMW XM was by no means meant to be a background participant. When BMW M determined to construct its first standalone mannequin for the reason that M1, the concept was to plant a flag in some of the worthwhile corners of the trade: high-performance, high-price SUVs. BMW had been watching this area for years because the Lamborghini Urus exploded in reputation, the Vary Rover Sport SV discovered its groove, and Porsche realized that the Cayenne Turbo GT was mainly a license to print cash. From the surface, an ultra-M SUV appeared like an apparent transfer.
BMW didn’t rush the XM. Throughout a latest go to to Designworks in California, it grew to become clear the undertaking had been brewing for a very long time. It was meant to be a press release automotive, one thing that pushed BMW M into a brand new class. However even with that preparation, the XM by no means took off the way in which BMW hoped.
A Good Begin in Gross sales
It wasn’t a disastrous launch. When it hit the market on the finish of Q1 2023, the early numbers had been respectable. BMW delivered 762 items in Q2, which isn’t dangerous for a six-figure experiment. Q1 2024 even confirmed some development, up 32.3 p.c year-over-year to 541 items, helped alongside by the mannequin lastly arriving within the U.S. late within the prior quarter. For a minute, the story seemed prefer it was headed in the fitting route.
Then the slide started. Q2 2024 introduced a drop of 29.5 p.c. Q3 fell one other 30.7 p.c. And most just lately, Q2 2025 noticed XM gross sales sink 23.8 p.c to simply 409 items. In the meantime, the remainder of the phase stored climbing. Lamborghini sells each Urus they’ll construct. In reality, the model stated they’re bought out till 2026. The Vary Rover Sport SV stays considered one of Land Rover’s most in-demand merchandise. So why didn’t the XM join?
A Controversial Design
Design performed a giant position. The XM didn’t wrestle as a result of it was daring; it struggled as a result of the general form by no means fairly settled into one thing cohesive. The entrance finish grabbed the early headlines, however the actual sticking level for consumers was the rear. From some angles it seemed muscular, from others it seemed inflated and awkwardly tapered. On this value vary, proportions matter greater than something. Individuals will purchase wild designs, however they have to be visually resolved. The XM at all times felt like a automotive with some good concepts that by no means totally aligned.
The inside confronted a special difficulty. It wasn’t dangerous — not even shut — however it didn’t really feel particular sufficient for what the XM was purported to be. An excessive amount of of the cabin seemed acquainted from the X5 and X6. Sure, the supplies had been higher and the “M Lounge” lighting was fascinating, however it didn’t ship the sense of event that consumers anticipate after they’re spending this type of cash. Stroll right into a Vary Rover SV or a Urus Performante and you recognize instantly that you just’re in one thing distinctive. The XM didn’t make that very same first impression.
It Wants An Air Suspension. Pronto
Journey consolation didn’t assist both. BMW M went with metal springs as a result of they needed the XM to behave like an M automotive. Philosophically, that is smart. Virtually, it didn’t. A six-thousand-pound SUV on metal suspension goes to really feel agency, and in day-to-day driving the XM might be noticeably stiff. Consumers on this phase need one thing that may deal with corners but additionally float over damaged pavement. Air suspension exists for a purpose. Selecting to not use it made the XM really feel out of step with what clients anticipate from a luxurious SUV.
A Heavy Beast
After which there’s the load. At 6,061 kilos, the XM carried extra mass than even BMW’s engineers might totally disguise. The plug-in hybrid system added advantages on paper — torque, effectivity, a brief electrical vary — however it additionally made the SUV really feel heavy. The most effective opponents on this area, particularly the Urus and Cayenne Turbo GT, succeed as a result of they really feel alive and keen regardless of their dimension. The XM might be quick, however it by no means managed to really feel mild.
All of this paints a reasonably clear image: the XM didn’t wrestle as a result of the idea was flawed. The thought of a BMW M flagship SUV nonetheless is smart. The market is there. The urge for food is there. The cash is unquestionably there. The XM stumbled as a result of a number of key selections didn’t land with the individuals BMW wanted to impress.
So ought to BMW strive once more?
There’s a robust argument for sure, however provided that the following try begins with a clear sheet. A successor wants a extra cohesive design that leans into the readability and sharpness of BMW’s Neue Klasse route. It wants an inside that feels genuinely separate from the remainder of the lineup — not a nicer X5 M, however one thing that sits on the very prime of the model in supplies, structure, and ambiance. And it completely wants a special mechanical setup.
A lighter, mild-hybrid S68 V8 would remedy a lot of the XM’s dynamic issues. Ditching the total PHEV system would instantly take away no less than a thousand kilos. Doing so would give the next-generation mannequin the response and character anticipated on this phase. The entire prime performers depend on combustion energy to offer emotional engagement. BMW doesn’t must chase them, however it does must match the immediacy and really feel if it desires to compete significantly.
There’s additionally one thing to be taught from the Urus. Not the styling, not the noise, however the perspective. The Urus feels assured, keen, and unashamedly extroverted. Consumers reply to that. The XM, for all its ambition, by no means radiated that very same vitality. A successor has to.
Will BMW Construct an XM Successor?
The XM’s story is sophisticated as a result of it was each daring and uneven. BMW swung for the fences, and whereas the outcome wasn’t a house run, it wasn’t a complete miss both. It was a automotive that confirmed the place BMW needed to go however didn’t fairly stick the touchdown. The excellent news is that the underlying concept stays sound. The SUV that the XM tried to be continues to be a legitimate product for BMW M to construct. And with the fitting corrections — higher proportions, a extra distinct inside, a lighter drivetrain, and a trip that doesn’t punish homeowners on imperfect roads — an XM successor might be precisely the halo mannequin the model initially envisioned.
The query now could be easy: does BMW wish to take one other shot? In the event that they do, there’s no purpose the second try can’t be the one which lastly hits the mark.
