BMW XM Launch Review - The First Bespoke M Car since the M1 is a 2.8-tonne hybrid SUV!

We drive the first ever BMW XM at the international launch in Phoenix, Arizona - what does our video guy, Ciro De Siena, think of the newcomer? The last bespoke BMW M car was the almost mythical M1, so the fact that 40 years later, the engineers at BMW M decided to build a large, plug-in hybrid SUV, has raised some eyebrows.
Another eyebrow-raising aspect is of course the design, which feels intentionally polarising. We're not sure how we feel about it, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
On a whirlwind launch to Arizona, Ciro De Siena sampled the car through the wide urban grids of Phoenix, and headed into the mountain to get a sense for the car's dynamic ability, in a bid to determine if this 2.8 tonne behemoth is worth of the M badge.
0:00 - Intro
1:44 - Engine and transmission
2:00 - Power and torque
3:06 - Electric mode
4:26 - Hybrid mode
5:40 - Does it drive like a M car?
10:58 - Interior
12:16 - Conclusion
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[@lincolnmotshepe9914]

Super cool that BMW brought you guys out for the launch review!

[@Carscoza]

It was a tough trip but an honour to be there!

[@bongakhumalo3095]

Best channel in Africa, great job.

[@Carscoza]

Thank you kindly

[@leeandran]

So proud of this channel's growth. Fantastic review as usual 🙌🏽

[@Carscoza]

Thank you so much!!

[@ThabileTheTrainer]

The best-looking BMW I've ever seen in years! The XM (X8) marks the start of a new era for BMW

[@DeanFriederich]

Ciro saying "for funzies" is the wholesome content I didn't know I needed 😅❤

[@TD1237]

The grille's grown on me. Took a while, unlike with the 4 series. Still looks a little strange but, overall, I think the design is awesome.

[@abramthipe7775]

Like how you slipped in the upcoming M2 review, cant wait😄

[@steezvskf]

The design of the XM keeps confusing my brain. Every time I see the exterior, I struggle to believe that it’s even real 😂

[@DarrylRadcliffe]

😂😂😂😂😂😂 I’m in agreement, and I’m a big BMW fan.

[@thabangmagana869]

It’s clearly an ugly car, but with being said cars are changing and ugly could soon be the new nice

[@steezvskf]

@@thabangmagana869 That’s true. I think we’ll get used to it, just like when the G80 M3 and G82 M4 came out with the massive grill.

[@TD1237]

@@thabangmagana869 I like it

[@m.x.refrigxolani8365]

​@@TD1237especially in that white, with that black line hugging the body, I love it.

[@mkululibotmani]

This car’s exterior is like a car that come out of a game

[@JoziGB]

Quite interesting design language When manufacturers like Landrover are going for sleek and simple, BMW is adding a design line on every possible panel

[@ThabileTheTrainer]

Totally agree. BMW is not afraid to be different and this might be the best-looking BMW I've ever seen in years!

[@dyl_nnn]

The back will never grow on me

[@mydogfloyd]

Great job!

[@omnihein9322]

Finally, a review that sees the point of the car and doesn't just bash the looks like every other idiot on KZbin. Yes, we may not like that the only special edition M car since the M1 is an SUV, but look at it from a financial perspective, this is what the market wants, the supercar market is a niche market that doesn't sell all that well and is highly oversaturated. Also don't blame capitalism, because if it wasn't for capitalism we'd be driving economic cars and BMW wouldn't even exist. If you don't like it, suck it up, you aren't the target market.

[@kholomokolo]

Although this is not an apples for apples M1 successor , which BMW would probably lost money on; this beautiful monstrosity will sell a lot of units per month. After all they are in the business of making profits, and cars😁

[@wmtarr886]

interesting thought, I'd say this is a lot more useable than an M1 so should sell more, both are outside my price bracket, needless to say :)

[@mrmusic1880]

I saw one in person a few months ago and I absolutely adore it!

[@omeresyga]

Nah, this never existed in SA unless you're overseas. You probably saw an IX model, kind similar design.

[@mrmusic1880]

@@omeresyga It was at a dealership workshop a a few months ago, I was very lucky to be able to see it!

[@kaym7549]

It was there at the M-Fest got to see it and be inside of it as well which was nice.

[@mrmusic1880]

@@kaym7549 I was not at M fest I just saw it hidden away at my dealership

[@henzo7087]

Nice video. I like this car

[@SDav21]

They should've made a standalone M model a performance car instead of a heavy SUV. Doesn't M stand for the ultimate driving machine? A heavy SUV like this, no matter how much tech it has, will never be a real driver's car. This should've been an X8 or something while the M division should've made a normal sports performance car.

[@wmtarr886]

according to wiki BMW M now stands for Modified rather than Motorsport, make of that what you will, looks like the change happened around 1993 so hardly recent.

[@lufezilethethelwa1300]

Oops you're driving on the wrong side of the road right now😂😂

[@wmtarr886]

heh, see my comment about being in Arizona

[@kananelosithole9090]

Managed to be horrifying from all angles..IYOOH!!

[@caven7056]

You should travel more and cover more of these exciting cars

[@mosachuene5694]

Bro you already talking “miles” now? Kom Terug!!! You getting too Hollywood for us!

[@pjb9010]

Should have named it black label

[@atlegangletsoge6165]

I actually wish BMW could've let the I.C.E make the same 625HP then added an electric motor for about 800+ HP, then the Label Red to have more than 1000HP. I believe that would've been much better😎

[@lorenzowillemse422]

I am not very familiar with electrical vehicles, I see at some garages you'll see some audi charging stations. I saw one in Colesburg the other day, can you charge any car at those stations and how does payment work

[@karabo8847]

A smart car indeed 👌 (Not the red label or black label) another proud yet funny South African thing to say😂😂 Still the best car information channel, really on an international level 👏 ❤

[@Carscoza]

This is wonderful to hear, thank you!

[@Mothercityguy]

When you doing the M3 Touring in SA? I like this car but damn the price. Awesome to go overseas for a review.

[@Carscoza]

It hasn't landed yet but hopefully soon!

[@kamogelomokgadi6305]

I saw the car yesterday in Irene centurion, in a silver greyish colour

[@nasrjibril3307]

Fantastic car. The only downside is the steering wheel. It should have been the new m steering wheel not this outdated steering

[@chileshemubanga3594]

I Love The Modern Design Of This Vehicle,Except I Feel BMW Should Have Put In A Modern Steering Wheel Like The One In The iX.

[@neomoselane]

Bimmer needs to stop BSing us about the so-called spiritual successor, the car is just a very expensive X5 not even anything like the M1. Besides its even slower than BMW X7 M60i, R3.5Mil its unnecessarily expensive i love it though just not at that pricing.

[@lethabomotjieng5857]

I saw so many reviews on Google images I wish they were on KZbin.

[@itsdailygaming6089]

What’s the ground clearance compared to the X5, it looks a bit low…

[@rufustitus5463]

Isn't the the trackhawk and the DBX 707 the most powerful SUVs in the world?

[@felixngozo4984]

At Car magazine it's listed at R3,5 million

[@BDGKruger]

Need to win the lottery

[@aroundtheworldfacts76]

Good video! Good looking car, but those wheels do not fit the car.

[@marcusoctober4856]

All we wanted from BMW was the M3 Touring!

[@mduduzimpilo4559]

problems of testing sports cars outside of SA cops there don't take cold drink😉

[@wmtarr886]

hah, so you snuck in a beer advert ref too :)

[@siyabongacele8049]

No coolerbox test lol

[@AmzK]

The only word that comes to mind with this thing is "Opulent" (though you need to spec it to the nines to reap the full benefits) - it's in a weird place...an X5M will beat it in a straight line and is cheaper...you have to wonder if it's competing with the G-wagon and Hummer?

[@Skippernick1957]

This vehicle will be a nightmare in a couple of years when things start to go wrong.

[@greyphantome2617]

Is this a fridge ?

[@MufunwaApple]

Ndikho toda Lexus Ls460, ndikho takalela 2012 Midel ngauri yothe ya after aitshena V8. V6 nayo i xap mara V8 inga inwe ndila ine ndakhoi takalela

[@zameerosman8265]

The site says 3.4m rand

[@travelmates1]

But for now, the X5 M Competition is much more handsome, faster, cheaper and with better handling. (And the X5's sunroof can still slide open)

[@MufunwaApple]

Lol ndiazwi divha ahuna muthu ane ado kona uvhala comment dzanga, zwikho ntakadzesa ngoho❤

[@kholomokolo]

Ndo shumisa translate uri ndi gude u vhala comment dzanu😁

[@tman1591]

😂hee Tshandu😂 a dzike murat😅u

[@Chif_GT]

Dzikani ni do la vhana 😂

[@MufunwaApple]

@@kholomokolo lols and here i am thinking i am talking alone and i am invincible 😁😂

[@MufunwaApple]

@@tman1591 lols 😂 ndikho tenda

[@wmtarr886]

my link also speaks to the BMW | Lamborghini connection, add in the fact (which I didn't know before today) that Lambo tried to make an off-road way back then, it all starts to gel together

[@astonwinter]

05:02 - 05:06 Thats what she said

[@MufunwaApple]

Ndaa Hurini

[@bobs_sa8480]

Also this does feel like a bit of a safe, diplomatic review to not ruffle too many BMW feathers. And I’m not holding it too much against you; I’m sure it’s not easy breaking into the international car review market and getting invites to launches and stuff, but I follow a few channels that are more established and they’ve been far more brutal with their honest opinions on this car.

[@hlomlamphuthi1741]

I saw it on the R55 in Centurion the other day... I was WOWED

[@musamathevula9139]

Okay XM must get to SA first and be tested in our land than we can talk

[@rjamesjackson]

First comment lets go

[@Deyan741]

You said that it’s faster than urus. How can that be when this car does 0-100 in 4,3sec and the normal urus in 3.6. The performante does it in 3.5 with 666hp. It’s far from urus let’s say faster.

[@henrysithole3623]

But he didn't say it's faster, he said it has more horses. Which is true, when not considering the perfomante. It's just that it is half a ton heavier unfortunately. But all in all, I'll still take the RSQ8 thank you.

[@Carscoza]

He said it's more powerful than a Urus, not faster. Thanks for watching

[@Francis-ot7pm]

Everytime I see a EV or plugin electric vehicle review I cringe - Toyota Hybrids excluded.These things are impractical and exorbitantly priced. Who are these people that can afford to buy these vehicles in South Africa? What percentage of the population is that BMW? Ciro himself knows best and buys throwbacks.

[@wmtarr886]

why ? they *are* the future

[@bobs_sa8480]

Yeah no BMW just missing the mark. And maybe they’ll sell enough to justify it but there’s never been a scarcity of people with more money than sense. The fact the M division of the ‘ultimate driving machine’ got into a boardroom and decided that only their second bespoke car in their history, and to follow their iconic M1, would be a 3 ton SUV is just a sad indictment. And you say a company should move with the times otherwise they’ll go out of business, but this is never the model that bmw would rely on to stay in business. If the M division had made a sports sedan/coupe that was all electric (a sign of the times changing) but was as exciting to drive as an ICE car, that would’ve been more worthy of the name. It’s not the ultimate M car, not is it the ultimate luxury suv that bmw has in its own lineup, and as such, doesn’t come close to offering nearly enough over an X5M or X7M to justify its obscenely higher price tag.

[@Johnathan.Doe.The.Third99]

The x5m & x6m are much quicker Most powerful bmw but also the heaviest, seems unnecessary

[@phumelelakhawula2796]

I like that there's a black woman who owns this car ,, she is a chief engineer

[@charlesdarwin6521]

As quick as an M2... sounds like they have not achieved a lot!

[@mpmtembu]

BMW is really selling us this car? Eish

[@Diketso.12]

An expensive car must atleast have a sunroof 😢

[@bengscbme]

bmw is going through an identity crisis

[@lee4zeena]

Looks horrendous! 🤢

[@chillout1109]

Even though it is said that "beauty is in the eyes of the beholder", this car breaks those rules. This is a very ugly car to anyone and everyone who looks at it. There is no two ways about it.

[@DjNikGnashers]

It could do 250mph and 0-60 in 1 second, and I still wouldn't want one. It's fcking hideous.

[@jacobnel1880]

As much as i like you channel, and more specifically you, Ciro, as n presenter, i im going to stop wathing becouse this car is so wrong, so ugly. I can simply not see this any longer. Luckily BMW wont sell many.

[@wmtarr886]

ummm, you can afford this car and you won't buy it because of the looks ? yeah, right

[@giftysambo4238]

Bmw designers lost the plot. Too big and ugly

[@wernerheisenberg9464]

It's ugly

[@njabulogwala]

That car is very ugly

[@willemopperman854]

This thing is absolutely hideous.

[@tshegofatsokgoroba6753]

Why does such a hideous looking car exist?

[@warrenanthony874]

It's not very pretty!

[@Ash-so6qn]

What an ugly vehicle!

[@wmtarr886]

fun fact: if you hadn't said you were in Arizona I'd have guessed somewhere in ZA last winter until a few minutes in. the use of the electric & ICE as a way providing what you call "linear" power sounds very good. I expect someone will whine about the electric bit but times change, let's move on, this seems like the sort of vehicle that takes us a step into the future.