The BMW XM is hailed as the first bespoke M car since the XM. Does it live up to the billing?
So, this is it. The BMW XM. The first dedicated M car since the first M car. That was the M1, of course, and the M1 and the XM have many things in common. For example, they are both low, sleek and achingly gorgeous supercars. And if this were a video review, that’s the point you’d hear a loud scratching noise; the sound of a stylus being dragged across vinyl indicating the sudden cut to reality.
This Motorsport Lounge features rear seat backrests that curve round in the manner of a Rolls-Royce, with a pair of M Pillows – I assume that’s what their official name is – floating about for passengers to place where they would like. To give the Motorsport Lounge its due, it is very comfortable.
The driving position is odd. I couldn’t quite get comfortable, and it was something to do with the steering wheel not going low enough and the seat not feeling quite right. I never truly put my finger on what exactly was wrong, but eventually my brain compensated for it so it can’t have been that bad. But after this experience and my time in the revised X7, I am convinced of one thing: after years of universal acclaim, BMW is slowly ruining its iDrive.
Press the accelerator harder in hybrid mode and the V8 soundtrack takes over, which, surprisingly, isn’t the universal delight you might expect. Obviously, it’s a BMW M car, so you know the sound isn’t always going to be pure. It’s enhanced digitally in the fruitier modes and produces deep, slightly fake version of thunder when you boot it. Without the sports exhaust on the sound it is completely natural, I am told, and in this installation the S68 isn’t very sweet I’m afraid.
I’ve driven the Performante on track and, in that environment, it’s superb. It has huge grip and quite unbelievable balance for a high, heavy lump. Maybe the XM would match it in that setting, but I didn’t drive it on track and, let’s face it, these cars won’t be tested in that environment often, if ever. So I’ll turn to the DBX707 for comparison, a car that I drove for many miles on Mediterranean roads where it worked brilliantly.
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