The BMW Concept XM is such a model that you don’t know what to think of it. The contents are delicious, but the packaging is not to everyone’s liking. What is certain: for the M department, the expected production version of the BMW XM in 2022 will be a tipping point. Because:
- It will be the first electrified production model of BMW M (V8 PHEV)
- It will be the most powerful production model of BMW M (750 hp)
- It will be the first M model not based on an existing BMW (since the M1)
But there’s more. With the BMW XM, the Motorsport department would also like to introduce a new nomenclature for the M models…
Johnny Walker
Everything used to be better. Simpler, anyway. A BMW 3 Series still had a transparent nameplate, where the first digit indicated the model type and the last two digits referred to the cylinder capacity of the engine. And then a letter that revealed which fuel you were supposed to fill up.
In the meantime, that badge has become a lot more complicated: because a 318i, a 320i and a 330i just have the same 2 liter power source in the nose, albeit with a little more or less horsepower on board. The M-sport version of the 3 Series was simply called M3, the more powerful variants were then given the suffix Competition – and CS (from Competition Sport).
But that would change with the BMW XM. This SUV is not linked to a model series, which immediately explains why they went for X (SUV) and M (Motorsport). But the marketing guys and girls go even further. And for that they looked to Whiskey brewer Johnny Walker.
Red vs Black Label
The expected 2022 production version of the BMW XM would be available in three flavors, from just powerful over more powerful to really powerful. The basic version would have the suffix Red Label pinned, followed by the Black Label and then Competition badges. The latter would then have the 750 hp powerful and 1,000 Nm powerful engine specification, the Red Label and the Black Label would have a less performing specification of the plug-in hybrid powertrain.
It is not clear whether BMW really wants to push through those nomenclature plans. And if so, is it just the BMW XM or will all M models be labeled soon? Wait…
Source: BMW blog
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