To be honest with you, I didn't immediately understand the purpose of the XM in the BMW lineup when it first arrived on the market. It is, of course, the first modern vehicle to emerge directly from the brand's performance division. It's a bit like Obelix falling into the magic potion when he was a child. Thus, the BMW XM is not a luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV), but rather a sporty luxury SUV, and there is a big difference in the order of those words.
The XM is BMW's answer to the Mercedes-AMG GT and the Audi R8, two cars that were also designed within the bowels of their respective performance divisions. Unlike its counterparts, the XM is an SUV, which is not surprising given the current trend in the market.
Red Label
As you can imagine, the entry-level version of the BMW XM is far from a base model. It benefits from a combination of a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine and an electric motor for a total power output of 644 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission that disperses power between all four wheels, allowing the Bavarian automaker's SUV to achieve 0-100 km/h in less than 4.3 seconds. Suffice it to say, there's nothing to be ashamed of here. Not to mention that the battery stores enough energy to provide an electric-only range of about 50 kilometers.
However, it seems that this is not enough for some buyers, and this is where the new Label Red version comes in. It essentially offers the same mechanical combination as the base version. However, the power has been significantly boosted to reach 738 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. This reduces the 0-100 km/h time to 3.7 seconds. The only downside is that the maximum speed is limited to 250 km/h. However, it is possible to reach 281 km/h with the M package.
The BMW XM Label Red benefits from some additional improvements and, above all, distinct aesthetic elements. Unsurprisingly, red is featured prominently both inside and outside the vehicle.
If you are interested in the Bavarian automaker's SUV, you will need to pull out your checkbook, as the starting price is over $259,000, which is $39,000 more than the regular version, and that's without even going through the options book. However, this amount is quite reasonable compared to the prices of the SUVs that the BMW XM Label Red competes with.
Jean-Sébastien Poudrier
