The BMW Concept XM was first unveiled in late 2021, designed to be the most powerful M car ever. The fact that it's an SUV rather than a sporty saloon sees BMW M following trends, all of which point to an ever-increasing desire for bigger, bolder, SUV-type cars.

The BMW XM was confirmed in mid-2022 and we caught up with it in Palm Springs, California, in October 2022. The BMW XM has opened the order books, with deliveries expected in 2023.

BMW XM design

The BMW XM isn't just a new X model that's been given the M treatment, it's designed to be a third pillar at the top of BMW's offering. The 7 Series sits on one side, the BMX X7 on the other.

That explains some of the characteristics of the BMW XM, like the split headlight design with the top daytime running lights separated from the slightly recessed active LED Matrix headlights that sit below. You'll also find this on the 7 Series and the X7, aiming to bring a family feel.

The iconic kidney grille is more compact than the BMW iX, but you can see the overall resemblance to BMW's purpose-built electric SUV (or SAV as BMW likes to call them), but there's also a feeling that the BMW XM is something special.

And you'd be right. The BMW XM has been designed to fuse two worlds together, the sporty heritage that BMW M is known for, along with the luxurious comfort of the BMW 7 Series. It's perhaps an unlikely pairing, but once you've sat inside the BMW XM, it really works.

In the front, the BMW XM is what you'd expect from an M car. It has sports seats, designed to keep you firmly in place as you carve through corners, but the second row is really spacious, with plenty of legroom, an almost flat floor, and a unique feature - seat bolsters on the rear doors.

This interesting piece of interior design means that when the door is closed, it has the effect of adding more cushioning to the junction between the seat and the side of the car. The result? It means you don't have to sit facing forward, you can sit at more of an angle, making it much easier to talk to the other person in the rear of the car.

In some ways, the rear of the BMW XM is like a sumptuous lounge space, designed to be communal, while the front is more like a performance BMW. It's a hybrid design - and it's a hybrid powertrain too.

BMW XM power and performance

Where the BMW XM wants to be different to other performance SUVs, like the Aston Martin DBX707, is in presenting a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

There's a 4.4-litre V8 engine mated with a 145kW motor, giving a combined output of 653hp or 480kW. That's going to see the BMW XM do 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds, which is no slouch.

However, in late-2023 there will be the BMW XM Label Red added to the roster that will up the output to a combined 748hp or 550kW. That's going to be the most powerful road-legal BMW M model ever, which is the headline that BMW is running with.

The battery offers 25.7kWh capacity and is good for about 50 miles of electric motoring - and will support speeds up to 87mph - so it's also a compelling option for practical use. This isn't just for throaty V8 runs to get the thrill of the exhaust note, it's going to allow you to silently cruise around urban areas with zero emissions. As a plug-in hybrid, you'll be able to charge it at home to fully take advantage of the electric propulsion that it offers.

BMW XM interior and tech

The interior of the BMW XM will feature the same sort of curved display as the BMW iX, as featured in the new 7 Series and new BMW X7. Again, this is a hallmark of BMW's top models and it runs BMW Operating System 8.0.

You'll get a full range of smart driving technologies and assistance features, but that OS also means it can be updated over the air, it will support your smartphone and give you a full range of connected features. There's still the evolved iDrive controller, as well as touch support - but we'd stick to buttons if you don't want your big display to get covered in fingerprints.

This isn't a car that's minimalised for performance either. Instead there's some flair about the whole thing, including a unique roofliner that picks up on the angular designs seen elsewhere and illuminated, so it fits in with the ambient lighting colours you'll find elsewhere.

There aren't a huge number of options however. Designed to be a flagship model, pretty much everything comes as standards, so you're not going to find yourself being able to spec yourself a slightly cheaper model.

We'll have to wait until we've driven the BMW XM to report anything more on the interior tech experience, but we're expecting it to be pretty much the same as the BMW iX.

BMW XM prices

THE BMW XM starts at £145,885 and you can head over to BMW's website to design the car yourself - and put in an order. Deliveries are expected in 2023. There's no doubting that it's expensive - and it's really targeted at the US market. We expect to be able to bring you more in 2023.