The BMW XM might be the most controversial looking Bimmer since the E65 7 Series and it might be even more controversial than that car was back in its day. The XM is an entirely new thing, not based on any pre-existing BMW, and its styling reflects that—it looks like no other Bimmer in history. For better or worse. However, most people who’ve seen the XM have only seen it in photos on their computers (who am I kidding, they were looking at it on their phone while on the toilet). At this year’s 2023 Chicago Auto Show, though, fans can see it in the flesh.
While at the Chicago Auto Show, we had the chance to snap some live photos of the BMW XM in person and these photos can give you a much better idea of what it looks like. Press photos from auto manufacturers are staged, perfectly lit, and edited. At auto shows, the lighting is terrible and the photos are taken from whatever angle can be had through the massive crowd. Which makes auto show photos more realistic representations of what a car looks like.
This specific BMW XM wears the Mineral White Metallic paint, which has quickly become a fan favorite among M car enthusiasts. White is a tricky color because it truly shows off a car’s design. Whether a car is good or bad looking, white will prove it. Making the white matte and metallic, it adds a bit of pop and excitement to an otherwise pretty ordinary exterior color. And it does so without making the car look overly flamboyant. There are some other interesting colors available for the XM as well, such as Marina Bay Blue, Toronto Red, and Cape York Green.
The BMW XM is a car deserving of interesting paint, too. It’s the first-ever standalone M car, as there’s no other standard BMW like it. It’s also the first-ever hybrid M car. Its all-new 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged “S68” V8 engine pairs with an electric motor to make 650 horsepower, making it the most powerful BMW in history. Taking it a step further, there will also be a Label Red model, which will come with up to 750 horsepower and that powertrain will likely be the main powertrain used in all V8-powered M cars moving forward, starting with the BMW M5.
What do you think? Do you think the BMW XM looks better or worse in these new live photos and, depending on your answer, do you think Mineral White Metallic is the right color?
