BMW M's first standalone model in more than 40 years will avail in two heat settings.

WHAT Kiwis will pay for BMW’s flamboyant birthday present to itself, the XM, won’t be known until closer to release in the first half of next year.

Whereas most other recipient markets for the second ever car from the brand to be exclusively offered as an M model (after the 1979-1981 M1) have named their price, BMW New Zealand is holding off.

Certainly, this plug-in hybrid SUV with 480kW in launch form won’t be cheap.

In Australia, pricing starts at the equivalent of $340,000 – that’s $8k above sticker that attached to the most extravagant M product of recent times, the M8 Competition coupe.

The first version of XM to land, at some point during in the first half of the year according to information from BMW NZ today, will in time be joined before the end of 2023 by an even more powerful variant, called the Label Red.

Both run a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine married to an electric motor, but in different states of tune.

 With the XM, the engine develops 360kW and 650Nm and the electric motor creates 145kW/280Nm. The latter feeds off a 25.7kWh battery pack.

Combined outputs come to 480kW and 800Nm; so 20kW more power and identical torque as from the M8’s 4.4-litre turbo.

The Label Red delivers – ahem - 550kW and 1000Nm, making it the most powerful road-going BMW in history.

Either way, power is sent to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

BMW claims the standard XM can accelerate from 0-100kmh in 4.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 250kmh. It’s possible to raise this further to 270kmhwith the option M Driver’s Package. It can also run on electric power alone at up to 140kmh. Battery-enabled range is between 82-88km, according to European testing.

Why the XM? It’s because this year is the 50th anniversary of the M performance subdivision; the celebration has already spawned the M3 Touring – which BMW NZ has also secured for sale, though again no price has yet been shared, and the upcoming M2, images of which appear to have been leaked online.

Those are far more traditional M products than the XM, which in production form isn’t too much different to the controversial concept unveiled last year, so is set to be a serious talking point.

The front end uses the split-level lighting layout that also goes on the updated X7 and forthcoming new 7 Series, plus it has a ginormous interpretation of the traditional BMW kidney grilles.

A bold gold accent down the length of the car, picking up the end of the window line is also a big bling touch. The shape of the rear windows is a design nod to the M1, created in 1979 for a racing series in which current and former Formula One drivers of the period got to smash into each other with regularity.

The rear end is just as arresting as the nose, thanks to long hook-like LED lights that stick out from the bodywork. The quad exhaust system is stacked on the production model, design.

Behind the electrically opening tailgate is a 527-litre boot, expanding to 1820 litres, but practicality is secondary for this SUV; the rear seat area is being called the 'M Lounge' and the cabin is trimmed in high-end materials and finishes, including the option of Coffee Brown Vintage leather trim. The sound system can have up to 20 different speakers.

The driver end of the area is fairly orthodox, the instrumentation and infotainment containing in a curved dashboard display featuring digital instruments and a large touchscreen, including unique M graphics and, of course, access to a vast array of setup options for the driving sub-systems.

The powertrain is the first electrified engine in an M car and will have a motorsport career, running in a M Hybrid racer contesting next year’s US-based IMSA Sportscar Championship and then the World Endurance Championship in 2024. 

The 145kW electric motor is integrated within the casing of the eight-speed automatic gearbox, and it can deploy maximum torque on its own during fully-electric driving.

 To help this 2800kg machine drive like an M car, it features a lot of serious technology. It’s the first M car to get Integral Active Steering (rear-wheel steering) and it also features M suspension Professional, grouping electronically controlled damping with active roll stabilisation. The weight distribution is claimed to be more or less 50:50.