Nearly a year ago, Markus Flasch changed jobs by stepping down from the helm of M to lead the product lines for Rolls-Royce as well as BMW’s midrange and upper segments. Even though he is no longer the mayor of M Town, it goes without saying he was directly involved in the development of the XM. These products are not created overnight as it takes years of engineering to finalize a new vehicle, especially a dedicated M model rather than an M version of an existing car.
Markus Flasch took to Instagram to share real images of the plug-in hybrid SUV in a color we haven’t seen yet on the 2023 XM. Oxid Grey Metallic does a great job of complementing the gold accents, which no longer stand out as they do on a vehicle wearing a darker hue. Those 22-inch wheels (922 M) can be upgraded to a 23-inch (923 M) set, the biggest ever fitted from the factory to a road-going production BMW and offered with optional gold accents.
As always, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That said, we can all agree the XM has a striking design for better or worse. We must give credit where it’s due since BMW managed to come out with an SUV that looks pretty much nothing like the X6 M. The bold exterior, extreme performance, and hefty asking price give Munich the opportunity to go head-to-head with ultra-high-end models like the Aston Martin DBX, Lamborghini Urus, and the Bentley Bentayga Speed.
By sitting at the top of the food chain, the XM is available with a wide array of customizations and will also usher in a new series of exclusive special editions. The Label Red due in 2023 is going to be a limited-run affair with a sinister-looking body painted in Frozen Carbon Black contrasted by Toronto Red surfaces. The two-tone theme will continue throughout the interior for what will be BMW’s most potent car ever, featuring a colossal 750 hp and 1,000 Nm.
Source: Markus Flasch / Instagram
