BMW XM: Out With V8, In With Inline-Six?

No U.S. Release: It Won’t Happen

Speculation has arisen that a less expensive version of the BMW XM is set to be powered by a six-cylinder arrangement, believed to have been taken from the BMW M760e. Bimmer Today was the first one to break this story and suggest it may be christened the 50e, thus being sold for a lower price than its predecessor and potentially only on the Chinese market, at least for now.

From our testing of the new XM, it has been a groundbreaking hybrid encounter. It doesn’t matter what one thinks of its design; the car runs like an SUV that weighs so much less due to a couple great features and a strong Twin-turbo V8 engine. BMW appears to be certain that this is enough for US customers, though there is something about an inline-six motor that really ignites enthusiasm.

The blueprint will not be totally ineffective, however not by substantially. Our version generates 640 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, ample to create the car seemspeedier than it ostensibly is. In the event that the 50e does obtain the 7-Series hybrid we assume it will receive, this indicates it will constitute 571 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque.

The incentives of this new model will outstrip the V8, bringing a 117 mpg engine/electric combination as a result of its capability to operate on solely electricity in an approximate 50-mile radius. Contrarily, our previous version only boasted 30 miles when powered electrically – so, if efficiency over power is what you’re after, then it looks alluring.

No confirmation has been made yet, though a model is anticipated to be available at an estimated 10-15 thousand dollars below the default model beginning at $160,000 on top of the established rate.

Substantial savings? Probably, but with vehicles exceeding $100K, most people are more after a car to show off than one that is practical. That is exactly why we have chosen to buy the Label Red at $185K and 735 HP instead.

The rationale behind why the XM is unlikely to become available in the United States is clear; BMW intends it to generate considerable revenue, and this intent appears to be supported by all available evidence. The German car manufacturer likely decides that the bang for their buck wouldn’t be enough to justify introducing the economical alternative and take away from the profitability of competing models such as the Alpina XB7.

No matter what is behind this peculiarity, it won’t be the inaugural example of a luxury marque peddling an in-line six solely in China, with everyone else turning a blind eye. Thus, we are incredibly grateful to Stellantis and Mazda for affording us the well-deserved courtesy that others have not.