BMW XM Label Red | Test Drive

23 February 2026 Redazione News, Tested

A certain Hans Zimmer developed a “sound theme” for when the XM moves in electric mode. But Interstellar aside, the Bavarian brand’s colossal SUV throws in your face a design born of set square and ruler and 750 horsepower ready to upend the laws of physics and common sense.

Words Matteo Lavazza / Photos Gian Romero

There are something like 71 different brands ready to sell your next new car. It sounds like an absurd figure, especially since off the top of my head, I doubt I could even name half of them. And yet, that number is overshadowed by the sheer list of different models available: 439 (just in Italy). Add the various versions and you’ll understand why you could grow old and die before reviewing every single option. But that’s not why we’re here, nor to criticize an endless stream of obscure Chinese brands you may never encounter in your life. We’re here to talk about identity, the very thing that even more familiar names have been lacking for some time. The same quality that drives a company down the steep path of bold design choices, as in the case of the BMW we’re driving these days.

The XM is enormous. Closer to an Overland-style truck than to any SUV you might have imagined parking in your garage, it is nonetheless a model to which BMW’s Munich-based “propeller” has devoted so much attention that it officially stands as only the second car ever built entirely by the M division. Just to clear up any doubts, the first — promptly named M1 — dates back to 1978. Yes, it was a gullwing-doored coupe that competed in numerous races, but the world has changed profoundly since then. That’s the reason the current vision of the M department has had to be applied to an SUV. And not just any base model, ‘cause the XM is a standalone product and must be considered as such, even if it can in some ways be related to the X7.

XM means there are no lesser versions. The range starts with the 50e producing 476 horsepower, moves to an intermediate 653 hp variant, and at the top of the food chain sits the Label Red, an edition that pushes every aspect to the extreme. Its twin-turbo V8 PHEV delivers 750 horsepower and 1,000 Nm of torque, for a price exceeding €200,000. Some might argue it’s a Cullinan — after all, Rolls-Royce belongs to the BMW Group — wearing a tracksuit, but the reality is that the XM pursues very different goals. In its case, it’s about blending high performance with the utmost luxury that a gargantuan 5.11-meter SUV can offer. At this point, I’m left to tackle the two hot topics here: styling and dynamics.

They say beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. In my life I’ve seen both beautiful and ugly things. The XM cannot be considered universally beautiful. Its shapes seem drawn with a ruler and set square, but unlike the designs a certain Bertone gifted the world decades ago, they are exaggerated by a body that might appear too large for 90% of people. Might, because the letter M isn’t there just for show. It promises to compensate for all the stylistic freedom taken by the design department by transforming it into a massive black block capable of devouring bends in true M Sport tradition. We’ll get to that shortly.

It’s tall, two meters wide, and with generous 22-inch wheels it has a road presence that makes the X7 look miniature. Add to that the Label Red’s distinctive detailing — a red outline tracing the perimeter of the double kidney grille and a matching red side accent — and you won’t be surprised when you reach the most debated angle: the rear. Here lie the main references to the legendary M1, such as the large rear window and the absence of the traditional BMW shield. In its place is an off-center XM badge and two emblems engraved at the edges of the rear glass, perfect for confusing anyone already wondering about the two stacked pairs of exhaust tips. The beauty of it is that once you fire it up, the XM erases all doubts. Beneath it lies an engine capable of winning over even those who can’t stomach such daring design.

Now comes the moment when you’ll tell me BMW could have built a Nazca M12 2.0 instead. But if you intend to use a car 365 days a year, it’s more likely to be something with all-wheel drive and a few extra centimeters of ground clearance. I close the door and the cabin combines classic BMW styling cues with innovative solutions like the three-dimensional textured headliner, complete with customizable perimeter LED lighting. Perched so high above the road, I manage to find a driving position low enough to feel not on top of the car, but inside it and fully in control of such power. These are numbers you can’t ignore: 750 horsepower and 1,000 Nm of torque. Thank goodness — divine providence, one might say — that it weighs nearly 2.8 tons; otherwise I’d be afraid of leaving two centimeters of tire behind at every launch.

After carefully setting up the M1 and M2 driving modes to my liking, I floor the throttle and the twin-turbo V8 revs instantly. There’s not the slightest hint of lag, something I notice every time I press the pedal to the floor, appreciating how the electric motor (capable of delivering up to 197 hp on its own) provides the extra punch that makes the XM behave like an elastic band stretched to its limit. The M Steptronic gearbox is precise, though not as lightning-fast as I’d hoped. At least in the most performance-oriented modes. The steering, on the other hand, is direct and reads every imperfection on the road surface. There’s also rear-wheel steering, which aids maneuverability and more importantly virtually shortens the wheelbase at higher speeds.

Corners are tackled with ease, and although you’re aware you’re not behind the wheel of an X5 M or X6 M, I’m surprised by the agility the XM brings to the equation. Everything feels far simpler than expected, and the power is staggering. I put my foot down and I’m pinned to the seat; the tachometer climbs without the slightest hesitation. With such a torque peak at low revs, two turbos and an electric motor, there’s never a millisecond of respite. And once you pass 5,500 rpm, the XM remains relentless, still pushing like mad. The road’s only flaw is that it isn’t long enough, so I have to ease off. I loosen my grip on the steering wheel and with a quick tap of the M2 button on the right spoke, return everything to Comfort mode.

There’s enough ground clearance to leave the asphalt behind and search for absolute performance elsewhere, but I doubt many customers will take such a colossus down a forest trail. The XM is a model in its own right. I truly struggle to identify a real alternative, and perhaps that’s precisely why it makes sense. Because it does something no one else does in quite this way. Sure, you name the Urus, DBX and Bentayga, but aside from pricing, the XM’s proposition is far more niche. Before driving it, I made the mistake of seeing it merely as a styling exercise — regardless of whether you like it or not — with an exceptional engine and outrageous mechanics. After spending weeks with it, I’ve realized it makes perfect sense. And even if it’s naturally better suited — due to space and running costs — to non-European markets (especially the USA and China), driving it on our roads is a rewarding experience.

We can all agree that an M2 with far fewer horsepower is more engaging and effective on a mountain road, let alone on track. But the meaning of the XM lies in representing the most exclusive side of BMW’s propeller. For that reason, the only possible choice was to create a product from scratch and place it at the very top of today’s alphanumeric family tree. After yet another day of driving hundreds of kilometers and hours away from home, the XM was the car I wanted to be in. After 11 hours of work, it even allowed me to appreciate how comfortable the rear seat is, with a sofa as soft as butter and solutions that enhance life on board for those who occasionally choose to be chauffeured.

Perhaps that’s exactly what the XM is: a limousine 2.0 that, when required, will have you leap into the driver’s seat and make the tires squeal through a corner taken more enthusiastically than you might attempt in a 7 Series. My personal hope is that we won’t have to wait another half-century to see another project fully entrusted to the M division. Maybe next time there will be greater freedom to pull something purely sporty out of the hat, no matter the overall power output. Because accelerating from 0 to 100 kph in just 3.6 seconds is incredible, especially with such weight in tow, but personally I find it more important to enter a corner without having to pray that the engineers truly perfected the chassis setup. After all, physics isn’t an opinion, is it?

And driving the XM like you would with any ordinary SUV is as wasteful as drinking a fine wine with a discount-store pizza. A car like this justifies its price — and its very existence — when it exalts its core qualities. That’s when you connect with its unconventional character and finally understand the reasoning behind a design BMW knew would never, ever go unnoticed. Once it has captured your attention, the X factor mixed with the M formula does the rest, reminding us that technological and engineering development can achieve extraordinary milestones. An SUV the size of a townhouse, capable of running as fast as a supercar with upward-opening doors. In fact, even faster. And, in its own way, even crazier.