The BMW XM has been a highly polarizing vehicle for the brand. After all, BMW's M division has always been known for performance offerings, but the last standalone bespoke M car you expect from them is yet another SUV instead of a true successor to the M1 supercar from the 1970s. But if the XM is your cup of tea, the idea of having it painted in a bright color, such as Sao Paolo Yellow, might tickle your fancy.
The Bright Yellow Paint Makes It Look Even More Polarizing
Those in the "love the XM" camp are more likely to appreciate this brightly-colored SUV. These photos, which came from BMW Blog, showcase the XM in one of BMW M's signature colors. Sao Paolo Yellow is the hero color of the M4, and understandably, the color works well in vehicles that are very in-your-face in terms of design.
This particular XM has also been specified with the Extended Shadow Line package, which swaps out the bronze or gold elements in favor of black ones. To many, the XM looks better with black elements. On the other hand, the color's bright nature provides an extreme contrast to those aforementioned black trimmings. It also somehow makes the grille appear less bulky, since it now blends with the blacked-out lower front bumper.
The XM Is Still Bound to Sell Like Hotcakes
It's easy to criticize BMW M for creating yet another SUV instead of a standalone sports car to celebrate the division's 50th anniversary, but in the end, the German luxury automaker is still a business. Unsurprisingly, SUVs are what sells these days, not supercars, and the XM is a vehicle that'll keep BMW afloat.
"If you look today at the biggest, most important and fastest-growing segment, it's clearly the SUV segment," BMW M CEO Frank van Meel said a few months prior to the XM's launch. "And, in comparison to other manufacturers, we were still lacking this ultimate expressive luxury flagship at the top of M."
BMW did give the XM the engine it deserves. Aiming right at the Lamborghini Urus S, the XM's 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 that's mated to a gearbox-mounted electric motor is good for a total output of 644 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. An even more potent XM Label Red is on its way, and pushes out 738 horses and 735 pound-feet of torque.