The Controversial BMW XM Is Getting A Straight-Six

Are you the kind of person who likes to strike fear into the hearts of everyone you encounter on the road, but can’t quite stretch to the £150k needed for the hybrid V8-powered BMW XM? Then we bring good news: among the deluge of BMW news announced yesterday, which included a facelifted M4 and a manual gearbox for the Z4, was confirmation of a new, entry-level version of the challenging-looking performance SUV.

Dubbed the XM 50e, the new version features BMW’s 3.0-litre turbocharged B58 inline-six, here in 309bhp form. As with the V8 versions, it’s a plug-in hybrid, with an electric motor producing up to 194bhp. It also features the same ZF eight-speed eight-speed auto ’box as its bigger siblings. With both motors working, the peak power output is 469bhp, compared to 644bhp for the basic V8 XM and a slightly startling 738bhp from the bonkers but weirdly named XM Label (formerly the Label Red). Combined torque, meanwhile, is 516lb ft.

That all means the 50e will get to 62mph in 5.1 seconds, although top speed is, as per usual for a German performance car, electronically limited to 155mph. WLTP figures say it’ll go up to 52 miles on electric drive alone, and at speeds of up to 87mph.

The 50e also comes with some trim-specific styling tweaks, although sadly, they don’t appear to include any kind of invisibility cloak. Instead, you get some black accent lines along the sides and a chrome grille surround - both of those things are gold as standard on the V8 car, presumably so you can show off about being able to afford the faster one.

The XM 50e has actually been in the works for a while, but is now on sale in the UK and starts at £109,825. That’s a £40k saving over the V8, plus there’s the straight-six’s extra frugality to bear in mind, if that’s a consideration for anyone spending over £100k on a large, questionably styled SUV.