[TEST DRIVE] BMW XM, a lot of bang for a bit of won

If you’ve got a need for speed and a taste for luxury, you may want to take a look at BMW’s XM.

BMW XM SUV runs on a road [BMW KOREA]

HANAM, Gyeonggi — If you’ve got a need for speed and a taste for luxury, you may want to take a look at BMW’s XM.

The XM SUV is the first plug-in hybrid under the high-performance M brand. It is also the first truly dedicated M vehicle since the M1, which was introduced in 1978.

The Korea JoongAng Daily recently got behind the wheel of an urban green-colored XM on a 48–kilometer (30-mile) roundtrip between Gangnam, southern Seoul and Hanam, Gyeonggi.

At a glance, the overwhelming size and luxury look really stood out.

Measuring 5,110 millimeters (201 inches) long, 2,005 millimeters wide and 1,775 millimeters in height, the vehicle is a notable ride.

BMW XM SUV, the first plug-in hybrid under the high-performance M brand [BMW KOREA]

The iconic horizontal kidney grille well matches the massive car body. [SARAH CHEA]

The iconic horizontal kidney grille well matches the massive car body. The grille is said by some to look like a pig nose and rabbit teeth.

The outer border of each kidney is gold in color, giving the vehicle a more luxurious look.

On the ceiling, the XM features an illuminated Alcantara headliner BMW is calling "sculptural." Like the star-spotted headliners made famous by Rolls-Royce, the unique headliner pattern is a focal point of the car's interior design.

BMW used more than 100 LEDs in the headliner, which offers ambient lighting and provides additional alerts for incoming calls and safety notifications.

Despite its 2.8-ton weight, the driving was unexpectedly soft but powerful with easy cornering.

The interior of the XM [BMW KOREA]

BMW used more than 100 LEDs in the headliner, which offers ambient lighting and provides additional alerts for incoming calls and safety notifications. [SARAH CHEA]

Powered by a 4.4-liter and 8-cylinder gasoline engine, the XM boasts a maximum of 653 horsepower and 81.6 kilogram-meters of torque.

"The BMW XM is the most powerful car in BMW M's history," said Timo Resch, vice president of customer, brand and sales at BMW M, during a media event on March 28.

It only takes 4.3 seconds to reach 100 kilometers per hour from zero.

The hybrid comes with a 29.5-kilowatt-hour battery that power the vehicle up to 62 kilometers solely on its electric motor, based on the Environment Ministry's standards.

On the electric motor, the vehicle could have a maximum speed of 140 kilometers per hour.

BMW XM SUV, the first plug-in hybrid under the high-performance M brand [BMW KOREA]

For those who want a dynamic driving experience, the XM offers an IconicSounds system, developed with world-famous film composer Hans Zimmer, which makes a similar engine sound to sports cars when driving in sport mode.

When starting the test drive, the dashboard said the car had enough gasoline to travel 584 kilometers and a battery to run 70 kilometers. After driving 24 kilometers of the one-way route, the readout said 568 kilometers left for gasoline and 55 kilometers on electricity.

The recorded fuel economy was 10.2 kilometers per liter, in line with the official figure of 10 kilometers.

But people must be ready to part with some money for the luxury car. Its sticker price starts from 222 million won ($167,000).

Korea is the sixth largest market for the BMW M brand, with a total of 5,806 sold last year, Resch added.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]