AUTOMOTIVE 55
REVIEW > ANTONY HOLTER PHOTOGRAPHY > ANTONY HOLTER
For a car that weighs more than 2.7 tonnes , I was expecting it to feel sluggish and heavy , but I was pleasantly surprised . The XM is insanely rapid off the line . You can feel the electric motor adds to the performance of the XM with the turbos kicking in , then you can hear the roar of the V8 as it springs into life and you feel like you could just keep going and going .
Unlike a lot of cars that I see on the market , the XM ’ s pure electric mode is more than just a gimmick . It packs enough energy to deliver around 30 miles of allelectric driving range which is plenty for your morning commute or drive around town . The e-motor spins through the transmission , which sends the power to all four wheels . You also keep a lot of the XM ’ s power in fully electric mode its not like the car goes limp you still find plenty of power under your foot .
The inside of the XM definitely took me by surprise . The exterior looks like a battle tank but as soon as you get inside you are transported into a first-class airport lounge waiting for the free drinks and canapes . There is plenty of legroom and you would have no issue in getting three large adults in the back with room to spare .
In the boot , there is no underfloor storage , so the charging cables are found in a lovely , tailored BMW bag that comes with the XM . To be honest , I think I would rather keep the bag and store the cables elsewhere .
ISSUE 61 2023 THE ART OF LUXURY