XM

Make
BMW
Segment
SUV

The BMW X8, which we now know will be called the XM, is yet to be caught naked, with every spy shot we get showing an insane amount of camouflage. We're not complaining about that at all, because previous render attempts have shown that it has some hideous styling characteristics hiding beneath that vinyl.

Still, it seems like the car internally known as 'Project Rockstar', BMW M's first-ever bespoke SUV, will have loads of technological and performance attributes that could help us warm to its concept. Speaking of its design, that excess of camouflage has just been lifted slightly to show off stacked exhaust tips, and since we can't bring ourselves to ponder the front end, we've rendered the rear of a vehicle for a change.

It's tough to tell beneath all that camo, but we do see beefy fenders and wheel arches, subtle roof rails, and, for the range-topping model, a charging port. But enough about the design (we refuse to call it 'styling' in the absence of anything we consider attractive).

We'll touch on performance shortly, but it looks like the XM will also boast autonomous driving capabilities, as evidenced by spy shots showing a sticker denoting such. We have also noted the inclusion of a white covering on the roof of every XM prototype we've spotted, so we expect a panoramic glass panel to be fitted too.

Now for the meat and potatoes: two models are expected, with the more powerful presumably to gain the 'Competition' suffix. The "regular" XM will use the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 we get in cars like the M5 and M8, producing 617 horsepower (the same as Competition versions of the aforementioned sedans and two-doors). But in the range-topper, that V8 will be supplemented by hybrid assistance that will raise output to a ridiculous 750 hp, making it the most powerful production Bimmer ever. Expect all-wheel drive, a slick ZF automatic gearbox, and iDrive 8 infotainment. With the aforementioned charging port being included here, it's quite possible that an all-electric driving mode will be offered too. We can't wait for more details when it launches; we're hoping we don't have to look the other way when the covers come off.