The flagship BMW XM Label Red has surfaced online, appearing more than a year before it’s due in Australian showrooms.
The 2023 BMW XM Label Red edition has been revealed prematurely, with the German car-maker’s Austrian arm releasing photos of the performance SUV more than a year before it goes on sale.
During this week’s reveal of the XM SUV, BMW said its plug-in hybrid SUV would initially launch in a single grade early next year, ahead of the launch of the higher-performance Label Red variant late in 2023.
However, in a series of now-deleted posts on Instagram, BMW Austria unmasked the XM Label Red ahead of schedule – a car which will become BMW’s most powerful series production vehicle ever.
Painted in dark blue, the BMW XM Label Red gains red exterior highlights on its front grilles, window line and shoulder line – rather than the standard XM’s ‘Night Gold’ trim.
While the BMW XM’s official reveal photos showed the plug-in hybrid SUV on its optional 23-inch wheels, the XM Label Red appears to be on the smaller 22-inch wheels standard in Australia – with Label Red-exclusive red spoke highlights.
No photos of the BMW XM Label Red’s interior were posted, however its seats appear to be upholstered in red leather, rather than the blue leather from the earlier reveal images.
BMW states the XM Label Red will develop 550kW and 1000Nm from its 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine and plug-in hybrid system – increasing the standard XM’s outputs by 70kW and 200Nm.
This will be achieved with a new tune for the V8 engine, claimed to boost its outputs from 360kW/650Nm to 430kW/750Nm – leaving the 145kW/280Nm electric motor unchanged.
The German car-maker also claims the XM will achieve a fuel consumption figure as low as 1.5L/100km, although it did not clarify which cycle it would be tested on.
As previously reported, the BMW XM is due to arrive in Australian showrooms throughout the first half of 2023, priced from $297,900 plus on-road costs.
The 2023 BMW XM Label Red is due in Australia late next year.
BMW Australia is yet to set a price for its flagship variant, although it is expected to eclipse the company’s most expensive model currently on sale, the $362,900 M8 Competition coupe.
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