XM [Rumors] BMW X8 plans

[Matski]

 

[Sunny]

Yet another rebadged X5.....

You mean, you didn't notice the 2 degrees different roofline? That is quite innovative right?


Which makes me think - when is the last time BMW did something innovative engineering/tech wise? Last I can think is (besides i3/8 CF chassis which seems dead now) is the hot side inside arrangement on N63. That was back in 2008.

It is such a skeleton of the great engineering company it once was.

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

You mean, you didn't notice the 2 degrees different roofline? That is quite innovative right?


Which makes me think - when is the last time BMW did something innovative engineering/tech wise? Last I can think is (besides i3/8 CF chassis which seems dead now) is the hot side inside arrangement on N63. That was back in 2008.

It is such a skeleton of the great engineering company it once was.

Gesture control

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

You mean, you didn't notice the 2 degrees different roofline? That is quite innovative right?


Which makes me think - when is the last time BMW did something innovative engineering/tech wise? Last I can think is (besides i3/8 CF chassis which seems dead now) is the hot side inside arrangement on N63. That was back in 2008.

It is such a skeleton of the great engineering company it once was.

They have revolutuonized the FWD, or at least, that's what they said.

 

[klier]

@SCOTT27 managed to call this car a standalone M product that’ll come instead of the M Next (or however that M supercar concept was called).

Please don’t do that ever again, please. It’s the Nth version of the X5 and that is all there is to it. Nobody to fool here.

 

[SCOTT27]

@SCOTT27 managed to call this car a standalone M product that’ll come instead of the M Next (or however that M supercar concept was called).

Please don’t do that ever again, please. It’s the Nth version of the X5 and that is all there is to it. Nobody to fool here.

Stand alone in the fact that it will be badged as XM. You are not going to get an X8 30d xDrive.
They say M Next is put on the shelf for now. How long though is anyone's guess?

 

[manuelf]

So must say I also hoped for something more DBX or Urus so as to justify its’ M genes. This is indeed more high on its’ heels so RR Sport like which is a nice car but far from sporty..curious though how it turns out.

But isn't the X6M already Urus territory? Performance/size is almost the same.

 

[MrRapp]

I know but then you could also question the value of the X8/ XM compared to X6M for instance. I struggle to see the added value of this model and particularly why it would be a standalone M car.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

I know but then you could also question the value of the X8/ XM compared to X6M for instance. I struggle to see the added value of this model and particularly why it would be a standalone M car.

Marketing BS.

 

[klier]

But isn't the X6M already Urus territory? Performance/size is almost the same.

And the Urus is a rebadged Touareg. Nothing whatsoever special about that car either.
This practice in car world is getting completely out of control. Platform sharing to insanity. Everything's the same.

Remember when an E34 5er was an E34 5er and nothing else with 4 wheels was like it? Not even a 3 series or a 7 series. Different cars.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

And the Urus is a rebadged Touareg. Nothing whatsoever special about that car either.
This practice in car world is getting completely out of control. Platform sharing to insanity. Everything's the same.

Remember when an E34 5er was an E34 5er and nothing else with 4 wheels was like it? Not even a 3 series or a 7 series. Different cars.

In fact the E34 was very close to the E32. It shared the same suspension and platform (although it was not popular with this name at the time).

 

[SCOTT27]

In fact the E34 was very close to the E32. It shared the same suspension and platform (although it was not popular with this name at the time).

You would be surprised to know how long platform sharing has been going on in the auto industry.
It only came into prominence in the late nineties when VAG were using the Golf architecture on 6 more models.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

You would be surprised to know how long platform sharing has been going on in the auto industry.
It only came into prominence in the late nineties when VAG were using the Golf architecture on 6 more models.

Yes, the "baukasten" terminology was used even on the BMW 02.

 

[advantage20]

Even though it obviously isn't the same segment, I'll bring up the Velar as the perfect counterexample of super sleek SUV profile, despite the fact that the Velar isn't even the typical SUV coupé with rakish roofline, which is quite astounding.

Whereas both have slightly elongated rear ends bulging out, the Velar's doesn't come across as a burden because it stretches out slightly upwards like it has some tension to it (I'll refrain from making a certain anatomical comparison...), which completely alleviates the visual weight pushing down on the rear axle

The X8's rear end by contrast seems to be sagging downwards, if the spyshots are anything reliable to go by. The X8's roofline is more tapered down than the Velar's, which at first seems like good news, however the bumper line unfortunately remains almost horizontal instead of shooting upwards and supporting all that visual weight of the falling roofline, which results in an overall feeling of downwards push. Whereas the Velar's bumper line on the contrary is slanted more upwards than its roofline is downwards, resulting in an overall feeling of upwards push, muscle tone and weightlessness

I get it that most of these SUV coupés are mimicking the typical sportscar shape of a hunching down predator ready to leap, hence the downwards visual weight over the rear end. However what works on a 911 or on the smaller X4 may not necessarily work on the huge X8, so perhaps they should have gone the Velar way with a more upwards pointing rear end, time will tell. Hopefully the rear fascia at least is more elegant and refined than the X6's.

 

[dalab]

But isn't the X6M already Urus territory? Performance/size is almost the same

I know but then you could also question the value of the X8/ XM compared to X6M for instance

Beyond that it is designated and developed as a stand alone M product, seeing those photos it is obvious that:
-Derivate of the X7, or will it have a new chassis, platform ... etc,?
-This being the case, it will be quite heavy and less effective in behavior than the X6M,
- It will only be a huge SAV sport luxury coupe, the largest of any brand. It will be very groundbreaking, superfast but without miracles in the curves, I guess

ou would be surprised to know how long platform sharing has been going on in the auto industry.

American cars abused this for 100 years, in addition to eg. GM Pontiac, Oldsmovile, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick were all the same car, those models from the 70s and 80s used the same platforms as the BelAirs from the 50s, I couldn't believe it when I found out that.
I suppose that in Europe it was also done forever in many cases, most of the public was not as demanding as now

 

[klier]

It will only be a huge SAV sport luxury coupe, the largest of any brand. It will be very groundbreaking, superfast but without miracles in the curves, I guess

Literally...

 

[275others]

Even though it obviously isn't the same segment, I'll bring up the Velar as the perfect counterexample of super sleek SUV profile, despite the fact that the Velar isn't even the typical SUV coupé with rakish roofline, which is quite astounding.

Whereas both have slightly elongated rear ends bulging out, the Velar's doesn't come across as a burden because it stretches out slightly upwards like it has some tension to it (I'll refrain from making a certain anatomical comparison...), which completely alleviates the visual weight pushing down on the rear axle

The X8's rear end by contrast seems to be sagging downwards, if the spyshots are anything reliable to go by. The X8's roofline is more tapered down than the Velar's, which at first seems like good news, however the bumper line unfortunately remains almost horizontal instead of shooting upwards and supporting all that visual weight of the falling roofline, which results in an overall feeling of downwards push. Whereas the Velar's bumper line on the contrary is slanted more upwards than its roofline is downwards, resulting in an overall feeling of upwards push, muscle tone and weightlessness

Good points.

 

[Centurion]

X2 instead of X6 silhouette, that's what I have been hoping for. They might as well replace the fugly X6 with it.

 

[SCOTT27]

If you look at the high resolution pictures you can see the XM has more camouflaged panels bolted on especially at the rear and the flanks and doors. Looks like it’s hiding something special indeed.

They do say that XM will not just be an X7 Coupe.
I hope they transplant the same ideas to the X7 when LCI comes around.

 

[gmag]

The X8's rear end by contrast seems to be sagging downwards, if the spyshots are anything reliable to go by. The X8's roofline is more tapered down than the Velar's, which at first seems like good news, however the bumper line unfortunately remains almost horizontal instead of shooting upwards and supporting all that visual weight of the falling roofline, which results in an overall feeling of downwards push. Whereas the Velar's bumper line on the contrary is slanted more upwards than its roofline is downwards, resulting in an overall feeling of upwards push, muscle tone and weightlessness

I get it that most of these SUV coupés are mimicking the typical sportscar shape of a hunching down predator ready to leap, hence the downwards visual weight over the rear end. However what works on a 911 or on the smaller X4 may not necessarily work on the huge X8, so perhaps they should have gone the Velar way with a more upwards pointing rear end, time will tell. Hopefully the rear fascia at least is more elegant and refined than the X6's.

While I appreciate the passion you show in your in-depth design analysis, it is worth noting that you seem to have based your entire analysis on a heavily camouflaged prototype! Just by looking closely at the pics of the prototype, one can easily see that for example the entire rear end form just behind the c-pillars all the way to the rear is heavily and very cleverly camouflaged in a very effective & deceptive way. In fact from the c-pillar to the rear end, the only "real production" panels visible on this prototype are the roof and the rear liftgate glass...ALL other panels are fake and/or heavily camouflaged.

I can also tell you that from what I've heard from some confidential sources, the XM will stand out design-wise as a very unique sporty & muscular vehicle in the current BMW portfolio. BMW M alone (not BMW AG.) is responsible for it's entire design & development. It WILL NOT be an X7 coupe or just a sportier X7! Also, the entire XM drivetrain lineup will consist of PHEV drivetrains...an entry level in-line-6 PHEV & 2 different states of tune of a PHEV drivetrain based on the new S68 V8. Also the XM will be getting a very upscale BMW individual interior that will put the 8 series interior to shame!