BMW’s XM model saw a sales increase of 15.8% last year. However, the total number of units delivered was only 7,813. This figure places the plug-in hybrid SUV at the bottom of BMW’s sales chart. Even the Z4 roadster, often considered a niche product, sold in five-digit numbers. Still, BMW appears ready to give the underperforming XM some overdue attention.
Sources familiar with the matter in Munich say BMW will release a refreshed version of the XM later this year. The changes are expected to be minor. A full redesign is unlikely, given the XM’s poor market performance. Instead, BMW will reportedly introduce new exterior paint options and make small updates to the interior.
Major design elements, such as the headlights and taillights, are expected to remain the same. Updating these would require expensive tooling changes, which are hard to justify for a slow-selling vehicle. The upcoming update is expected to follow the same approach BMW took with the M2 in 2023. At that time, BMW’s head of M, Frank van Meel, referred to the modest tweaks as a “Life Cycle Impulse” or LCI. It remains unclear if the XM will officially carry that label as well.
As part of this refresh, BMW plans to simplify the XM lineup. The 644-horsepower version will reportedly be discontinued. In the U.S., the XM will be offered only in its 738-horsepower “Label” configuration. Meanwhile, European customers can still expect to see the more affordable six-cylinder 50e variant remain on sale.
Looking ahead, the future of the XM nameplate remains uncertain. Conflicting reports suggest BMW may or may not produce a second-generation model. Some insiders claim a fully electric successor is in development. Others say the XM will be discontinued after its current run. The latest update on the matter came in June 2024, when sources indicated a second generation had not yet been canceled. Still, the odds seem stacked against it. Production of the current model is expected to end by the summer of 2027. If that happens, the XM may quietly exit the lineup without much regret from fans or critics.
