BMW’s most powerful car is coming to Australia

This crazy machine is on its way to Australia, promising neck-snapping acceleration thanks to the very latest in engine technology.

2023 BMW XM Label Red.

The wildest machine in BMW showrooms isn’t a two-door supercar or high-powered sedan, but a four-door family SUV.

Called the BMW XM Label Red, it represents the most powerful model to wear the manufacturer’s famous blue and white badge.

The XM Label Red is BMW’s most powerful model.

Most high-performance BMW M models, such as the BMW M3, start out as regular vehicles that are then modified by BMW’s M Division.

But the XM is the first machine designed and built from scratch by the brand’s fast-car department. Set to arrive locally in the second half of the year, the regular BMW XM has 480kW of power and 800Nm of torque.

Stacked exhaust pipes play a powerful tune.

But this new “Label Red” version ups the ante with enormous 550kW and 1000Nm outputs that make it one of the most powerful cars on sale.

The beast combines a 430kW and 750Nm 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 similar to what you find in a BMW X5M with a sophisticated plug-in hybrid system.

Plug-in hybrid power helps make the XM greener than some rivals.

The hybrid unit includes a 25.7kWh battery and 145kW electric motor capable of driving the big wagon on electric power alone for 83 kilometres.

It also returns impressive fuel economy of just 1.7 litres per 100 kilometres, though like any plug-in hybrid car, that figure will be tough to match in the real world.

The Label Red has blood-coloured highlights inside and out.

Power goes to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

As expected for a high-performance SUV, the XM has oversized brakes and clever tech such as active anti-roll bars.

The cabin is loaded with luxury features.

The cabin promises to be appropriately luxurious for a high-dollar BMW, combining luxury materials with wide-screen displays and the brand’s latest iDrive infotainment system.

Priced from $344,200 plus on-road costs – or $349,900 as a limited-edition version with special matte black metallic paint – the new XM is due to arrive locally at the end of the year.