BMW has a bit of a habit of under-claiming its power figures. And that theory has been proven once again with the new XM monster SUV. An example was recently strapped to a dyno and it laid down some epic numbers.
As standard the XM is powered by a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 hybrid system that generates a meaty 480kW and 800Nm. However, it seems this amount of power might not be truly accurate, if a recent dyno test is anything to go by.
YouTube channel IND Distribution has posted up a video of what is believed to be a completely stock XM on the dyno. It laid down an impressive 614.84hp at the wheels, which translates to 458kW at the wheels.
Now, as you may know, power at the wheels is different to power at the engine. All manufacturers usually quote power figures from the engine, or at the crank as it’s commonly called. The reason for the difference is down to the driveline, including the gearbox, differential/s and drive shafts, which sap some power on the way through.
In the industry it’s believed the difference is about 15-20 per cent, give or take depending on whether the car is front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive and so on. So in this circumstance, it would be reasonable to assume this XM produces at least 570kW at the crank.
That’s a massive power output for a stock vehicle, let alone a large SUV. However, the team that tested the vehicle said testing was a bit difficult in terms of consistency due to the hybrid system. In the description of the video, IND Distribution explains:
“Unfortunately the XM was not fully charged which could have had an effect on the hybrid system functionality on the dyno. We’re also not sure if BMW’s dyno-mode employs the electric motor differently from its standard operation.”
In other words, there could be more or less power on the cards for this mammoth beast. It’s easy to see how it offers a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.1 seconds. We’ll hopefully get to test one soon to find out. We wouldn’t be surprised if that number is quite modest, as factory BMWs usually meet or beat the official claim in the real world.
BMW Australia has confirmed the XM is on sale here priced from $297,900, and is set to arrive later in 2023. The even more hardcore XM Label Red, producing 550kW, has also been confirmed and starts from AU$344,200 (before on-roads costs).
Before it arrives, take a look at the video below for a preview of its performance.
