As if BMW doesn’t have enough performance cars to tout, the German automaker decided it needed another. The “Label Red” debuted last September. It’s the automaker’s most powerful M model and largely unnecessary for daily driving requirements.
But any sense of logic, practicality or value doesn’t likely have relevancy to potential sport utility buyers. The “Label Red” is for car owners who want something the neighbor likely doesn’t have. The carmaker announced only 500 of the vehicles will be made globally in its 2024 model. It’s BMW’s venture into rarities.
Power is the new BMW’s main attraction. The sport utility vehicle features a 4.4-liter, 577 horsepower, twin-turbo DOHC, 32-valve V-8. There’s also a 194 horsepower electric motor that vaults the total horsepower to 738. The result: the Label Red advances from 0-to-60 miles per hours in 3.8 seconds. The exhaust note is more grind than growl. The drive is all BMW. It’s stiff and confident. Fuel efficiency is 14 miles per gallon; the electric motor achieves 46 mpge.
Even the manufacturer realizes its performance-overload vehicle’s absurdity. It promotes the Red Label with a creative writing lesson:
“The BMW XM Label Red responds to the needs and desires of a global target group of individualists — customers with a taste for extrovert lifestyle and a passion for ultimate performance in a car reaching beyond traditional conventions.”
Sales of the Label Red began in April, with BMW targeting the United States, Middle Eastern and China as top sales producers.
The exterior look is classic BMW, an all-around, sturdy-looking design. Most prominent is the split-kidney-shaped grille. It’s unique with a red trim, but the style looks like two nostrils smelling something unpleasant.
For BMW purists, available paint colors will add to the appeal. There are one solid and eight metallic variants. Customers can also choose from more than 50 BMW individual special paint finishes, including turban green, petrol mica metallic, anglesey green metallic and sepia metallic.
One option, the reviewed black-red pattern, further individualizes the vehicle. It has a distinctive three-dimensional headliner. The trim for the body pillars have black surfaces. Upper sections of the backrests and head restraints are diamond-shaped in red.
Red contrasting stitching is also used on the driver and front passenger and outer rear seats, instrument panel, center console, door trim and air vents. An “XM” badge below the control display and an interior trim strip carbon fiber in satin effect with red and blue accents further distinguish the limited edition.
As a top-line performance SUV, BMW has loaded up the Label Red with safety features. Standard equipment includes six-piston, fixed-calliper brakes at the front and single-piston and floating-calliper units on the rear wheels. Two pedal feel settings and an adaptive suspension with controlled damper and active roll stabilization are featured.
The BMW XM Label Red also features a host of driving assistance — front collision warning, lane departure and evasion assistance, active cruise control and parking assistant.
Multifunction seats, knee pads, a curved display panel, head-up display, a sports-styled selector lever and control panel are positioned on a center console. The “M Hybrid” button selects desired different driving modes. A setup button provides direct access to the configuration of the powertrain, chassis, steering, braking system and M xDrive.
The leather steering wheel has trim elements in black chrome. Plus M buttons, gearshift paddles with carbon inlays with and a boost mode symbol on the left-hand shift paddle are all in red.
Nothing about the limited edition is subtle. A Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system with 1,475-watt amplifier and four additional speakers in the roof area is a $3,400 option. Further technology: a cloud-based BMW Maps navigation system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a personalized BMW ID functionality.
The new beast is expensive, $191,895 as reviewed. It’s another all-too-familiar BMW trait.
James Raia, a syndicated automotive columnist in Sacramento, is the founder and senior editor of theweeklydriver.com. It features a free newsletter and podcast. Email address: james@jamesraia.com
