Should SUVs be built to race? BMW may have just answered this after their mighty XM suffered a major Pikes Peak roll, taking out some of the scenery in the process. Watch a documentary of the crash below.
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BMW participated in the 2023 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with an XM Label Red, aiming to set a record for a production SUV. However, the endeavor took an unexpected turn when driver Matt Mullins had a crash, hitting a tree. A recent video by the automaker chronicles the rally’s preparation and features an in-cabin view of the collision.
Related: BMW XM Label Red coming to SA in 2024
Before the accident, the XM was performing well at Pikes Peak. Mullins achieved three qualifying times below the team’s target, progressively improving with each attempt. On race day, the mountain’s weather conditions were ideal and the sprint was underway. The XM managed to make its way up the hill until understeering into a ditch adjacent to the road. The impact caused the XM to roll after striking a tree. The SUV completed a full rotation and landed back on its wheels.
Despite the crash’s severity, the XM showed relatively moderate damage which was likely accredited to a full specification interior roll cage however, the front passenger-side wheel detached. Although there was damage, the passenger cell remained intact.
The video concludes with a “To Be Continued” message, hinting at a follow-up video on November 2. After the incident, a BMW spokesperson revealed that the focus would shift to re-preparing the vehicle and planning for another record attempt in the near future. This plan might be the primary focus of the next episode in the series.
Want to know more about the monstrous Bavarian SUV? We have driven it, read here: Review: BMW XM
