BMW Killed the M1 Successor for a Bloated SUV Nobody Asked For
BMW had a nearly finished supercar ready to honor the legendary M1. They killed it.
Instead, they built an SUV. Because of course they did.
The canceled project—codenamed i16—was reportedly 95% complete when BMW executives pulled the plug. The spiritual successor to the iconic 1978 M1 would have featured a 560 hp hybrid powertrain based on a four-cylinder engine.
Dreams Die in Boardrooms
BMW's M division had spent years developing this mid-engine masterpiece.
The i16 borrowed technology from the i8 but promised genuine supercar performance in a package that honored Giorgio Giugiaro's original M1 design.
Then COVID hit.
Then SUV sales charts made executives salivate.
Then the i16 died so the XM could live.
The XM: M1's Bloated "Successor"
The XM represents everything the M1 wasn't:
- Massive, weighing nearly 6,000 pounds
- SUV-shaped rather than mid-engine supercar
- Focused on luxury rather than pure driving dynamics
What it does share with the M1 is being only the second vehicle developed entirely by BMW M GmbH. The XM packs a 650 hp hybrid V8 powertrain and wears some token M1 design cues like twin BMW roundels on the rear glass.
Production began in December 2022 at BMW's Spartanburg plant, with the first deliveries hitting roads in 2023.
Market Reality Trumps Enthusiast Dreams
BMW claims the switch reflects customer preferences. People want high-riding luxo-barges, not low-slung supercars.
The pandemic certainly complicated matters. Resources were limited. Decisions had to be made.
But let's be honest—BMW chose profitability over passion.
The original M1 was built for homologation, creating 460 road cars so BMW could go racing. The XM exists to print money in a market segment already drowning in performance SUVs.
The i16 could have been BMW's McLaren competitor. Instead, we got another fast refrigerator on wheels.
BMW had the chance to build something special. They built something sellable instead.
