2022 BMW X8 Leaves Hideout To Test Its Plug-in Hybrid Powertrain

BMW’s bold new design language has sparked debates among its fan base, and just when we thought we’ve seen it all, like the bucktooth grille on the 4-Series, M3 and M4, and the ‘Ok Boomer’ iX electric SUV, in comes the X8 with an even bolder styling.

The nameplate suggests a bigger alternative to the X6, sharing the underpinnings and most (if not all) of the powertrains with the regular X7. However, as it turns out, the roofline is actually less sloping than on its smaller sibling (and on the X4), and if anything, it looks to have been inspired by the X2.

The front end will mirror the looks of the 2022 X7, with the headlamps that have moved further down and the grille that sits closer to the bonnet. The rear fascia, however, represents a significant departure from other BMW SUVs, and even the horizontally-mounted taillights with a rounded design on each side of the tailgate look different. The fake exhaust trim is incorporated into the diffuser, whereas the actual tailpipes appear to blow hot air from behind the fake metal trim on each side of the bumper.

As highlighted by the mandatory ‘Hybrid Test Vehicle’ stickers and the charging port on the left front fender, this is a plug-in hybrid version of the X8, yet it is impossible to tell what powertrain it employs. Still, we might be looking at the M45e grade, believed to develop in excess of 388 HP and 443 lb-ft (600 Nm) of torque, which is the official rating of the X5 xDrive45e.

The lineup might be topped by the full-blown M version, as BMW has already registered the X8 M moniker. If it gets the official blessing of the board, then it might arrive with a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system and up to 750-horsepower available on tap.

While the regular X8 might debut next year, with sales commencing in the second half, the rumored X8 M could follow it in 2022.