You’ve probably never heard of it, but the UAX Concept was the harbinger of one of the most controversial BMW M cars ever to hit the market. As you probably guessed, this is the BMW XM. Designed at BMW’s California Designworks studio, the UAX signaled a bold new design direction two decades before the introduction of the XM. From a distinctive profile to small aesthetic details and a familiar front bumper layout, the early 2000s concept is definitely the earliest indication that BMW might one day develop an M-badged super SUV.
The UAX: concept that may have shaped the XM
Similar to many other iconic BMW designs, the UAX concept was created by Designworks. As you can see from the sketches, the UAX featured narrow headlights, small grilles and an otherworldly silhouette. The vehicle reportedly fit between large trucks and the then-new BMW X5 – another vehicle from Designworks. You can probably also see that there is some family resemblance between the BMW XM and this design. Since this happened around 2002, the UAX was 20 years older than the XM. But it seems to have given the hybrid SUV a lot.
Of course, the brand has evolved and changed a lot in the 20 years between the two events. The same applies to the relationship of the UAX to the XM. While the grilles and lower air intake are very close to those of the XM, split headlights were not on the agenda for this particular model. The oversized wheels are there, however, and an additional round emblem is another common thread – although on this concept the round logo appears to be on the driver’s side fender.
The UAX also looks familiar to me for other reasons
While the UAX Concept definitely resembles the BMW XM in some ways, there’s a different familiarity to a car we don’t know nearly as much about. The wedge shape definitely gives off the same vibe as the in-wheel electric motor prototype we saw whizzing around last year. Although this car clearly sits a little lower and has a slightly more sophisticated body, in some ways that only makes it more enticing and intriguing. Even though the UAX wasn’t designed with electrical power in mind, the design seems to fit it well.
It can be argued that the UAX looks even more similar to the camouflaged car than the XM. Unfortunately, we have no further information about this wedge prototype, which disappeared just as quickly and mysteriously as it appeared. Regardless, BMW seems good at sticking to its previous designs. If it took the X7 nearly 20 years to get from early design stages to the road, perhaps there’s no reason why the UAX can’t do the same. The existence of the UAX raises an exciting question. How many of BMW’s “new” design elements are just older sketches just waiting for the right moment to resurface?
