The Diamond Surround Sound System by Bowers & Wilkins, whichalso featured in the launch of the new BMW 7 Series models,combines expert engineering and elegant design to deliver an audiophile-grade experience throughout the vehicle’s interior.
Dan Shepherd, Vice President of Licensing and Partnerships at Bowers & Wilkins, said: “We are proud to be continuing our partnership with BMW Group to incorporate our high-performance Diamond Surround Sound System in the BMW XM.”
“BMW drivers expect only the best when choosing their vehicles,making the Diamond Surround Sound System in the all-new BMWXM the right choice for elevating their in-car audio experience.”
Inspired by Bowers & Wilkins’ flagship 802 Series Diamond loudspeakers, which are used in recording studios across the globe,most notably Abbey Road Studios in London, the vehicle’s sound system features 20 high-performance speakers to deliver high-fidelity audio for all occupants.
Bowers & Wilkins worked alongside designers and sound engineersfrom BMW Group from the very start of the vehicle’s developmentto bring its world-leading sound reproduction to the XM. Together,
the engineering teams ensure that speaker position around thevehicle is optimised for maximum performance, delivering anunparalleled in-car listening experience that is accurate and true tothe original recording, a philosophy Bowers & Wilkins calls ‘True Sound’.
Key features of the Diamond Surround Sound System include fivealuminium tweeters, two Rohacell central bass speakers under thefront seats and two Diamond Dome tweeters in the driver andpassenger side
A-pillars – bringing the same engineering and technology used inBowers & Wilkins flagship home speakers to the vehicle.
The high-frequency Diamond Dome tweeters have been carefullycultivated under laboratory conditions using chemical vapourdeposition and temperatures approaching that of the surface of thesun. These very light and extremely rigid tweeters push unwantedresonances far beyond what a human can hear.
As a result, the Diamond Dome tweeters create realistic treble,providing incredible accuracy with minimal distortion and deliveringsound as it was intended to be heard. The car also features fiveContinuum™ midrange speakers in the front and rear doors, thedashboard and at the rear of the cabin to give an authentic recreation of music as the artist intended.
The XM is the second BMW vehicle to feature Continuum™ cones,born out of eight years of development and an enormous stepforward in midrange speaker performance. The stainless-steelspeaker grilles boast an exclusive pattern design that illuminatesto help visually highlight the system’s outstanding sound quality.
Dan added: “Our continued partnership with BMW highlights Bowers & Wilkins’ position as the brand of choice for customers across a whole range of BMW vehicles, bringing our True Sound experience to more and more people around the world.”
