Alcantara is supplying BMW with a “three dimensional prism structure on the sculptural roof bedecked with hundreds of LEDs that light up the headliner” of the new XM SUV.

The XM is both the M sports sub-brand’s first hybrid and plug in hybrid with a powertrain combining a petrol V8 engine and electric motor.

Alcantara said the use of light “reinforces the three dimensionality of the roofliner, underscored by the strong design of the structure”.

The dark blue ceiling frame “creates a surprisingly warm aubergine tone that gives the interior an intimate, elegant feel”, the supplier added.

Chairman and CEO Andrea Boragno said: “Alcantara is light, durable and thanks to its haptics and elegance, it’s the material of choice.”

Last November, BMW Italy and Alcantara showed a joint project: a one-off BMW M4 Competition with a unique interior using Alcantara for seat covers, headliner, steering column and door trim in black with contrasting stitching in black and yellow. The special interior was developed to celebrate the historic relationship between supplier and automaker and the adaptability of the material which was used first in the 1980s in the Lancia Thema.

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