Glad you got it open, I was gunna suggest as a last resort to set the blanket on fire. Lol(kidding)

 

You could have also just undone the two bolts under the bumper that removes the latch then got it to release.
Much better than beating on a fiberglass hatch.

 

Seriously?

You know late models have a steel hatch right?

Glad you got it open Bimmer. Now keep your blankies in your racecar bed so this won't happen again!

 

those are studs, in my experience loosening the nuts holding that on isnt enough to push the studs through the sheet metal anyway.

if you can get the plastic panel off there is a rod you can lift up too to get the latch open from the inside. I take a hole saw to my jeeps and just put a little hole in the interior panel where the rod sticks up. in the event my handle broke or whatever.

 

Sorry, you are correct they are studs, guess I should have said you can remove the nuts and then get the hatch open. As for as your experience I've done this on three different XJs for different problems and it has worked.