By Ross Ballot
It’s easy to tell which electric vehicles were designed to be such from the ground up and which were originally designed for ICE propulsion or to be on a shared platform with ICE versions of the same vehicle. This primarily manifests in the packaging but is also expressed in the vehicle’s overall persona, so vehicles like the BMW i5 M60 xDrive– an all-electric sedan that shares much of its core with gasoline-powered variants– need to be approached with apprehension. And yet, the i5, thanks largely to its M60 performance and poise, is a cohesive product that nicely toes the line of performance and electric luxury.
(While we did subject this vehicle to our regular routine, we didn’t drive it enough to warrant full-fledged, traditional review. What follows is a quick rundown of what can be deduced from our time with it.)
BMW’s i5 M60 is in a strange place in the company’s lineup. It’s expensive (at $84,100 base and $97,845 as-tested), heavy (at over 5,000 pounds), and only marginally quicker than the less expensive M550 it would have sat alongside in the BMW performance ladder had BMW not killed off the gas-only almost-a-real-M car. So if it’s not a full-on performance vehicle and not a standalone EV, what is it? Well, it’s a damn good car, that’s what. It’s comfortable, well appointed, and a pleasure to drive and spend time in. Kudos to plentiful tech, well-executed interior lighting, and a cohesive electric experience that’s not too in-your-face.
It really is a good package. The i5 M60 does 0-60 in a claimed 3.3 seconds, can go over 250 miles on a full charge, and has all the tech and gadgets a Silicon Valley tech nerd could want. But it’s more than numbers, which is the most shocking part of the car. This is an electric car that’s actually quite good to drive. It can’t overcome its weight, yet it’s more nimble than it should be and the combination of power, control, and immediate responsiveness from the chassis make for an enjoyable drive. While the i5 M60 will never replace the M5 Competition’s place in my heart, it’s a great effort that shows promise for the inevitable M-badged EVs to come.
Yay
- 593 hp and 586 lb ft of torque
- Corners like it weighs less than it does (rear steer helps)
- Immediate steering
- Very comfortable seats
- Calm, cool, and composed when not in more aggressive modes
- Feels truly luxurious
Nay
- iDrive 8’s screen hubs controls that should be physical
- No cooled seats at almost $100k?
- Trunk compromised by high load floor
- Crashes over rough surfaces (blame the weight and big wheels more than the suspension tuning)
- Styling isn’t for everyone (but at least it’s better than some other BMWs, like the i7)
The Takeaway
A totally different experience from any BMW before it, the i5 M60 is a genuinely high-performance sedan that really does it all, and while not necessarily the right car for full-on driving enthusiasts, it’s an easy car to recommend given its breadth of talents.
Kamil Kaluski