BMW iX M60 confirmed: Performance SUV coming in 2022
BMW has confirmed its upcoming iX electric SUV will soon have a V8-smashing, range-topping M-tuned model.
To be called iX M60, the new model will sit above the xDrive 40 and xDrive 50 that are scheduled to arrive in Australia late in 2021.
And it’s set to deliver sharper performance than some of BMW’s current M-tuned V8s.
Talking to media last week the head of the iX project, Johann Kistler, confirmed rumours that the iX M60 was under development – and it’ll be available from 2022.
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“For next year we will offer M60 on this [the iX],” said Kistler.
“We decided to make no different body shapes [of the iX] … but three different engines.”
Rumours have swirled for months that the M60 would top the iX range and come with more power than the xDrive 40 (240kW) and xDrive 50 (370kW).
The name itself gives clues as to where the iX M60 will fit.
While BMW has dedicated M models – such as the X5 M and X6 M – that are the pinnacle of the brand’s performance lineup, there are also M-tuned models such as the X5 M50i that fill the gap down to the regular models in the range.
As bigger numbers denote better performance, it’s expected the M60i will out-gun the X5 M50i, which accelerates to 100km/h in a claimed 4.3 seconds.
The iX M60 is expected to make about 420kW of power, in turn lowering the 0-100km/h acceleration time to the low-four-second bracket.
Kistler also confirmed the performance upgrades would also touch the dynamic components of the car such as suspension.
As well as impressive EV driving tech, the iX will feature what BMW calls “shy tech” – technology that “stays in the background and only becomes apparent as and when the relevant functions are called into action”.
That shy tech includes a camera washer jet that pops out from the BMW badge on the back. There’s a similar camera washer up front.
The iX will also have “Digital Key Plus”, which uses ultra-wideband radio technology to communicate with the car using an Apple iPhone. Like a Tesla, owners can approach the car and the vehicle will unlock. It will then start once the key – or phone – is inside.
BMW says the ultra-wideband tech provides “precise location identification combined with maximum security”.
A digital key can also be shared with five other iPhone users.
