BMW i5 M60 xDrive First Drive Review
03 Oct 2023|4,579 views
What We Like
Has speed and power that's befitting of the M badge
Looks menacing
A driver-centric cabin that's hard to fault
Surprisingly comfortable when cruising
What We Dislike
Feels a tad heavy around bends
I am on the plane back to Singapore now, and an elderly man named Harry is sitting beside me. He's 91 years of age and is on his way back to Adelaide after visiting his 95-year old brother in Ireland. We've been chit-chatting a bit about life, had a few drinks together and we shared some stories.
Just a couple of hours ago, halfway through meal service, his nose bled. Must be the air pressure or something, but it definitely caused a bit of a commotion. The three cabin crew working on this section of the plane were pacing around, doing whatever they could to make Harry comfortable.
Then as everything was settling down, Harry looked at me and laughed. He's obviously more than just a regular old man…
The BMW i5 M60 manages to strike a balance between elegance and aggression
I suppose it's times like these that make life so interesting. The people we meet, talk to, brush up against, sit beside… they all add up to make life in this fractured world a little bit more tolerable and little bit more memorable all at the same time.
And that's quite like my recent experience with the all-new all-electric high-performance BMW i5 M60 xDrive in Lisbon, Portugal. On the surface, it seems like this car is just another typical fast electric vehicle that targets typical irritants who wear typical things like pants that look too short and shirts that are one size too small.
But as it turns out, it's not quite the case, thankfully. The BMW i5 M60 that you see here is much, much more than just the typical fast car that's targeted at the typical owner. On first glance, it comes across as something that's pure, polished and passionate, with the full black clean grille, M badges and spoiler to differentiate itself from the regular BMW i5 eDrive40 variant.
On the move, the car handles well thanks to the talkative steering wheel that's accurate and well-weighted
More relevantly, the BMW i5 M60 has the moves to match its looks. Thanks to a maximum of 592bhp and 820Nm of torque sent to all four wheels, the electric 5er will hit the 100km/h mark off the line in the just 3.8 seconds - a timing that's a split second faster than the brutally-quick BMW M3 Competition.
That said, the new car is a bit more than just speed, really. It's a bit like Harry, the old man sitting beside me. He's a lot more than just a regular old man who has hearing problems. The wealth of experience, the stories, the values - they're all his and his alone, which makes him authentic in a way that no other old man can match. And that's kind of like the i5 M60. Sure, it's quick, powerful and it swallows tarmac like nobody's business, but more than just that is the way it handles and drives.
Credit has to go to the communicative and well-weighted steering wheel. Every turn and twitch sends a clear and transparent message to the driver, which gives you the much needed confidence to throw the car around narrow Portugal roads with reckless abandon and without fear or doubts. And, mind you, this is despite the car's increase in dimensions over its predecessor.
With a cabin that's sporty yet premium, buyers will find it hard to fault the car
And should you decide to take it easy due to heavy traffic, the car will serve its purpose for the entire family of five with luxury, comfort and space while gliding over broken surfaces with little to no vibrations sent to the cabin whatsoever.
In all honesty, I didn't even bother checking the consumption of this car; neither did I bother about the range when started driving this car out of the basement carpark of Critical TechWorks, a software development company that's in partnership with BMW Group. And that's because an owner of this car wouldn't and shouldn't bother about these things.
A car like the BMW i5 M60 is purchased either because of boasting rights or because of pure love. There's nothing in between. I doubt the salesman can sway a customer who's looking at the eDrive40 into buying the M60. I could be very wrong on this, but I'm pretty sure I'm 95% accurate.
Need the extra torque boost? Flick the left paddle shifter and you're ready to rock and roll
Which is why when it comes down to the crunch and when push becomes shove, enthusiasts won't be able to deny that the i5 M60 will essentially become their kind of car. They'll buy it because it's the future of motoring and it's all they want to do - enjoy the drive. Sure, there'll always be old school petrolheads, where only ICE matters, but in a time where electrification is inevitable, what better way to enjoy than a car with over 590bhp and 800Nm of torque?
Now that I'm back home sitting on my cheap chair and sipping on my expensive scotch, I should have asked Harry about electric cars… I'm sure he would have had a snarky reply, followed by a cheeky laugh. Imagine what his reaction would be if he realised I used him as a reference to a high-performance EV like the BMW i5 M60…
The BMW i5 M60 xDrive is expected to arrive in Singapore early next year.
What We Like
Has speed and power that's befitting of the M badge
Looks menacing
A driver-centric cabin that's hard to fault
Surprisingly comfortable when cruising
What We Dislike
Feels a tad heavy around bends
I am on the plane back to Singapore now, and an elderly man named Harry is sitting beside me. He's 91 years of age and is on his way back to Adelaide after visiting his 95-year old brother in Ireland. We've been chit-chatting a bit about life, had a few drinks together and we shared some stories.
Just a couple of hours ago, halfway through meal service, his nose bled. Must be the air pressure or something, but it definitely caused a bit of a commotion. The three cabin crew working on this section of the plane were pacing around, doing whatever they could to make Harry comfortable.
Then as everything was settling down, Harry looked at me and laughed. He's obviously more than just a regular old man…
The BMW i5 M60 manages to strike a balance between elegance and aggression
I suppose it's times like these that make life so interesting. The people we meet, talk to, brush up against, sit beside… they all add up to make life in this fractured world a little bit more tolerable and little bit more memorable all at the same time.
And that's quite like my recent experience with the all-new all-electric high-performance BMW i5 M60 xDrive in Lisbon, Portugal. On the surface, it seems like this car is just another typical fast electric vehicle that targets typical irritants who wear typical things like pants that look too short and shirts that are one size too small.
But as it turns out, it's not quite the case, thankfully. The BMW i5 M60 that you see here is much, much more than just the typical fast car that's targeted at the typical owner. On first glance, it comes across as something that's pure, polished and passionate, with the full black clean grille, M badges and spoiler to differentiate itself from the regular BMW i5 eDrive40 variant.
On the move, the car handles well thanks to the talkative steering wheel that's accurate and well-weighted
More relevantly, the BMW i5 M60 has the moves to match its looks. Thanks to a maximum of 592bhp and 820Nm of torque sent to all four wheels, the electric 5er will hit the 100km/h mark off the line in the just 3.8 seconds - a timing that's a split second faster than the brutally-quick BMW M3 Competition.
That said, the new car is a bit more than just speed, really. It's a bit like Harry, the old man sitting beside me. He's a lot more than just a regular old man who has hearing problems. The wealth of experience, the stories, the values - they're all his and his alone, which makes him authentic in a way that no other old man can match. And that's kind of like the i5 M60. Sure, it's quick, powerful and it swallows tarmac like nobody's business, but more than just that is the way it handles and drives.
Credit has to go to the communicative and well-weighted steering wheel. Every turn and twitch sends a clear and transparent message to the driver, which gives you the much needed confidence to throw the car around narrow Portugal roads with reckless abandon and without fear or doubts. And, mind you, this is despite the car's increase in dimensions over its predecessor.
With a cabin that's sporty yet premium, buyers will find it hard to fault the car
And should you decide to take it easy due to heavy traffic, the car will serve its purpose for the entire family of five with luxury, comfort and space while gliding over broken surfaces with little to no vibrations sent to the cabin whatsoever.
In all honesty, I didn't even bother checking the consumption of this car; neither did I bother about the range when started driving this car out of the basement carpark of Critical TechWorks, a software development company that's in partnership with BMW Group. And that's because an owner of this car wouldn't and shouldn't bother about these things.
A car like the BMW i5 M60 is purchased either because of boasting rights or because of pure love. There's nothing in between. I doubt the salesman can sway a customer who's looking at the eDrive40 into buying the M60. I could be very wrong on this, but I'm pretty sure I'm 95% accurate.
Need the extra torque boost? Flick the left paddle shifter and you're ready to rock and roll
Which is why when it comes down to the crunch and when push becomes shove, enthusiasts won't be able to deny that the i5 M60 will essentially become their kind of car. They'll buy it because it's the future of motoring and it's all they want to do - enjoy the drive. Sure, there'll always be old school petrolheads, where only ICE matters, but in a time where electrification is inevitable, what better way to enjoy than a car with over 590bhp and 800Nm of torque?
Now that I'm back home sitting on my cheap chair and sipping on my expensive scotch, I should have asked Harry about electric cars… I'm sure he would have had a snarky reply, followed by a cheeky laugh. Imagine what his reaction would be if he realised I used him as a reference to a high-performance EV like the BMW i5 M60…
The BMW i5 M60 xDrive is expected to arrive in Singapore early next year.
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- Exterior
- Drive
- Conclusion
