Jonathan Gitlin
Today, car manufacturers are in a difficult situation. The industry has been developing and refining its products for generations, and now it’s time to ditch that knowledge about internal combustion technology and learn all the new things about electric powertrains. This feeling should be especially acute in the more specialized corners of the industry, such as the high-speed dealers responsible for those factory-built, souped-up sedans and SUVs with badges featuring AMG, Blackwing, and the like.
BMW M is perhaps the most famous, having just celebrated its 50th anniversary last week. For decades, since the mid-engined BMW Turbo concept of 1972, the tricolor decal has been synonymous with sharp handling and plenty of power, usually delivered by a peach of an engine. But the future is electrified, even at M, which is why we were in Berlin to try out its latest creation, a tweaked version of BMW’s latest electric SUV, the 2023 iX M60.
Jonathan Gitlin
Last summer we were introduced to the iX for the first time. It looks controversial, as with so many of BMW’s more recent creations, and is best thought of as an all-electric alternative to the more conventional X5 SUV. But M’s engineers have now got their hands on the iX, having already tried their magic on the i4 M50.
Electrification is a bit of a double-edged sword for outfits like M. Electric motors may not be sweet like some of BMW’s six-cylinder engines. But even the sharpest naturally aspirated engine can’t hope to match the directness of an electric motor when it comes to instant throttle response, particularly in the 0-40mph (0-65kph) speed range where most of us spend it. most of our driving time.
On the other hand, these kinds of powerful electric motors only work if you can supply them with high-voltage power, and that currently means lugging huge lithium-ion battery packs that, altogether, weigh hundreds of pounds more than an equivalent gasoline-powered powertrain. The iX M60 has a curb weight of 2,617kg, which is about two middle linebackers more than the BMW X5 M, realistically the iX M60’s biggest internal rival in terms of price and power.
Jonathan Gitlin
Going electric therefore means taking a bit more mass with you. BMW has added more power to compensate, but the mechanical changes to the powertrain compared to the less powerful iXs we drove in 2021 are minimal.
The rotor of the rear motor has been extended by 20 mm, which allows the application of a larger magnetic field and thus more power to be generated. The engine revs to 15,400 rpm and there is now a six-phase twin converter that allows a maximum of 1,200 A, which is transmitted to the wheels by a single-speed transmission housed in the same compact drive unit as the engine and power electronics.
As with BMW’s other Gen5 electric drive units, it is made in-house and is an electrically powered synchronous motor that uses no magnets (and thus no rare earths) in its construction.
The key figure is the iX M60’s combined 610 hp (455 kW) in sport mode and launch control and the 1,100 Nm of torque available in launch control. And since the iX M60 doesn’t need to run turbochargers or fill 4.4 liters of a V8 engine with fresh air, that gives it a natural performance advantage over the X5 M. Zero to 60 mph (97 km) /h) takes just 3.6 seconds, and the top speed on summer tires has been increased to 250 km/h.
In the less frenetic driving modes of the iX M60 (Personal and Efficiency), the power delivery is reduced a bit to a maximum of 532 hp (397 k) and 749 lb-ft (1015 Nm). Individually, the front drive unit is rated at 255 hp (190 kW) and the rear 483 hp (360 kW).
