This 601 hp M-badged all-electric all-wheel drive BMW 5-Series is estimated to cost RM 480,000.
For those who desire a little bit more spunk to their i5s, BMW Malaysia has finally got an answer to that in the form of its recently revealed M60 xDrive variant. Introduced alongside the petrol-powered 520i at the Malaysia Autoshow 2024, this performance flagship of its e-sedan line is to land locally wearing a currently estimated price tag in the region of RM 480,000.
So, what does one get with their near half-million ringgit M-badged e-sedan? Well funnily enough, the same 3.8 second 0-100 km/h figure as touted by BYD with its (half-priced) Seal Performance…
Now in all fairness to the BMW here, the 601 hp and 795 Nm of torque it packs in its dual-motored all-wheel drive powertrain does give it an edge over the BYD in the top speed, with the i5 M60 xDrive capable to plough on for an extra 50 km/h over the Seal’s 180 km/h cap. Though it has to be stated that this M-badged electric sedan’s V-max of 230 km/h is to only be equivalent to its base-spec petrol-powered 520i counterpart, with it unfortunately missing out on the conventional continental ‘bahnstorming benchmark of 250 km/h (155 mph).
What more is that while this i5 packs a whopper of a battery pack at 83.9 kWh, the quoted maximum WLTP-rated range of 516 km is nevertheless just average in the realm of mid-sized performance EVs as well. BMW does however highlight that its e-sedan is equipped in Malaysia with 22 kW AC charging to complement its 205 kW DC maximum input, with the former being at least double the power to what is offered by most of its half-priced competitors.
Something that this marque of ‘the ultimate driving machine’ is keen in emphasising also is for this performance trim of i5 to have netted a few cool tech tricks that will see it at least be capable in properly hustling round the bends, as an M-badged car should. Among these include Adaptive M Suspension Professional (incorporating Active Roll Stabilisation and Active Roll Comfort), as well as integral active rear-wheel steering.
Discussing exterior design now, this M-badged i5 predictably features the typical M Sport styling accoutrements to give the e-sedan a more aggressive look. The more noteworthy enhancements here are to be a slat-less gloss black kidney grille with illuminated surrounds up front, 21-inch BMW Individual style 954 two-tone alloy wheels with red brake calipers down its side and smoked LED taillights round its rump.
Moving on within meanwhile, the cockpit of this i5 M60 xDrive adds lashings of carbon fibre and a red stripe on its M sport flat-bottomed steering wheel to further highlight its sporty nature. There is however little on the comfort and convenience tech front to differentiate this flagship to its more sensible eDrive40 lower tier, with both sharing much the same BMW Curved Display (incorporating a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and 14.9-inch central infotainment screen), an 18-speaker 655 W Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System and Driving Assistance Professional active driver aid suite.
The BMW i5 M60 xDrive offers a diverse array of exterior colours to suit every taste and preference. Options include Black Sapphire Metallic, Mineral White Metallic, Brooklyn Grey Metallic, Phytonic Blue Metallic, Sophisto Grey Metallic, Oxide Grey Metallic, Cape York Green Metallic, and Fire Red Metallic. With its diverse array of exterior colours, this flagship trim of e-sedan also features premium upholstery options consisting of the Leather Merino Black/Atlas Grey, Leather Merino Copper Brown/Atlas Grey as well as the Leather Merino Silverstone/Atlas Grey.
