2024 BMW I5 M60 Review: First Drive

It's true: even the BMW 5 Series has gone electric.

In fact, when the eighth-generation "G60" generation model arrives in dealerships later this year, the only high-performance option will be a battery-powered one. That'll be this, the 2024 BMW i5 M60.

With 593 horsepower, does this new light-M car live up to the reputation of the outgoing V8-powered M550i? We had some gorgeous roads outside of Lisbon to find out.

The i5 M60 is the top dog of the new 5 Series family, which will consist of gas- and electric-powered models on this side of the Atlantic. The single-motor i5 eDrive40 serves as the "entry" model for the EV side of the family: if you haven't yet, make sure to read our first drive review.

The M60 does that usual electric car dance of slinging an additional motor up front for all-wheel drive. So in addition to 335 horsepower heading out back, there's a 257-horsepower motor twisting the front axle. The battery capacity remains unchanged at 81.2 kilowatt-hours, which naturally results in a lower single-charge range. If you want more fun, you’ll have to settle for a quoted 256-mile (412-kilometer) range, a penalty of 39 miles (63 km) over the eDrive40 variant.

Scoping out the M60 on the road isn’t easy. The only major tell up front is the grille, which trades out the chrome garnish for some Taylor Momsen-approved black lipstick. The grille itself is filled in too, and there’s a light-up kidney outline if you feel so inclined. Swing around to the back and there’s the teensiest little lip spoiler atop the trunk lid, and a unique lower bumper with more pronounced diffuser blades. While the 21-inch wheels are optional on the lesser model, they’re standard here.

Oh heck yeah. The outgoing M550i was a sleeper, offering up near-M5 levels of performance in a car that snuck under the radar. The i5 M60 pulls off the same trick, except it strikes in near-silence. This i5 is comically quick—3.8 seconds to 62 mph (100 km/h, natch—and arguably too much so for the tight, twisting villas that dot our drive route. So no, I did not get to test the launch control.

Opting for the M60 adds about 300 pounds to the curb weight, taking the total to 5,247 lb (2,380 kilograms). To counteract that extra chunk, the M60 comes standard with Adaptive M Suspension Professional. (AMSP is optional on the single-motor.) This setup drops the car 0.3 inches (8 millimeters) over the standard eDrive 40. Adaptive dampers provide a wide range of attitude adjustments for the big sedan, and there’s also up to 2.5 degrees of rear-steer to keep it feeling agile. Above that, the M60’s steering is tighter, with less play around the center and more consistent feedback through its thick rim, in all drive modes. Add it all up, and the M60 is a ruthlessly effective A-to-B weapon.

The spacious cabin sees a sober-and-serious trim change for M duty. There’s a lot of black, including generous swathes of high-gloss carbon fiber trim. The seats are unchanged in structure, though benefit from a combination of vegan leather (“Veganza”) and grippy Alcantara.

The same great tech suite exists here, with the main event being the curved display atop the dashboard. The 12.3- and 14.9-inch screens work a treat, with plenty of customization and crisp, clean displays. The iDrive 8.5 updates make the central screen an easier one to live with, thanks to lots of one-tap menus and an always-on map. Of course, the M60 offers up the same vast suite of driver assists as the eDrive40, including BMW’s hands-free, pre-mapped highway driving assist with hands-free lane changes. You’ll find the AirConsole lineup of games, too—I still don’t see the appeal here.

All this performance will cost you, of course. The M60 has a sticker befitting its current range-topping status, starting at $85,095 ($97,480 CAD) including destination. That’s a lot of coin; an M3 Competition is a more engaging drive, not much smaller inside, and slightly cheaper. But that’s a pure-gas option, and can’t match the M60’s everyday comfort or its subtlety.

Mercedes will sell you an AMG version of the EQE, but it’s 20-percent more expensive to start. Match the price and you’re looking at the EQE 500 4Matic, which spits out just 402 horsepower. On the other end of the spectrum, Tesla sells the Model S Plaid and its bonkers 1,020 horsepower for $91,380, including destination.

Maybe I'm getting older, but I'd have a hard time justifying the M60 when the regular eDrive40 is such a good all-rounder. The added power is fun but of limited use on the road; it's the steering that I'd miss most.

The 2024 i5 M60 had a tough act to follow. The outgoing M550i had a characterful V8 soundtrack, but the 2024 model is blisteringly quick, has a wider breadth of character, and is one of the few 600-horsepower choices you have for under 100 grand. Now we have to ask: how will the hybrid M5 top it?

Discuss this story on our BMW i5 forum.

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