2024 BMW i5 M60 Looks to Be Another Promising EV

There it is again, that mix of affirmation and excitement. It's what you feel when the steering, brakes, and accelerator of a brand-new car sync driver inputs and create a sensory revelation. This time, the source is the new i5 M60, the high-performance variant of the new eighth-generation 5-series, which lived up to its dynamic promise throughout our first half-day outing. If this early pre-production model is anything to go by, BMW has another winner on its hands. And this time, the achievement is not tainted by a disfigured front end with a beaver-tooth grille.

Logistics dictated that we bypass the 335-hp i5 eDrive40 and go straight to the 590-hp i5 M60 xDrive. From our base near Marseille, France, we headed out onto a section of BMW's official Research and Development evaluation loop, which stretches deep into the barren hinterland to the northwest, where the Bouches-du-Rhône and Vaucluse departments meet. Piloting a still fully camouflaged i5 prototype, we followed BMW driving dynamics expert Jürgen Metz, who led the way in an M340d wagon. The challenging route is the legacy of BMW's recently retired chassis guru Jos van As.

Driving the 2024 BMW i5 M60

As soon as the last small village started to fade away in the rearview mirror, Jürgen's voice came snarling over the radio: "It hasn't rained here for weeks, so there will be plenty of sand and gravel on the road." Squeak, pause, crackle. "Also, give cyclists a wide berth and keep an eye out for locals in a hurry, who are real experts at cutting corners." Moments later, a quick thumbs-up signals attack mode, and our two-car convoy begins its speedy climb up the steely gray spiral staircase to the first summit of the Parc naturel régional des Alpilles. The i5 is a brand-new car from top to bottom, and yet it feels encouragingly familiar and confidence-inspiring from the word go. The motor's massive 590 horsepower and 586 pound-feet of torque are distributed with sublime mastery.

In preparation for the total-immersion experience that was about to follow, the black disguise covers had to come off BMW's curved display that spans two-thirds of the dash. Next, the annoying lane-departure warning chimes, lights, and vibrations were put to sleep. Locking all systems in Sport but leaving stability control on for the time being completed the initial preflight check. Although there is no gear lever or clutch pedal to worry about, the mind still takes a moment to adjust to the new driver environment. There is only one steering-wheel paddle, which is marked Boost. Why not install a second paddle to control the three energy-regeneration stages? "Because sticking the gear selector in B automatically triggers the one-pedal feel coveted by many EV users," explains Herr Metz. Lift-off regen intensifies or decreases in sync with the selected drive mode.

But today we're not interested in coasting or in exploring the max range (estimated at up to 307 miles for the eDrive40 and 272 miles for the M60). Today is all about having fun with fully charged batteries, two motors giving their all, and wringing out a state-of-the-art chassis.