Test Driving the 2023 BMW iX M60: The carmaker's most powerful EV

5700lbs kerb weight is why this might be an M car in a straight line but anything but in the corners, which is really the point of an M car. So much weight it is painful.

I have a great fondness for small and light vehicle packages, they simply cannot be beaten for road manners and handling fun. Weight hurts everything, not just basic economy and cornering but stuff like ride quality. Many modern 'performance' cars end up with too much rebound damping due to the weight they are expected to carry which is not pleasant.

I hope that there are still possibilities in battery technology to increase energy density and be able to cut weight in the next decade or so. There is always talk of 'breakthroughs' but only in small scale exotic lab experiments. Perhaps Lithium Sulfur or other promising chemistries can be realized in the next decade.
 
Soon there will be plenty that dont like EVs and will either spout 20 year old complaints or lie through their teeth to make a point. So as an EV owner I decided to try something different and give you something to whine about. The tires on an EV last 9-15% less because of the weight of the vehicles.

I hope that there are still possibilities in battery technology to increase energy density and be able to cut weight in the next decade or so. There is always talk of 'breakthroughs' but only in small scale exotic lab experiments.
Good point and very true. But read up on Solid State batteries. They have been in testing phase and a few automakers are saying "maybe" in the next few years. What I like best is that they are also talking of retrofit batteries. So when the Li-ion battery finally gives up, a SS battery will be available as a drop in option for replacement.

 
5700lbs kerb weight is why this might be an M car in a straight line but anything but in the corners, which is really the point of an M car. So much weight it is painful.

I have a great fondness for small and light vehicle packages, they simply cannot be beaten for road manners and handling fun. Weight hurts everything, not just basic economy and cornering but stuff like ride quality. Many modern 'performance' cars end up with too much rebound damping due to the weight they are expected to carry which is not pleasant.

I hope that there are still possibilities in battery technology to increase energy density and be able to cut weight in the next decade or so. There is always talk of 'breakthroughs' but only in small scale exotic lab experiments. Perhaps Lithium Sulfur or other promising chemistries can be realized in the next decade.
I thoroughly agree with you here. I have a sub 3,000 lb car at home, and while it's not luxurious or especially high performance, it's capable of feeling like a thrill at any speed, and can attack corners with confidence.

Batteries are just so heavy, and while they're optimally placed for COG, they still don't feel as confident or inspiring when it comes to handling. The tires are doing a lot of heavy lifting here to provide any sense of performance characteristics besides straight line speed.

Thanks for reading and commenting!
 
Soon there will be plenty that dont like EVs and will either spout 20 year old complaints or lie through their teeth to make a point. So as an EV owner I decided to try something different and give you something to whine about. The tires on an EV last 9-15% less because of the weight of the vehicles.


Good point and very true. But read up on Solid State batteries. They have been in testing phase and a few automakers are saying "maybe" in the next few years. What I like best is that they are also talking of retrofit batteries. So when the Li-ion battery finally gives up, a SS battery will be available as a drop in option for replacement.

Nissan is making a prototype facility for SS batteries, suggesting a pilot production line in Japan for 2024 and market availability in 2028, which is pretty impressive. I'm sure others are closing in on this tech.
 
Sexy! no mention of
Save while you're at it.
Fuel Savings Up to $2,354/year
Federal Tax Credit Up to $7,500
source BMW website
Soon there will be plenty that dont like EVs and will either spout 20 year old complaints or lie through their teeth to make a point. So as an EV owner I decided to try something different and give you something to whine about. The tires on an EV last 9-15% less because of the weight of the vehicles.
What's your thought on the X5 xDrive45e or other plug-in hybrids?
 
BMW had a test drive event nearby my home for the IX and the I4. They let you drive them on the beach streets and around a track. I was actually impressed by the I X simply because of its interior space. Normally BMWs are too small for me but I was very happy with the interior space the I X had to offer.

However, I decided to order a Cadillac Lyric all-wheel-drive.

BMWs autonomous driving just isn’t enough for me. I want to be able to let the car drive itself hands-free. I’m also anxious to have heated/cooled/massage seats. $70,000 instead of $100,000.
 
BMW had a test drive event nearby my home for the IX and the I4. They let you drive them on the beach streets and around a track. I was actually impressed by the I X simply because of its interior space. Normally BMWs are too small for me but I was very happy with the interior space the I X had to offer.



However, I decided to order a Cadillac Lyric all-wheel-drive.

BMWs autonomous driving just isn’t enough for me. I want to be able to let the car drive itself hands-free. I’m also anxious to have heated/cooled/massage seats. $70,000 instead of $100,000.
Super Cruise is pretty incredible. I can't believe there aren't more vehicles with it. I wrote about my experience with it here:
 
BMW had a test drive event nearby my home for the IX and the I4. They let you drive them on the beach streets and around a track. I was actually impressed by the I X simply because of its interior space. Normally BMWs are too small for me but I was very happy with the interior space the I X had to offer.



However, I decided to order a Cadillac Lyric all-wheel-drive.

BMWs autonomous driving just isn’t enough for me. I want to be able to let the car drive itself hands-free. I’m also anxious to have heated/cooled/massage seats. $70,000 instead of $100,000.
2023 LYRIQ All-Wheel Drive
MSRP Starting at: $64,990*
*Excludes tax, title, license, dealer fees and other optional equipment. Final price set by dealer.
The bmw is also a different beast
610 hp and 811 lb-ft of torque vs
2023 LYRIQ REAR-WHEEL DRIVE

EPA-estimated 312 miles of driving range with a full charge
Cadillac-estimated 340 hp and 325 lb-ft (440 Nm) of torque
2023 LYRIQ ALL-WHEEL DRIVE

EPA-estimated driving range pending
Cadillac-estimated 500 hp and estimate pending for torque
BMW usually underestimates there performance significantly
Did you at least go with 22 inch rims?
 
Another uber powerful lead sled EV thats fast in a straight line and has garbage range and uber expensive batteries. How original.
Soon there will be plenty that dont like EVs and will either spout 20 year old complaints or lie through their teeth to make a point. So as an EV owner I decided to try something different and give you something to whine about. The tires on an EV last 9-15% less because of the weight of the vehicles.


Good point and very true. But read up on Solid State batteries. They have been in testing phase and a few automakers are saying "maybe" in the next few years. What I like best is that they are also talking of retrofit batteries. So when the Li-ion battery finally gives up, a SS battery will be available as a drop in option for replacement.

Oh wow, "maybe" we might have better batteries? Never heard THAT one before!

Perhaps you should face the music, EVs have some pretty serious drawbacks. Yeah, range has been complained about for 20 years, because its STILL AN ISSUE. Wunderbatteries are not going to save EVs, batteries evolve (very) slowly over time. Considering it has taken nearly 20 years to break the 400 mile (supposed) range in a car most will never be able to afford, and how poorly the likes of rivian and the EV-150 are doing on range tests we're still quite a ways from EVs being viable.
 
Wunderbatteries are not going to save EVs
Actually the EV doesn't need saved. They ain't going anywhere now.

Yeah, range has been complained about for 20 years, because its STILL AN ISSUE.
No where near as much as you are pretending. In fact except for traveling long range, it is no issue at all.

Even at the minimum range of 280 miles for this BMW the only thing its owner will be missing is the stops at the gas station.
 
Last edited:
"You can even iMessage friends or family your key, and give them access to your car."

That's super cool tech! I love it.
 
Best thing is efficiency of this vehicle where the standard consumption will be most likely higher than 35 kWh/100 km ... and at this point even a diesel variant is cheaper to run and produces less CO2.
Make EV, make it utterly inefficient for sake of big numbers and speed ... makes sense.
 
I like EV's but not this. When compared to something like a Model 3 Performance, this thing seems expensive, slow and ugly.
 
Just how many of those photos were CGI? The in-car motorway one sure looked a lot like it (almost GTAV-ish)
 
Like everything that has come out of Munich in the last 3 years, this is absolutely hideous. It looks like a 3 tonne lump of overly-designed plastic with an angry beaver face. BMW need to sort out their design department, the Koreans are running rings around them in this regard.
 
Rich, greenie lessees rejoice! Now you have another way to throw your money away and then dump your worn-out BMW on someone else when the warranty expires. Personally, I'd rather have a used $20,000 non-BMW vehicle and then another $80,000 to spend on gas.
 
Personally, I'd rather have a used $20,000 non-BMW vehicle and then another $80,000 to spend on gas.
Its not about the money. For me I do not have the time to go to gas stations anymore. I want my car to be fully charged every morning and not to think about it.
 
Soon there will be plenty that dont like EVs and will either spout 20 year old complaints or lie through their teeth to make a point. So as an EV owner I decided to try something different and give you something to whine about. The tires on an EV last 9-15% less because of the weight of the vehicles.


Good point and very true. But read up on Solid State batteries. They have been in testing phase and a few automakers are saying "maybe" in the next few years. What I like best is that they are also talking of retrofit batteries. So when the Li-ion battery finally gives up, a SS battery will be available as a drop in option for replacement.

Interesting video. It could be a game changer. However, we might as well be talking to cro-magnon man with the skeptics in this thread. I guess they don't believe that mankind will advance. Perhaps they are getting their information from Tucker Carlson. :rolleyes:🤣

Here are a couple of other videos on the subject of advanced batteries - one is further info on the Toyota batteries, and the other is info on some supposed developments from a university that is researching for Tesla. I don't have much confidence in Tesla press releases, but this appears to be directly from the university - so lets hope that they are not subject to Tesla and Musk's BS.

 
Like everything that has come out of Munich in the last 3 years, this is absolutely hideous. It looks like a 3 tonne lump of overly-designed plastic with an angry beaver face. BMW need to sort out their design department, the Koreans are running rings around them in this regard.
You left out that it does not have a real loud engine roar. :rolleyes:
 
Back