As you might be able to guess, we at ellectric love a good roadtrip – the music, the wind in your hair, and all the scenic routes – but of course, the vehicle remains the most important aspect, except perhaps for the company. When we were invited by BMW to the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and to take a roadtrip back to Germany from the beautiful Lake Como, with none other than the BMW iX M60, we were thrilled. 

After spending the weekend over at the Villa d’Este and Villa Erba on Lake Como, we have we set out on Sunday afternoon towards Vals in Switzerland with our stopover at the design hotel 7132 before heading back to Munich. As exclusive and exceptional the experience already had been, it continued at the 7132 hotel. On our way there, we explored the beautiful, breathtaking landscape. The entire ride was very relaxed and stress-free, on top very silent as the iX is a pure electric vehicle. And our perfect companion was definitely the Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system that created an impressive musical surrounding. With the 4D audio function using magnet-controlled shakers in the driver and front passenger seats, we got provided with an immersive sound system, which made the ride even more fun while listening to our ellectric playlists.

The BMW iX M60

We already tested the BMW iX xDrive50, but now it was time for the BMW iX M60. It is the third and most powerful of its technology flagship, with its combined power consumption of 24.5 - 21.9 kWh/100 km according to WLTP, a maximum torque of 1.100 Nm with activated Launch Control and an M specific suspension set-up, and an output of 455 kW/619 hp. If that wasn’t enough, the vehicle also produces a whopping combined CO2 emissions of 0 g/km, combining outstanding performance experience to the world of locally emission-free mobility. 

At no time did we have range anxiety as the BMW iX M60 has a range of up to 561 km (according to WLTP). On our first leg we covered about 220 km. Over night the vehicle was fully charged. From Vals to Munich, our finally destination, the route was around 350 km with a quick stopover at the Ammersee in Bavaria. When arriving in Munich, the battery was still at 20%, although we tested the full performance of the BMW iX M60 on the motorway. The BMW iX M60 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in only 3.8 seconds. Quite impressive. Maximum speed is at 250 km/h.

With its impressive performance and sustainable attributes, the car also combines innovative luxury with the design of a modern sports activity vehicle, and it is in this way that it embodies the best of the three worlds of BMW i, the BMW X models and BMW M. Its technological highlights such as automated driving, operation and connectivity also create a new understanding of advanced luxury, high performance and premium character.

A comfortable sports car

The body structure, design principle as well as the suspension set-up are all geared towards creating superior ride comfort and adding sporty handling characteristics. For instance, the aluminium spaceframe concept and the carbon cage with carbon fibre reinforced plastic in the roof, side and rear sections which are an intelligent mix of materials that combines increased rigidity with optimised weight. 

The BMW iX M60’s performance, efficiency and range also benefit from its optimised aerodynamic properties: the high-voltage battery is located deep down in the underbody, lowering the vehicle's centre of gravity which ensures agile handling as well as balanced axle load distribution. This is what allows for such spontaneous acceleration, but also outstanding cornering dynamics and handling that can be precisely controlled at all times, even in highly dynamic situations – in short, perfect for a roadtrip. 

Advanced technology

Equipped with BMW’s new future modular system , the BMW iX M60 is a true feat of connectivity and driver assistance systems, as well as numerous innovations. A new generation of sensors, a new software stack and a powerful computing platform also provide considerable potential for consistently advancing automated driving and parking functions.

With BMW iDrive, the BMW iX M60 creates an impressive and hallmark M driving experience, with a focus on the familiar display and Operating System 8, featuring a touch function of the BMW Curved Display and voice communication with the extensively enhanced BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. A number of new features also underline the particular ‘M’ character of the BMW iX M60, such as the first-ever BMW IconicSounds Electric, which we have written about before on ellectric and which make the electric driving experience even more thrilling. The BMW iX is also a pioneer in data transmission using the 5G mobile phone standard and in integrating the personal mobile phone account into the vehicle with the help of the Personal eSIM.

Comprehensive and spacious design

The distinctive presence of the BMW iX M60 is crafted carefully and helped by its powerful proportions, reduced surface design and precise details that characterise the clear exterior look. The spacious and high-quality interior also helps the driver concentrate on driving actively, while also providing travel comfort and the pleasure of progressive luxury. Particularly exciting elements are the multifunction seats with integrated headrests, the large BMW Curved Display, the hexagonal steering wheel and the anthracite-coloured roof liner. Speaking of spaciousness, the elimination of the centre tunnel also creates additional legroom as well as space for storage and a centre console designed in the style of a high-quality piece of furniture, creating a “mobile living room” feel. 

Of course, progressive luxury and comfort would not be complete without the BMW iX M60’s exceptionally comprehensive level of standard equipment, including BMW Live Cockpit Professional and BMW Natural Interaction, which allows functions to be operated using speech and gestures, the Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System, BMW Laser Light, Comfort Access, Active Seat Ventilation for driver and front passenger and the Heat Comfort Package.

Driving the BMW iX M60 is sheer pleasure. As you probably already know, since we tested twice the iX xDrive50, we like the clean design, it is coherent all around and it meets our taste. We absolutely enjoyed the road trip and we did not want to get out of the car when being back in Munich. We could have continued our trip easily to our final destination Berlin as sitting in the iX is extremely comfortable and as mentioned before, like being in a mobile living room.

Pictures: BMW / Enes Kucevic for ellectric
Text: Britta Reineke