BMW iX M60

The M version of BMW's electric SUV

The BMW iX M60 is the performance version of BMW's large electric sports activity vehicle, which BMW builds at its Dingolfing plant in Bavaria. BMW's January 2022 press release calls it the third and even more powerful variant of the iX and the first BMW M automobile designed for purely electric mobility from the outset. The world premiere was at the CES show in Las Vegas that month, and BMW said global market launch would begin in June 2022. Our catalogue lists a dual-motor electric powertrain with all-wheel drive, 611 bhp, 1015 Nm, 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds and a limited top speed of 250 km/h. We have not driven this model for this article. This is a desk-researched ownership guide built from two sources: the BMW Group PressClub release of 5 January 2022, a PistonHeads used buying guide published on 11 October 2025. We did not consult the government recall check for this article, and you should use it yourself. The PistonHeads piece is headed as a BMW iX guide but its specification table, verdict and test notes are about the M60, so most of what follows is M60 content, and we say where a point is the guide's own opinion.

Checking the figures

BMW's release gives the output as 455 kW or 619 hp, and the hp here is evidently the metric horsepower (PS), since 455 kW divides out to about 619 PS. One PS is about 0.986 of a mechanical horsepower, so 619 PS converts to the 611 bhp in our catalogue. Adverts that say 619 hp, 619 PS and 611 bhp describe the same rating. PistonHeads also writes 619hp, which matches BMW's figure. The release carries an important footnote: the electric drive delivers up to 397 kW, and the 455 kW is a temporary performance increase of less than 10 seconds. By our own arithmetic 397 kW is roughly 540 PS, but BMW's text does not state a continuous horsepower figure, so treat 611 bhp as the short-burst peak rather than a sustained output.

Torque has the same catch. BMW quotes a maximum of 1.015 Nm in Sport Mode, written in the European style, which is the 1015 Nm in our catalogue, and 1.100 Nm with Launch Control activated. PistonHeads gives 811 lb ft, which works out at about 1,100 Nm, so its table appears to use the Launch Control number. Ask which figure an advert means. BMW states 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, and PistonHeads gives 3.8 seconds for 0 to 62 mph, a slightly different benchmark, and says the claim was easily achieved or bettered on a suitable surface. BMW describes 250 km/h as an electronically limited maximum, and PistonHeads gives 155 mph, which is about the same speed.

Range and consumption need care. BMW's text says up to 561 kilometres on the WLTP cycle, and PistonHeads says up to 348 miles, which is the same distance. The release itself quotes combined consumption of 24.5 to 21.9 kWh/100 km in the text and 24.7 to 21.7 in its photo captions, while PistonHeads prints 22.0 to 22.6. These do not agree, so compare against the figures on the car's own documentation. PistonHeads' verdict cites a real-world range of 300 miles, and its engine section says users found no evidence of overnight battery drain.

Which cars these figures cover

Everything above is the launch specification of the 2022 iX M60 from BMW's January 2022 release. PistonHeads dates the model from 2022 and says it was announced in January 2022 ahead of a UK launch in the summer of that year. It describes the M60 as the third and most powerful iX variant and compares it with a lower-powered model it calls the M50, with 523hp and 564 lb ft from the same 105 kWh battery, and says the M60's claimed range is slightly smaller than the M50's. Neither source names the xDrive40 or xDrive50 variants, and we cannot map PistonHeads' M50 label onto a specific trim, so we do not compare the M60 with them. BMW's release does not state a battery size. PistonHeads also says an M70 with 659hp was only launched in the summer of 2025, and it chose to stay with the M60. Neither source describes a mid-life update of the M60 in detail, so a later or facelifted car may differ from what is written here: confirm the build date and options from the paperwork rather than assuming the 2022 specification.

Motors, battery and charging

PistonHeads describes two electric motors with all-wheel drive. BMW says the motors are designed so that rare earth metals are not needed in the rotors, and that the cobalt and lithium for the high-voltage battery come from controlled sources in Australia and Morocco. The battery sits low in the underbody, and the release describes an M specific electric drive with highly responsive actuator-based wheel slip limitation. PistonHeads gives a 105 kWh battery and a weight of 2,584 kg, although it warns that weight and power data are hard to pin down with absolute certainty. It says 195 kW DC charging is available where the charger allows it, with a maximum AC rate of 11 kW, which it notes is below the 22 kW offered on some BMW and Mercedes models.

PistonHeads reports one recall that matters for this car. In August 2023 BMW recalled a small number of M60s built around 2023 (PistonHeads' build dates are garbled) over the combined charging unit (CCU) of the high-voltage battery, after the unit supplier found a compatibility anomaly in an internal check. The guide says the rework could cause CCU issues such as power interruptions, so BMW voluntarily replaced the unit free of charge as a precaution. Neither of our sources lists affected chassis numbers, so use the DVSA service with the registration and ask for dealer paperwork. PistonHeads also says some iXs had problems with scheduled charging after a faulty software update before July 2024, sometimes leading to an abrupt stop and a warning that the airbag and seatbelt tensioners were operating at reduced level. Cars had to go to a dealer for a reset. Ask when the software was last updated and check that scheduled charging works.

Servicing needs are lower than on a petrol BMW, according to PistonHeads, because an EV lacks much of what a petrol or diesel car has. It says a Service Inclusive package for the M60 runs for four years with unlimited mileage, rather than the five years offered on some petrol models, and that monthly maintenance plans for high-performance iXs varied widely in price. The prices are omitted as dated: ask whether any plan is still running and transferable.

Chassis, brakes and wheels

BMW describes an M specifically tuned dual-axle air suspension with automatic level control, and PistonHeads adds adaptive dampers and standard rear-axle steering, which it says let the car deliver on a promise of fun on bendy roads despite a weight of nearly 2.6 tonnes. It also notes that a fair amount of the weight sits high up in the full-length electrochromatic panoramic roof. Our suggestion is to check that the car sits level, that there are no suspension warnings and that the steering is smooth and quiet, because PistonHeads says a 2024 service bulletin called for the replacement of groaning steering racks on many iXs, not only M60s.

Stability control cannot be fully disabled, according to PistonHeads, which says Efficient mode softens the throttle and suspension. Launch Control, which BMW names in the press release, works in the guide's account down to 4 per cent battery, and it wobbles the rear wheels while the foot is on the brake. It adds a wheel slip limiting device that puts as much power as possible through to the road under heavy acceleration. Neither source links launch use to wear, so simply ask the seller how the car was used and read the service history.

The brakes are steel. BMW fits a sports brake system with blue calipers carrying an M logo, and PistonHeads says repeated heavy braking from high speeds might make you wish for carbon, though it calls that a niche concern. Look at the disc faces and the pad life on a car with high mileage. Tyres are a significant cost. PistonHeads gives 275/40 tyres on 22-inch wheels and says the plump profile helps ride quality. It says the tyres are not cheap and need proper fitting, naming Pirelli P Zero and Scorpion Zero All Season, and recommends tyre insurance if you can arrange it. BMW lists 22-inch M aerodynamic wheels in a Titanium Bronze design as optional, while PistonHeads thinks bronze aero wheels were sold as accessories. Treat this as unresolved and check what the car actually has, including whether a second set of wheels comes with it.

Body, interior and electronics

BMW lists M logos in a High Gloss Black and Titanium Bronze finish on the front side panels and the rear. PistonHeads says the visible differences from an M Sport iX were small: a bronze and black boot and wing badge and some M60-only wheels. Inset door handles and a massive offside rear charging flap are mentioned, and the washers also clean the front and rear cameras. Pressing the BMW badge on the bonnet lets you fill the washer bottle from outside, because that is the only part meant to be opened by anyone other than a dealer technician. The soft-close doors were free in the UK, the guide says, and doors open from inside by buttons, with a manual release for battery failure.

Inside, BMW describes the Curved Display, hexagonal steering wheel and Operating System 8, and lists Bowers and Wilkins Diamond surround sound, Laser Light, active seat ventilation for driver and front passenger and the Heat Comfort Package as standard. PistonHeads agrees on the sound system, with 30 speakers, and adds Parking Assistant Pro and an interior camera for UK cars. It says the quilted Suite Natural leather and certified wood felt lovely, though the seats were more comfort than sport. PistonHeads says BMW's press release described massage seats as standard for both driver and passenger, yet early press cars did not seem to offer them on the passenger side. The release we fetched does not mention massage seats, so check every seat function on the car you are viewing. The Luxury Package crystal glass pieces can reflect strong sun, and the wood surround can make white function legends hard to read. Boot space is 500 litres with the rear seats in place, and the middle rear seat folds independently.

Electronics are the area for a long test drive. PistonHeads reports software updates to improve the stability of Apple CarPlay, and says some owners had issues with WiFi, HVAC functionality and the electronic key. It also quotes one owner whose air conditioning pump failed, allegedly fragmenting and causing a large repair bill. That is one report, not a pattern, but test cooling and heating in both hot and cold settings, try every key and connect your phone before you buy.

Recalls and history

The only recall PistonHeads describes is the August 2023 CCU action covered above. It also mentions the software update that affected scheduled charging, which PistonHeads says needed a dealer reset; it does not describe that as a recall. We have not found recall numbers or dates in either source beyond that, so do not rely on this guide: enter the registration in the DVSA recall service, and ask the seller for dealer invoices showing the CCU work, software updates and any steering rack replacement. Ask for a full service history and any accident repair records, and, as our own suggestion since neither source discusses crash repair, have a specialist inspect any car with a repaired structure because BMW describes carbon fibre reinforced plastic in the roof, side and rear sections.

Buying decision

The PistonHeads verdict is that the M60 combined dragster performance, limousine refinement, solid engineering and a practical package, but it has not been faultless, and the biggest argument against it is that a suitably specified lower-range iX offers most of its attributes. It calls the interior special and says the front-end styling has been a grower for some. The guide also found only about 20 examples on sale in the UK in early October 2025, so choice is thin. The used prices in that guide are left out as dated; compare current adverts. Prefer a car with a documented CCU recall check, up-to-date software, a quiet steering rack, even tyre wear, working charging at both AC and DC points and a full set of keys.