BMW launching a new SUV coupe is as inevitable as the sunrise. And this is the latest, the BMW iX4. As expected, it’s very much a coupe version of the iX3; it’s built on the same Neue Klasse chassis, uses the same battery pack, and is powered by the same powertrain. Aside from its sportier roofline and reduced practicality, it’s basically the same car. Although, it does launch with a range-topping M Performance variant, the iX4 M60, pictured here. However, BMW is also announcing today that there will also be an iX3 M60, so the similarities persist.
The standard version is the iX4 50 xDrive, which packs a dual-motor powertrain with 463 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque and can help it reach 60 mpg in 4.7 seconds. Power comes from the 112.2 kWh battery pack, which has all of BMW’s latest battery tech, like 800-volt architecture and 400 kW charging. All of that is exactly the same as the iX3. The only on-paper difference between the two is range, as the iX4 is just a tiny bit worse, with 428 miles versus 434. That’s still a mightily impressive range and efficiency, at around 3.8 miles per kWh.
Using a DC fast charger capable of 400 kW, the iX4 can charge from 10-80 percent in 21 minutes. So you stop, go to the bathroom, grab a cup of coffee, and by the time your back in your car, it’s battery is almost full. If you don’t have 21 minutes and can only wait 10, it’ll recoup around 184 miles worth of charge in that time. If you have all night, it’ll AC charge at 15.4 kW from a standard Level 2 home charger and it’ll be done by morning.
Enthusiasts will be more excited about the iX4 M60. It has the same battery and also uses a dual-motor setup, but it makes 603 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque. BMW claims a 0-62 mph time of 3.9 seconds, and a top speed of 149 mph, but with that much power and the Bavarians’ penchant for conservative performance figures, it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s closer to three seconds in reality. Adaptive M Suspension is standard on the iX4 M60, but it’s optional on the iX4 50 xDrive. With it comes sport steering with a variable ratio steering rack. Something only the M60 gets are anti-roll bar links at the front axle, to improve steering response. The iX3 M60 is mechanically identical, so just copy and paste all of the iX4 M60’s specs over and you’ll get the point.
While the iX4 M60 doesn’t have artificial gear shifts, like some other performance EVs on the market, it does have paddle shifters that “actively influence the responses of the M eDrive,” whatever that means. There’s also speed-sensitive artificial acceleration noise, to provide more of a sensation of performance. Although, you’ll likely be able to turn that off.
For those who want to drive as little as possible, the iX4 comes with SAE Level 2 driver assistance systems, with BMW’s Symbiotic Drive. The latter allows the driver to engage with the car while it’s using its Level 2 systems and driving on its own, without deactivating anything. So if you want to speed up with the throttle or maybe steer away from someone getting too close to your lane, you can do so without shutting the systems down, and it’ll just continue to drive itself once you’re done.
The BMW iX4 isn’t entirely surprising, as its existence was inevitable and we all knew it was going to be a coupe version of the iX3. That being said, the iX4 M60 is a welcome addition to BMW’s Neue Klasse lineup. If just the M60 packs that much power and performance, what will genuine M cars have?
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- The iX3 M60
