The New iX3 M60 All But Confirms The i3 M60’s 603 hp. Here’s What Else We Know About The Sedan
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The iX3 M60 xDrive makes 450 kW from two Gen6 M eDrive motors, and the Neue Klasse i3 M60 (NA0) due in early 2027 should share them.
Article Summary
- If the i3 M60 shares the iX3 M60’s hardware, it gets 875 Nm (645 lb-ft) of torque and should beat the SUV’s 3.9-second 0-100 km/h time.
- At 603 hp it would make only about 10 hp more than the i4 M60, but its reported 830 km WLTP range is far above the i4 M60’s 551 km.
- Production starts in early 2027. Pricing isn’t out yet, and the i3 50 xDrive starts at $61,500 before destination.
BMW still won’t say how much power the i3 M60 xDrive makes, but the iX3 M60 xDrive it revealed this week makes the answer easy to guess. The electric SUV gets 450 kW (603 hp) from a dual-motor Gen6 M eDrive setup. That matches the figure we were already hearing for the sedan, and it would put the i3 M60 roughly 140 hp above the i3 50 xDrive, currently the strongest version of the Neue Klasse i3 (NA0).
When BMW confirmed the M60 sedan last month, it called the car “ultra-potent” and left out output, acceleration, and price. For reference, the i3 50 xDrive makes 345 kW (463 hp) and 645 Nm (476 lb-ft), enough for 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 4.7 seconds. The gas-powered M350 xDrive makes 437 hp in US spec, so a 603-hp i3 M60 would be the most powerful car in the new 3 Series lineup until the electric M3 arrives.
Will The i3 M60 Share The iX3 M60’s Drivetrain?
Everything BMW has said so far points that way. Both cars use two Gen6 M eDrive motors, one per axle, run by the Heart of Joy computer and BMW M Dynamic Performance Control. Both get steering-wheel paddles that change how the M eDrive system responds, and both are due to start production in the first half of 2027. In the iX3 M60, the rear motor gets a new stator and a 420-amp inverter, up from 300 amps, and there’s no reason to expect the sedan to get different hardware.
If it does share that hardware, the i3 M60 should also inherit the SUV’s 875 Nm (645 lb-ft) of torque. The iX3 M60 does 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, and the lower sedan, which should also weigh less, ought to beat that.
How Does 603 hp Compare To The i4 M60 And Electric M3?
Next to BMW’s older electric M Performance cars, the number is less dramatic. The i4 M60 xDrive makes 442 kW (593 hp) with Boost engaged, so a 450-kW i3 M60 would add just 8 kW, or about 10 hp. It’s also below the 620 to 630 hp we expected when we previewed the car a year ago. The gap to the top of the range looks deliberate, though. The first electric M3 (ZA0) is due in 2027 with four motors, one per wheel, and we expect it to make around 800 hp.
Range is where the i3 M60 should pull clear. The iX3 M60 uses the same 108.7-kWh battery as the 50 xDrive models and is rated at up to 754 km (468 miles) WLTP. That makes a figure of up to 830 km (516 miles) sound reasonable. The i4 M60 manages 551 km (342 miles).
What Else BMW Has Confirmed About The i3 M60
Inside, BMW lists M Sport seats with 10-way electric adjustment and a massage function. Outside, the M60 gets its own front light graphic, M-specific taillights, and the M Yellow Lights it shares with the M350 xDrive and the iX3 M60. There are also 21-inch Style 1067M aero wheels and red brake calipers. BMW’s M Performance Parts for the car include a carbon fiber rear spoiler raised off the trunk lid with two large cutouts, a matching front lip, carbon winglets, and a rear diffuser.
When Does The i3 M60 Arrive In The US, And What Will It Cost?
BMW of North America says i3 M60 production starts in early 2027. The iX3 M60 follows a similar schedule, with orders opening at the end of January and production starting in Debrecen, Hungary, next spring. Neither car has a price yet. The i3 50 xDrive starts at $61,500 before destination ($62,850 with the $1,350 fee), and the M60 should land well above that.
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