The BMW iX Won’t Be Phased Out Anytime Soon
The death of the iX has been greatly exaggerated. Yes, BMW is ending allocations for the polarizing electric SUV in the United States, but the model will continue elsewhere. For how long? The company isn’t specifying when production in Dingolfing stops, but the EV will stick around a while longer. Even with the iX5’s debut this week, the iX still has plenty of life left.
The news comes from Brendan Michel, BMW Australia’s head of product and market planning, who told Drive magazine the iX will remain in production through 2027. That can only mean the silent luxobarge will peacefully coexist with the Spartanburg-built iX5 for at least a year or so. Some reports claim the last iX will leave the assembly line in mid-2028, but that hasn’t been confirmed.
At this point, you’re probably wondering who will buy the iX now that a technologically superior EV is here. After all, the iX5 xDrive60 starts at €102,800 in Germany, making it only €2,900 more expensive than the iX xDrive60. It’s a premium worth paying, considering the iX5 has more of everything: horsepower, torque, performance, range, charging speed, and the new iDrive X.
The iX And iX5 Will Coexist For A While
While the iX5 seems a much better deal overall, it’s unrealistic to expect BMW to discontinue a product overnight just because a newer one is coming out. Product plans are made years in advance, and from time to time, there’s bound to be some overlap. The iX was in a league of its own when it debuted in 2021 as the production version of the 2016 Vision iNext concept.
Although it was never a strong seller and didn’t exactly win any beauty awards, the iX was a daring product that paved the way for more tech-packed EVs. However, a lot has changed since the beginning of the decade. With the progress made with Neue Klasse EVs, the older electric SUV is beginning to show its age.
Looking ahead, the iX5 isn’t the only indirect successor to the iX. BMW has already announced plans to launch the second-generation X7 in 2027. While a fully electric derivative hasn’t been confirmed, camouflaged prototypes have become a common sight among car paparazzi. We’ve been reporting about an iX7 for years, and those rumors should come to fruition next year with the G67. An electric G69 with an ALPINA badge also appears to be on the way.
Source: Drive
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
Related posts
Latest Post
No Comments