The New BMW iX4 M60 Is The Closest Thing To Another i4 M60

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BMW brings back the X4 with a purely electric twist and gives it an M Performance version from day one. While it’s not a true i4 M60 replacement, it makes a pretty compelling case.

BMW isn’t wasting any time expanding the Neue Klasse lineup. Shortly after giving the second-generation iX3 the M Performance treatment, the company is following up with a coupe-styled sibling. Meet the iX4 M60, essentially the iX3 M60 wearing a sleeker suit. If you were hoping for another i4 M60, this is about as close as you’ll get.

The iX4 M60 shares much of its technical specifications with the iX3 M60, meaning it has two electric motors, one at each axle, providing all-wheel drive. Combined output stands at 603 hp, while peak torque is a hefty 875 Nm (645 lb-ft). That’s enough to send the electric crossover from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 3.9 seconds, while top speed is capped at 149 mph (240 km/h).

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The iX4 M60 differs, unsurprisingly, in body style. The sloping roofline gives it a lower drag coefficient of 0.23, compared with 0.24 for the conventionally shaped iX3. That might not sound like much, but every little bit counts when you’re trying to squeeze more miles out of a battery. The result is a higher WLTP range of 483 miles (777 kilometers), compared with 468 miles (754 kilometers) for the iX3 M60. EPA numbers aren’t available yet for either, but they’ll likely be at least 10% lower than WLTP.

The Coupe-SUV Has Its Merits

In other words, you sacrifice some cargo volume and rear headroom for a little more range. That’s the beauty of the coupe-SUV formula: less useful, but somehow more efficient. Okay, an extra 15 miles (24 kilometers) isn’t a huge deal, but it shows coupe-SUVs have tangible merits beyond the subjective styling flair they bring.

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The iX4 M60 also gets the same 108.7-kWh usable battery pack and 400-kW charging capability as its conventionally shaped sibling. Under ideal conditions, BMW says you can add 224 miles (340 kilometers) of range in just 10 minutes. So while the iX4 M60 may look more concerned with style than substance, the numbers suggest otherwise.

As you’d expect, BMW hasn’t reinvented the M Performance recipe for the iX4. The coupe-styled EV gets the same performance hardware as its taller sibling, including adaptive M suspension, variable sport steering, M Sport brakes, and an electronically controlled M Sport differential. It also gets dedicated M Sport and M Sport Plus My Modes, plus a Boost Mode button on the steering wheel. Apparently, 603 hp isn’t enough of a hint that you’re driving something a little spicy.

The styling follows the same formula as the iX3 M60. M-specific touches include the new M Yellow Lights, illuminated kidney elements with M-inspired light elements and an illuminated M logo, M mirror caps with the familiar M-color striping, an M badge on the flanks, and an M-specific rear spoiler. The rear end gets a black diffuser and an M60 badge, while 21-inch wheels come standard and optional 22-inch M aerodynamic wheels are available.

Not Quite The i4 M60 Replacement

The iX4 M60 is arguably the closest thing BMW is giving us to another i4 M60. It has the performance, dual-motor setup, and long-distance capability, but wraps them in the increasingly popular coupe-SUV body style instead of a low-slung car. It also shows why the company is so keen on the Neue Klasse’s flexibility. The same basic hardware can be used across different body styles, with the iX4 gaining a small efficiency advantage simply by slicing through the air a little more cleanly.

If you can live with the compromises that come with the swoopy roof, the iX4 M60 makes a compelling case. It’s just as quick and powerful as the iX3 M60, but goes farther on a charge. Not bad for what is essentially the less practical version. The M Performance version will be available to order in Europe from January 2027, with the US to follow several months later.

As for another i4 Gran Coupe, it won’t happen. BMW has already said the new i3 sedan will replace it. If you do want an EV with a tailgate in this segment but not a crossover, the i3 Touring (NA1) will cater to the wagon crowd when it arrives next year. And yes, it’s also likely to get the M Performance treatment. Not only that, but sources close to Munich are already hinting at an electric M3 Touring (ZA1), so there’s more to come on the electric front from BMW M.