REVIEW | The BMW i5 M60 is a silent brute

Two decades ago you might have never believed BMW would create M-badged models with fully electric powertrains.

At the time the brand seemed committed to long-standing hallmarks. Six-cylinder engines, manual gearboxes and rear-driven configurations were pillars of the blue-on-white propeller brand.

Times change, however, and you have to admit BMW has not been afraid to tear up its style guide, every few years seemingly, particularly where design is concerned.

In the area of powertrain innovation, the Munich firm beat its chief rivals Audi and Mercedes-Benz in being the first series production of a mass-market electric vehicle (EV).

The i3 was a seminal moment for BMW, kick-starting a new sub-brand. Many were enamoured by the i3, charmed by its gawky looks, fascinated by the complexity of its makeup. Exotic materials were deployed liberally in the creation of the egg-shaped EV, including extensive carbon fibre and an interior composed from recyclable elements.

The BMW-i sub-brand went on to expand across segments, mirroring existing internal combustion engine models in some cases. Models such as the i4 showed the soul and essence of a car such as the 4-Series Gran Coupé could still translate well, more or less, without a power source involving controlled explosions.

Earlier this year BMW launched its new 5-Series, wearing the internal designation of G60. The new line offers minimal variety in terms of derivatives. If you want a conventional engine you can have the 520d M Sport and if you want an EV, take the i5, which is sold in eDrive40 M Sport or M60 xDrive flavours.

A few months ago the 520d slid into my palms for testing. Focusing less on those polarising looks and more on sensations behind the wheel, it was good to note the car largely remained true to the textures of vaunted forebears. Reasonably good value in relation to the grand but pricey Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which carries a significant premium over the R1,248,731 for the Bimmer.

Last week BMW proffered its i5 M60 xDrive for evaluation. Consider this car to be the next best thing to a new BMW M5 until the actual, latest M5 makes its appearance. This M60 is the acting MD.

While it has a silent electric powertrain instead of a thundering V8, the power and pace credentials of the model are worthy of M-car credence.

Try 442kW/820Nm, courtesy of two integrated drive units on the front and rear axles, fed by an 81.2kWh battery.

Consider that in 2021, the Competition version of the previous BMW M5 was packing 460kW/750Nm from its twin-turbocharged 4,395cc eight-cylinder. It had a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.3 seconds.

BMW has been prudent not to completely sneeze on the legacy of the past M5 with this interim measure; but it comes close.

The i5 M60 has a quoted 0-100km/h time of 3.8 seconds, but it feels much quicker, even more brutal in reality, than the sensations delivered by the old M5.

Much of that has to do with the instantaneous transmission of power. The mind struggles to compute how quickly the i5 reacts to even small increments of pedal pressure. Never before has the impression of a car being too responsive crossed my mind.

Exiting our building after getting into the i5, the driver ahead of me seemed to be struggling with his fingerprint access.

So I opted to reverse and use the next lane and was caught unaware by how abruptly the BMW jolted back.

A few extra microns of pedal depression would have sent me flying into the insurance company headquarters behind our office. Thankfully the day did not end with the mowing down of a giant yellow umbrella — but my sensitivity for the switch-like pedal modulation of the BMW was heightened.

Sensory overload could also apply to the new operating system and cabin layout of the 5-Series.

The previous generation still had that comforting familiarity BMW was known for.

That ease of use has been dialled down in the G60, with its busy infotainment system that features far too many icons.

It is frustrating that there are no dedicated, physical buttons for functions such as climate control. Just trying to connect my smartphone to the Bluetooth required careful thought.

Prodigious grip from the xDrive system encourages cornering at higher velocities, while the steering is light, it rates highly for accuracy, allowing the driver to thread the 5,060m sedan along deftly.

The BMW i5 M60 tips the scales at 2,305kg (a 520d weighs 1,775kg), but the vivid acceleration it serves appears to offset that mass.

At any given point, with the mere twist of an ankle, the silent BMW can humble just about anything else on the road this side of a Porsche Taycan Turbo S.

Once the novelty of headbanging launch starts to wear off, the M60 does what a 5-Series ought to with aplomb: serve as a relaxed, yet dynamic form of conveyance for discerning executives.

It will be interesting to see how the production form of the new M5 turns out. If BMW intends blending the virtues of the i5 EV, with the visceral notes of a V8, we could expect the newcomer to be something special.