650-Horse BMW iX M70 Flagship Electric Utility Vehicle Spied, Will Replace iX M60

If the M70 designation seems familiar, that's because BMW has already used it on the i7. The luxury sedan puts out a very impressive 650 horsepower and 811 pound-feet (485 kW and 1,100 Nm) from a dual-motor setup, the i7 M70 does weigh a lot, with the manufacturer quoting a DIN weight figure of 2,695 kilograms or an EU weight of 2,770 kilograms (5,941 or 6,107 pounds).

Because i7 M70 and iX M60 are based on the very same platform, the latter is on the porky side as well. Think 2,584 or 2,659 kilograms, which is 5,697 or 5,862 pounds. Just like its replacement, iX M60 is a two-motor EV with tons of power and torque: 610 horses (455 kW) in Sport mode and 811 pound-feet (1,100 Nm) with Launch Control.

Pictured at the Nurburgring, the iX M70 features plenty of subtle aesthetic upgrades over the iX M60, beginning with slimmer headlights and a larger front splitter. A reworked front bumper is joined by a glowing outline for the polarizing front grille, with said bumper sporting new air intakes.

Out back, the makeover is best described as minor. These spy pictures don't reveal much in terms of interior differences over the iX M60, but knowing BMW, the changes will be mostly technological. Equipped with massive alloys hiding red brake calipers, the camouflaged prototype further stands out from the iX M60 with a pair of new mirrors.

Hearsay suggests that the 2026 model year iX will enter series production at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing in March 2025. The last example of the breed will be – allegedly – roll off the assembly line in July 2028, but given that BMW hasn't commented on these dates, all we can do for now is speculate.

Speaking of speculation, are you willing to be a tenner on a higher sticker price for the M70 compared to the M60? The configurator lists $111,500 before destination charge, a driving range of 284 to 285 miles (457 to 459 kilometers), zero to 60 mph (97 kph) in 3.6 seconds, and about 75 miles (121 kilometers) of range for every 10 minutes of fast charging at 195 kilowatts with direct current.

The aforementioned i7 M70 is $168,500 from the outset, a tenth of a second quicker to 60 miles per hour, and tops 291 miles (468 kilometers) from a full charge of its high-voltage battery. The i7 M70 mirrors the soon-to-be-discontinued iX M60's maximum DC charging power of 195 kilowatts.

In addition to the 650-horsepower M60, the 2026 BMW iX lineup will –reportedly – further comprise xDrive45 and xDrive60 versions. They are the result of badge inflation, for they replace the existing xDrive40 and xDrive50 versions. Look forward to 400 and 535 horsepower, respectively.