BMW‘s Neue Klasse platform was already doing serious work in the electric compact SUV segment. The iX3 M60 xDrive makes the argument that it wasn’t working hard enough. With 603 hp, 645 lb-ft of torque, a 3.9-second sprint to 62 mph, and a 400 kW DC charging ceiling, it lands as the most performance-focused variant in the iX3 family and one of the more technically ambitious M Performance models BMW has built.
Production at BMW Group Plant Debrecen in Hungary begins in spring 2027, with customer orders opening from the end of January 2027. BMW has not announced U.S. pricing for the M60 xDrive. The standard iX3 50 xDrive currently starts at $61,500, so the M Performance premium will be meaningful. Buyers who want the most from the Neue Klasse platform won’t lack for options once the order books open.
Gen6 M eDrive
The M60 xDrive runs two electric motors, one at each axle, through BMW’s sixth-generation M eDrive system. Combined output is 603 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque, producing a 3.9-second 0-to-62-mph time and an electronically limited top speed of 149 mph. The rear motor is a new Gen6 EESM, an electrically excited synchronous motor with a newly developed stator and a more powerful inverter rated at 420 A versus the previous 300 A. The upgraded inverter raises peak and continuous output; a longer gear ratio and higher maximum rotor speed account for the elevated top speed figure. The front motor is an asynchronous unit that can switch off under light loads, letting the car run rear-only for efficiency.
The high-voltage battery carries 112.2 kWh of usable energy using the cylindrical-cell format BMW introduced with the sixth generation. DC charging tops out at 400 kW, and AC charging runs through the standard AC Charging Professional unit at up to 15.4 kW. BMW has not shared a 10-to-80-percent charging time for the M60 xDrive, though the 400 kW ceiling is among the highest in the segment. The 800-volt architecture also enables bidirectional charging capability. Compare this to the standard iX3 50 xDrive, which offers 383 to 434 miles of range; BMW has not yet published an EPA-cycle range estimate for the M60 variant.
Heart of Joy and Chassis Hardware
The M60 xDrive is the performance showcase for BMW’s Heart of Joy system, specifically the BMW M Dynamic Performance Control variant that coordinates powertrain outputs, braking, steering, and recuperation simultaneously. BMW rates the system at up to ten times faster than previous platforms, processing driving inputs in milliseconds. For a 603-hp electric SUV where torque delivery is instantaneous and the mass penalty of a large battery pack is always present, the speed of that coordination matters. Sloppy torque vectoring at this power level produces exactly the kind of computationally corrected feel that makes high-output electric SUVs fatiguing rather than engaging. Whether the Heart of Joy resolves that tension is a test-drive question the engineers clearly took seriously.
Standard chassis hardware goes well beyond what a typical performance variant receives. Adaptive M Suspension with electronically controlled dampers continuously calculates optimum damping force for each corner. Sport steering with a variable rack ratio adjusts effort based on speed, reducing the heaviness that plagues performance-tuned setups in urban environments. An electronically controlled M Sport differential at the rear axle manages traction under cornering loads and on slippery surfaces. Front-axle anti-roll bar links sharpen steering precision and reduce body roll, while additional front-end bracing increases transverse and torsional stiffness. Two M-specific My Modes, M Sport and M Sport Plus, let the driver adjust chassis, drivetrain, and steering responses together rather than cycling through separate menus. Optional M Sport brakes with red or blue calipers round out the hardware list.
BMW also introduced Soft Stop, a recuperation-based stopping function that brings the car to rest without brake noise or the characteristic jerk of blended braking systems. In everyday driving, the conventional brakes are largely bypassed; they engage only under hard stops or during spirited driving.
Design and Exterior
The M60 xDrive wears M-specific aerodynamic details throughout. Standard fitment includes 21-inch M light-alloy wheels with specially developed sport tires available as an option, and 22-inch M aerodynamic wheels exclusive to the M60 variant. High-gloss black roof rails, M mirror caps with M-color stripes, a black rear diffuser, and an M-specific roof-edge spoiler with two aeroblades increasing rear downforce define the exterior. The optional M Yellow Lights are the most visually arresting detail, motorsport-inspired units positioned flanking the kidney grille with three-element signatures referencing BMW’s M stripe heritage and the M logo integrated into the light cluster. A new M60 badge with black lettering and silver surround identifies the model at the rear. BMW Iconic Glow and the M Sport package are standard.
Interior and Technology
Inside, the M60 xDrive receives the full BMW Panoramic iDrive treatment: BMW Panoramic Vision spanning the lower windshield, a 17.9-inch free-cut Central Display angled toward the driver, and an optional BMW 3D Head-Up Display. The M Sport steering wheel features shy-tech controls, a red 12 o’clock marker, and dedicated hard buttons for Boost Mode and M Mode. M-specific display graphics use unique colors, typography, and a power meter showing current output, available reserves, and recuperation rate.
Optional M Sport seats offer ten-way power adjustment including lumbar, backrest width, and thigh support, a massage function, integrated head restraints with an illuminated M logo, and pronounced side bolsters sized for lateral support in hard cornering. Three interior design worlds are available: the standard BMW M design in black Veganza with M PerformTex, a Contemporary variant in four color choices, and a BMW Individual option pairing Veganza with Merino leather on seat cushion surfaces. A bi-color Adelaide Grey M Sport seat option combines M PerformTex bolsters with a Merino leather cushion surface.
The standard audio system is a 13-speaker, 430-watt Harman Kardon setup with Dolby Atmos support. Optional BMW Digital Premium unlocks M-specific in-car apps including the M Cockpit for configurable real-time data dashboards and the M Drag Meter for acceleration tracking.
More than half of new X3 orders worldwide are now going to the all-electric iX3, a pattern that makes the M60 xDrive’s arrival well-timed. BMW is building its performance credibility in a segment where the 2027 M2 xDrive hits 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and the M350 xDrive is being developed with software-delivered driving modes. The iX3 M60 xDrive fits that pattern squarely, applying the same M Performance logic to a body style that BMW’s own order data suggests buyers actually want.
603 hp in an electric compact SUV is a number that demands respect. BMW just has to back it up on the road.
Source: BMW. Images courtesy of BMW.
