The polarizing front design of the BMW IX is the story. The new face has done miracles for the electrical SUV Bayern’s-an urgently needed improvement. With the facelift, BMW has presented a new flagship model: the brutal IX M70.
Dressed in black it is not just any ordinary color BMW calls this darth-vader-like shadow “frozen deep gray”. It looks breathtaking – if you like to make a statement, because subtlety is not the strength of this car. A threatening look from the sharp LED strips, paired with air intake, which is large enough to make the vacuum cleaner engineers jealous, give it an aggressive attitude. This powerful look is not just for show. The IX M70 delivers 485 kW (659 hp) and an outrageous 1,100 Nm torque – distributed to all four bikes. Fled the gas levers and their facial features are immediately arranged.
All this strength, performance and exclusivity have a price – from course. The M70 sits above the already strong IX 60 (400 kW / 544 hp) and occupies its own league. The biggest advantage? In contrast to all other IX models that are annoyed at 200 km/h, the top speed of the M70 is 250 km/h – if you really need this on the highway. The 200 km/h limit for the smaller IX models feels unnecessarily restrictively, but the increased cap of M70 makes more sense. Despite its brutal acceleration (0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds), the M70 still has a strong weight of 2.6 tons. The 109 kWh battery remains unchanged by pre-models, which is surprising.
The charging capacity is also behind the competition with a 400-volt architecture and maximized at 195 kW, while the rivals now reach 250 to 320 kW or more. This is outdated by the BMW platform. At least the charge of the alternating current has improved – the M70 now supports 22 kW Wallbox load. BMW claims a WLTP range from 520 to 600 km, but real numbers depend on the driving style.
If the loading speed is overwhelming, the driving experience is anything but. The 4.97 meter long IX M70 has a covered chassis. The steering feels different from the traditional high-performance SUVs from BMW. Power plants such as the X5 m, X6 m and XM are sharper and more direct, but not necessarily better. The low focus of the electrical platform gives it a superior balance, which is much more than the acceleration times. The adaptive air suspension, the electronic damper and the five-link back axle work together without errors and keep the car remarkably stable despite its weight.
A missed opportunity: Even after this refreshment with a medium cycle, the BMW IX M70 still lacks autonomous driving at level 3, which is reserved for the BMW 7 Series/i7. This is a disappointment in this powerful, high -priced EV. The interior remains largely unchanged and some elements now feel out of date. The slightly angled infotainment screen could be larger and the head-up display falls behind the competitors’ offers. However, luxury and space are still large sales arguments. Heck passengers enjoy a lot of legroom, and the boat offers 500 liters that can be expanded to 1,750 liters, with the seats folded.
The BMW IX M70 is a powerful electrical SUV that delivers brutal acceleration, dynamic handling and a brave presence. However, loading speed and driver aid technology could be better. For those who are looking for a powerful Premium -V -SUV, it is a convincing choice -but the competition quickly catches up.
