Luxury automakers have numerous methods to entice buyers and quickly drain their bank accounts if they’re reckless while ticking boxes on the configurator. Take for example BMW, which offers fancy Individual paints even on the lowly 1 Series and 2 Series Gran Coupe models. The higher you move up the lineup, the more goodies you unlock. For a price, of course. The new 5 Series is a prime example, as shown here on the i5 M60.

BMW Czech Republic organized the local launch of the eighth-generation luxury sedan by putting the spotlight on its electric M Performance version. Painted in Carbon Black (or Tanzanite Blue?), the model internally codenamed “G60” has a special set of 19-inch wheels. Bear in mind you won’t find this set in the configurator because these matte black alloys are offered through the M Performance Parts catalog.

While the i5 M60 was photographed in a lovely fall backdrop, the high-performance electric sedan is ready to tackle snow. Those wheels with M Performance branding we mentioned are wrapped in Pirelli P Zero winter tires and have contrasting red calipers part of the M Sport brakes. This may be a high-end version, but it’s still only an M Performance car, so don’t look for fender flares. Only the full-fat M5 will have those when it debuts in 2024 together with the long-awaited return of the M5 Touring.

Black accents are all the rage at BMW HQ these days, so it’s no wonder the i5 M60 is chock-full of Shadowline upgrades. Since we mentioned the M5, the darkened grille you see here with the horizontal bar won’t be all that different on the range-topping 5 Series, or so we’ve heard. The Bavarian brand has narrowed the gap between its M Performance and M cars in recent years as far as aesthetics are concerned. From the specific mirror design and carbon roof to the M badge on the grille and quad exhausts (on ICE cars, of course), it’s getting harder to distinguish an M Lite model from a real M.

Source: BMW Czech Republic