BMW iX facelift unveiled with more power, improved range
BMW iX facelift unveiled with more power, improved range
BMW has unveiled a facelift for its flagship electric SUV, the iX. The new iX has got some major power and efficiency upgrades in addition to the few design tweaks . Production of the BMW iX facelift is expected to commence in March 2025 at BMW's Dingolfing plant in Germany, and the e-SUV will be launched globally this spring.
The iX facelift will be sold in three variants, with names revised to match the mechanical update for the electric SUV. The 40 and 50-badged variants of the range now become 45 and 60, and the former flagship M60 becomes the M70. Every flavor gets an M Sport package available, and in the case of the iX M70, a further M Sport Pro variant.
The new iX does not receive major design treatment, although it gets a couple of distinguishing features. The kidney grille is longer in length with new diagonal lines opposed to each other. BMW will provide Iconic Glow Illumination technology for the grille as an option for its customers. Large air dams are positioned more centre-stage at the front bumper and vertical air intakes are narrower on the sides. The headlamps include a new diagonal LED signature similar to that on the M4 CS.
The changes to the profile are relatively subtle. Most noticeable would be a silver insert on the skirts and new 20-inch alloy wheels' design. The M Sport package will come with 21- and 22-inch wheels options, and for an extra sum, the iX M70 can even feature 23-inch wheels. Going to the back, the update would be seen on the rear bumper, featuring an integrated diffuser.
Like the exterior, much of the interior of the new iX is largely identical to the outgoing model. The steering wheel is a new round three-spoke design, rather than the pentagonal two-spoke steering of the old model. But the biggest news in terms of interior extras is BMW's new M Multi-Function seats, standard on the iX M70 and part of the M Sport package on the iX 45 and 60.
BMW gives further talking points including better contouring, improved lumbar support, widened backrest and active ventilation. Seating can be upholstered in materials like Castanea natural leather, Amido natural leather or microfibre/Sensatec in Atlas Grey/Black with M-specific stitching.
All three variants of the new iX feature dual motors with AWD. The entry-spec iX 45 gets a new 94.8kWh battery developing 402hp and 700Nm of torque, an increase of 80hp and 70Nm over the outgoing iX 40 model. The mid-range iX 60 gets a more extensive 109.1kWh battery and delivers 536hp and 765Nm of torque, or 13hp more than in the iX 50.
And the very top-end, performance-focused model, the iX M70, has its battery slightly scaled down to 108.9kWh; its bespoke chemistry, however yields a whopping 659hp with launch control raising the torque count to 1,100Nm - 49hp more than in the prior iX M60.
When it comes to range, the iX 60 is the clear winner with a claimed WLTP figure of up to 701km. The entry-level iX 45 takes second place with up to 602km of range, while the top-of-the-range iX M70 follows very closely with a claimed 600km range. As for DC charging speeds, the iX M70 and 60 are on a level playing field at 195kW, but the iX 45 maxes out at 175kW.
Expect the BMW e-SUV to make its appearance in India later this year with the global debut of the new iX coming this spring 2025. Currently, in India, only the xDrive 50 is available of the existing iX at Rs 1.39 crore, ex-showroom, Mumbai. Interesting would be the news if it were to do just one version of the iX facelift for the Indian market, or all variants.
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