Already a subscriber?IIt was an adventurous start: BMW began building the carbon-fibre-bodied i3 electric city car as long ago as 2013. Since then, the pioneering manufacturer has generally preferred to adapt petrol designs rather than purpose-build EVs.
In the meantime we have the new eighth-generation 5-Series range, the first to introduce a fully electric version of the popular luxury sedan. There’s a nicely done interior, with a wide range of different high-quality materials and design that reeks of style and solidity. Not everyone will love the crystal controls in the centre console, though they are nice to the touch. The well-shaped leather seats look great and are comfortable over long distances, and there’s plenty of practicality too, including two wireless phone charging spots and an excellent infotainment system .
The combination of all-wheel drive, active anti-roll system, adaptive M suspension, rear steering and decades of experience at high-performance chassis set-up makes for a vehicle that is superbly comfortable and capable.It seems the next range-topping sports model, the M5, will be a plug-in hybrid. The M5 has been getting very hard-core in recent iterations. The M60 offers a slightly gentler approach – yet one that still punches out of corners as fiercely as a full-on sports machine.