It’s been a minute since we last saw the all-electric BMW 5 Series prototype. We’re definitely getting closer to the reveal, as one of the vehicles is wearing a car cover instead of a camouflage wrap. In addition, the shipping paper taped to the windshield clearly identifies the model and trim level of each car.
At first glance, one would think the camouflage was actually heavier than before. The first Bimmer we saw was covered from cover to cover in silver, but it wasn’t a heavy camouflage tarpaulin. The section around the driver’s side door is rolled up, giving us a good look at the details along the sides. There’s a pronounced slant to the lower body line, but the mirrors and side pillars look very much like the current 5 Series. Zooming in on the windshield, we can see this is an i5 40, so we can see a trim with lower specs.
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The second i5 prototype sported a camo wrap that we’re used to seeing before. Hugging the body tightly, we can clearly see the outline of the grille flanked by smaller headlights. No split-light designs here, and as far as we can tell, they’re the eyes of the production specs. We can also see a solid grille, and if you look is it right up close, you can see the outline of the M badge. If that’s not enough to convince you that this is an i5 M60, take a look at the windshield tag. A i5 M60 the designation is printed and clearly visible through the glass.
That’s supposed to be the tallest model in the electric i5 family, but what does that mean for power? That’s still unknown, though our spy sources feel it will be slightly below the iX M60. The theory here is that BMW would want the more expensive iX to have some extra bragging rights, and with 610 horsepower (455 kW) on tap, there’s certainly a lot to be proud of. If the theory is correct, the i5 M60 is expected to offer between 590 and 600 hp.
The last time we saw an i5 prototype was in May 2022, and it is believed that its debut will come in 2023. It’s still possible, but don’t be surprised if we see it before this year is out.
