BMW arrives at Monterey Car Week and Legends of the Autobahn fully charged for 2023, armed with an assembly of the latest vehicles that celebrate a Motorsport-bred heritage and look to a sustainable future. Building on the success of the i4 M50 and iX M60 is the latest addition to the electrified M Performance collection: the 590-horsepower 2024 BMW i5 M60 xDrive makes its North American debut simultaneously at the BMW Championship PGA golf tournament in Illinois and at Legends of the Autobahn.
The BMW iX5 Hydrogen demonstrates how hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will be a practical component in the drive towards electrification with exceptional power, excellent electric range, and quick fuel stops. And fans will be able to get up close to the latest high-performance M products: the M3 CS, M2, XM, X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition.
Legends of the Autobahn®
On Thursday, August 17, German car fans will descend on the gorgeous Pacific Grove Golf Links for Legends of the Autobahn. Legends of the Autobahn is an all-German marque Concours d’Elegance hosted by the BMW Car Club of America, the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, and the Audi Club of North America. The annual concours events offer both corral and judged areas, awards for all three featured marques, and an open class for all other German-made cars. Over 300 classic and modern BMWs are expected to be on exhibit this year.
Legends of the Autobahn runs from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and admission is free.
BMW i5 M60 xDrive
For the very first time, the BMW 5 Series is going electric. Now in its eighth generation, the BMW 5 Series continues to stand for advanced technology combined with sporty, elegant design, and the performance and comfort only a BMW can deliver.
The BMW i5 M60 xDrive sits at the top of the 5 Series range and combines a 590 hp electric drivetrain with hallmark M performance driving characteristics and specific design features.
This power enables the new BMW i5 M60 to rush from 0-60 mph in only 3.7 seconds, and the power is delivered continuously as speeds increase. The maximum speed of the BMW i5 M60 xDrive is electronically limited to143 mph when equipped with performance tires (130 mph with all-season tires).
The optional Driving Assistance Professional now includes the Highway Assistant, which enables attentive hands-free driving at speeds up to 85 mph where conditions and speed limits allow. The automated driving functions of the Driving Assistance Professional Package also include the new version of the Active Lane Change. In a world first, the Active Lane Change in the new BMW 5 Series can be controlled by eye activation. The vehicle suggests a lane change, and the driver can confirm the lane change simply by looking in the corresponding outside rearview mirror. The Active Lane Change performs the necessary steering movements automatically up to a speed of 85 mph, traffic conditions and speed limits permitting.
The introduction on the new 5 Series also sees the premier of in-car gaming. In a cooperation with the gaming platform AirConsole, driver and passengers can play casual games while the vehicle is stationary, for example to occupy waiting times while charging.
The i5 M60 xDrive will go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2023 with a base MSRP of $81,400 plus $995 destination and handling.
BMW iX5 Hydrogen
The BMW iX5 Hydrogen was first unveiled as a concept in 2019. Its hydrogen fuel cell system is further proof of BMW’s leading development expertise in the field of electric drive technologies. The iX5 Hydrogen combines all the benefits of purely electric driving with the convenience of conventional refueling.
The gaseous hydrogen is stored onboard under very high pressure in two tanks: one under the rear seat and one under the center console. The hydrogen is drawn into the fuel cell, where its component molecules are split into protons and electrons. The electrons are routed through a circuit to produce a flow of electricity that powers the BMW GEN5 electric motor at the rear axle. The protons and electrons are then reunited and combined with oxygen in the air to form water, the only “emission” from the process.
The 168-hp fuel cell is supported by a compact high-voltage battery under the cargo floor for quick boosts of power when needed. Together, they make up the world’s most powerful passenger vehicle fuel cell system: producing up to 396 horsepower and allowing the iX5 to accelerate from 0-60 in about six seconds.
Refueling the iX5 Hydrogen is fundamentally the same process as refueling a gasoline-powered vehicle and requires only a few minutes; a fraction of the time currently required to fully charge a large high-voltage battery. And because the HV battery in the iX5 Hydrogen is significantly smaller than those used in conventional battery electric vehicles, much smaller amounts of raw materials like lithium and cobalt are used in its construction.
The vehicle that will be on display at Legends of the Autobahn is one of a small fleet of prototype vehicles in the US. The fleet is touring the country to demonstrate the feasibility of hydrogen as an integral part of an electrification strategy as well as for field testing and collecting impressions from various target groups.
The BMW iX5 Hydrogen is a prototype vehicle and is not currently for sale.
M: Still the most powerful letter in the world
Also making appearances at Legends of the Autobahn will be the latest additions to BMW M GmbH’s high-performance line.
BMW M3 CS
Continuing the celebrated lineage of legendary CS models is the very special, limited-edition 2024 BMW M3 CS. Today, CS stands for “Competition Sport”; the designation given to exclusive BMW M models equally at home on road and track. More power, unique chassis calibration, and intelligent lightweight construction featuring carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) components deliver an exhilarating performance experience without sacrificing the functionality and everyday usability of the BMW M3.
The 2024 BMW M3 CS teams a 543-hp M TwinPower Turbo inline-6 with an 8-speed M Steptronic transmission and the M xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system. Together, they launch the M3 CS from 0-60 mph in only 3.2 seconds on to a top speed of 188 mph when the optional M Driver’s Package is selected.
Limited production of the 2024 BMW M3 CS began at BMW Group Plant Munich in March 2023. The M3 CS carries a base MSRP of $118,700 plus $995 destination and handling.
BMW M2
The new M2 encapsulates the sheer joy of driving; compact dimensions, an inline 6-cylinder engine, a manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive, and advanced technology are all central to its appeal. Fleet-footed agility and handling that remains easily controllable even as the driver explores the limits are qualities essential to the emotional experience of new BMW M2.
With 453 hp at 6,250 rpm, the S58 engine in the new M2 outguns the unit in its predecessor by 48 hp. It combines the latest M TwinPower Turbo technology with the high-revving character drivers have come to expect of an M car. The engine’s peak torque of 406 lb-ft is produced between 2,650 and 5,870 rpm.
All that firepower means the new M2 fitted with the 6-speed manual can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.1 seconds, while the no-cost 8-speed M Steptronic transmission trims that time to 3.9 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph, or 177 mph if the optional M Driver’s Package is specified.
The 2024 BMW M2 is on sale now and starts at an MSRP of $62,200 plus $995 destination and handling. It is built in BMW’s newest vehicle manufacturing plant in San Louis Potosi, Mexico.
BMW XM
Earlier this year, BMW M GmbH unleashed high performance in a form never experienced before. Innovative drive system technology, a unique vehicle concept – the first-ever BMW XM wraps these elements in a confidently dramatic exterior design that exudes power and emotion and an interior that is at once intensely driver-focused, boldly modern, and indulgently sybaritic.
The all-new BMW XM is fitted with a newly developed plug-in hybrid drivetrain, making it the very first electrified high-performance offering from BMW M. The M HYBRID system in the BMW XM consists of a new 483-hp V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology and a 194-hp electric motor integrated into the 8-speed M Steptronic transmission. Together, they generate a maximum system output of 644 hp at 5,400 RPM and 590 ft-lbs of torque between 1,600 and 5,000 RPM while allowing up to 30 miles of purely electric propulsion.
The bold, expressive style of the BMW XM’s exterior design continues inside the cabin. The lines and surfaces of the instrument panel, center console, seats, and door trim panels create an environment around the driver and front passenger seats that authentically reflects the performance potential of the BMW XM. In back, deep recesses and a color and material design that continues into the door trim panels combine to create an inviting character in the rear M Lounge with a snug and comfortable feel.
The BMW XM starts at $159,000 plus $995 destination and handling and is on sale now. It is manufactured at BMW Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina.
BMW X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition
Dynamic flair, a powerful presence, and modern luxury define the character of the newly updated 2024 BMW X5 M Sports Activity Vehicle and BMW X6 M Sports Activity Coupe. Both the X5 M and X6 M are now offered exclusively as a Competition models – with a new V8 engine incorporating 48V mild-hybrid technology and delivering a maximum output of 617 hp. New exterior design updates, the latest-generation iDrive control/operation system, and the BMW Curved Display with BMW Operating System 8 round out the updates to the X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition for 2024.
A willingness to rev and seamless power delivery define the new V8 engine. It produces its peak torque of 553 lb-ft between 1,800 and 5,800 rpm, meaning the new BMW X5 M and X6 M Competition can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. The top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph, or 177 mph with the optional M Driver’s Package.
The 2024 BMW X5 M Competition and BMW X6 M Competition carry base MSRPs of $122,300 and $127,200 respectively plus $995 destination and handling and are on sale now. All X5 and X6 models are manufactured at BMW Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina.
