BMW New Zealand has announced full pricing and specs for its upcoming iX; an electric flagship SUV sitting above the likes of the iX3.
New Zealand is set to get two iterations of the iX, in the form of the xDrive40 Sport and the xDrive50 Sport. Both feature a dual-motor layout and all-wheel drife, but different power outputs, range figures, and of course different pricing.
The entry-level xDrive40 produces 240kW of power and 630Nm from its synchronous motors (one for each axle), which come paired to a 77kWh battery. It can accelerate to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds, and range is rated at 425km per charge on the WLTP cycle.
The flagship xDrive50, meanwhile, features an output of 385kW/765Nm from its motor pairing, meaning an improved 0-100km/h time of 4.6 seconds, according to BMW. It gets a larger battery, too, at 112kWh, helping range improve to a projected 630km.
Pricing for the line-up starts at $163,900 for the xDrive40 Sport, extending to $197,900 for the xDrive50 Sport. Neither price includes on-road costs.
These figures see the iX go toe-to-toe with Tesla’s equally quirky (and recently updated) Model X. The two Model X variants offered locally, the Long Range and Plaid, are priced at $190,990 and $209,990 respectively, plus on-road costs.
While both are much quicker than the iX, neither can travel as far to a charge; the Long Range’s range being rated at 580km on the WLTP cycle.
Along with a more performance and a larger battery, the xDrive50 also gets better charging capabilities than the base model. Its max DC charge rate is 200kW to the base model’s 150kW, meaning that after 10 minutes of charging via a ‘max rate’ public charger it will inhale around 150km worth of charge, versus around 95km in the xDrive40.
Both models come standard with the ‘Sport Package’, which includes 22-inch wheels, gloss black side sills, sport brakes, a chrome kidney grille, and other additives. Both models also get heated and massaging front seats, four-zone climate control, Driving Assistant, Parking Assistant, Harman Kardon audio, and more.
The xDrive50, meanwhile, adds a panoramic glass roof, adaptive air suspension, soft-close doors, active steering, and BMW Laserlight (an advanced high-beam system roughly twice as potent as a standard high-beam headlight).
The duo land in local showrooms in the fourth quarter, alongside a selection of other new BMWs including the recently updated X3 and X4.
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