Compared to a conventional internal-combustion vehicle, an EV’s fewer moving parts, lack of exhaust ruckus, and firewall of computerized insulation limit its avenues for excitement. Standing out requires bold effort, especially for legacy automakers. BMW hasn’t been shy in embracing that tack, asserting its funky side first with the diminutive i3 hatchback and recently with the iX mid-size luxury SUV. Now the brand’s M performance outfit has gotten hold of the iX to create the new 2023 M60 model, though it serves mostly to buff the model’s image with a $106,095 shine.

The iX M60 is not the first electric BMW to get an M variant. (The relatively conventional i4 M50 sedan took that honor.) The iX M60 is not a fully vetted M model in the vein of, say, the M3 or the similarly sized X5 M. It’s a half-step above the xDrive50 version, bringing more power, a firmer chassis setup, and a higher sticker price. Visual differences are minimal, amounting to darkened M60 badges on its tail, blue M-branded brake calipers, and specific wheel designs. But the iX’s angular surface treatment and unmistakable grille already make it a peacock, so that’s probably for the best. On the street, the M60 bristles with technology and status, looking and feeling as expensive as it does futuristic.

The M60’s main draw will be its greater score of electrons, which are converted to a default of 532 horsepower and 749 pound-feet of torque—increases of 16 horses and a big 185 pound-feet over the xDrive50 model. Toggle to Sport mode and the pony count jumps to 610, with a launch-control function temporarily boosting torque to 811 pound-feet. We estimate the M60 should cut 0.7 second from the xDrive50’s 4.0-second 60-mph time. The higher claimed top speed of 155 mph when fitted with optional summer tires (or 130 mph on the standard all-seasons) is less of a factor in markets lacking unrestricted autobahns.