While the first electric 5 Series will soon enter customer hands, the BMW USA configurator for the i5 allows us to toy with the possibilities. And although the base i5 eDrive40 (review) starts at a reasonable $66,800, the i5 M60 (review) is a different story. Fully loaded, you’ll be driving in over $100,000 of automobile. With 593 horsepower on tap, some may argue that it’s worth it. But $100K for a 5 Series that doesn’t have the vaunted “M5” badge on the back seems steep. How would you choose to build it?
Exterior Colors of the 2024 BMW i5
Whether you choose the standard-issue i5 eDrive40 or the hotter i5 M60, you’ll get 13 color choices. Alpine White is the only one that doesn’t cost anything. It’s joined by a host of color choices that cost $650: Black Sapphire Metallic, Dark Graphite Metallic, Mineral White Metallic, Phytonic Blue Metallic, Oxide Grey Metallic, Brooklyn Grey Metallic, Cape York Green Metallic, and Vegas Red Metallic. Tanzanite Blue II Metallic sets you back $1,950, and the two Frozen colors both cost $3,600. We started with an i5 M60 (the most expensive variant currently available) and opted for frozen paint. If we were really spec’ing out an i5, though, chances are we’d stay with something safe like Carbon Black or Oxide Grey.
New BMW i5 Wheel Options
Both trims of the new BMW i5 get 19-, 20-, and 21-inch options when it comes to wheels. The $1,800 21-inch aero wheels (Style 954i) are the most expensive. But you’ll get the most range on the BMW i5 by opting for the 19-inch options. We’d stick with the 19s if we were building this car, but in pursuing the highest MSRP, we threw on the 21s.
Interior Upholstery for the New BMW i5
The i5 eDrive40 gets eight available upholstery options. Five Veganza options are shared with the i5 M60, but Burgundy Red is exclusive to the lower trim (why?). The other four are Smoke White, Espresso Brown, Black, and Black M with Alcantara. The two i5 trims share Black/Atlas Grey and Copper Brown/Atlas Grey extended Merino leather options. Again, the lower trim gets an extra option here – Silverstone II Atlas Grey. Leather is a $2,450 upcharge, and you’ll see the Copper Brown option pictured here.
Trim Choices
Both i5 trims share most of their trim choices. Fine Wood Grey Blue Open Pore Ash, Dark Oak High Gloss, and Aluminum Rhombicile are shared no-cost options. The i5 M60 gets Carbon Fiber Silver Thread ($300) trim and the i5 eDrive40 gets Dark Graphite Matte Effect ($0). The two share a couple of Individual trim choices, too. For $600, you can choose Fine Wood Open Pore w/ Silver Bronze Inlay and Accent or Fineline Open Pore Light Wood with Silver Bronze Accent. The former is pictured.
New BMW i5 Options
While both vehicles share equipment, the BMW i5 M60 has more standard features than the entry-level i5. We’re talking some good stuff, too, including the M Sport Package and M Sport Brakes, a Bowers & Wilkins sound system, heated seats, and more. But there’s still plenty to add. If we were actually building out an i5 M60, we’d stick to quality options in the Premium Package ($2,000; Head-Up Display, heated steering wheel, full LED lights, ACC Stop & Go, and more), and maybe opt for the M Sport Professional Package ($1,050; extended Shadowline trim, Shadowline lights, and red brakes if you want them). We’d add the same to an i5 eDrive40.
But being reasonable with our imaginary dollars isn’t as much fun, so we tarted our new BMW i5 up with every option imaginable. Ventilated seats, a Carbon Exterior Package, and the full Driving Assistance Professional Package bring our grand total up to $101,945 after destination and handling fees.
Is the New BMW i5 Worth Over $100K?
Good question! At that price point, you’re entering the 7 Series territory. Also, it isn’t a stretch to compare the last-generation M550i xDrive to the i5 M60. The i5 M60 starts around $10,000 higher than the old V8-powered car. You get more horsepower and torque, brand-new tech, and the cost-savings of an EV. Now if you’re looking at the i5 vs. the i7, it can get even more complicated because the customer base rarely overlaps.
An interesting anecdote: when I spec out the ideal BMW i5 configuration I built on the UK configurator in May, it turns out my guess at $90,000 was pretty spot on. $90,395 is where my original configuration lands for the US car. It’s a good number for this vehicle and is about the upper limit of where the old M550i xDrive made sense, value-wise. But $100,000? We’ll see. How would you build your new BMW i5? You can view the US configurator here.
