The first-ever electric 5 Series has officially touched down in South Korea where the local BMW division has a Driving Center based in Incheon. After taking the i5 eDrive40 for a spin around the privately owned track, it was time for the beefier i5 M60 to do a hot lap. The zero-emission M Performance variant of the G60 needed 1 minute and 28 seconds to get the job done, making it about five seconds quicker than the lesser electric 5er.
Much like the i5 eDrive40 matched the lap time of the i4 eDrive40, the i5 M60 was just as fast around the circuit as the i4 M50. These aren’t the fastest BMWs to go around the Korean circuit since the new M2 did it in 1 minute and 26 seconds while the latest M4 crossed the finish line in 1 minute and 25 seconds. The G82 is the fastest of the bunch, and its lap time could be improved next year when the M4 CS is scheduled to come out.
Although an M Performance model, the i5 M60 is far from being a track car, especially now that the 5 Series is larger and heavier than ever before. In this guise, the sporty EV is 5060 mm long, 1900 mm wide, and 1505 mm tall, tipping the scales at a hefty 2,305 kilograms. The upcoming M5 won’t be a featherweight either since it will be a plug-in hybrid by combining a V8 with an electric motor and a battery pack. Touring versions of both will add even more weight.
The closed circuit featured here is 2.6 kilometers (1.6 miles) long and is part of BMW Group’s first driving center located in Asia. Covering 240,000 square meters, the facility was inaugurated in 2014 following an investment of $75.5 million and the creation of around 100 jobs. It’s not just for BMWs as MINIs are also available, along with two-wheeled products from Motorrad. The track is next to a Junior Campus where kids learn about mobility and road safety through science education programs. BMW has also built a 12,000-square-meter park there.
Source: BMW Korea / YouTube
