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The BMW i5 M60 teardown offers a compelling look at how legacy automakers are evolving. They’re adapting luxury performance platforms to meet the demands of modern electric vehicle (EV) design. In this hoist review from Munro & Associates experts. Examining the underbody engineering of the 2024 i5 M60, we draw comparisons to the i7, dissecting the nuanced strategies behind BMW’s structural choices. From suspension design to battery safety systems, this breakdown reveals the intersection of cost, comfort, and cutting-edge technology.
Shared Architecture and Design Strategy
BMW’s i5 M60 shares notable architectural similarities with the i7—a strategic move that echoes earlier generational overlaps in the 5 and 7 Series. This reuse of subframes, steering systems, and general chassis layouts isn’t just a cost-saving measure—it’s a performance strategy. As our engineers point out, BMW leverages carryover engineering to optimize driving dynamics and structural integrity across platforms. The result is a familiar yet finely tuned experience consistent with the BMW M badge.
Structural Sophistication in the Front End
At the front, the i5 M60 exhibits an advanced approach to energy management and cooling. Injection-molded clamshell brake ducts funnel air to cool the high-performance brake system, while additional ducting cleans airflow around the fascia to improve aerodynamics. A forged aluminum crush structure supports small overlap crash performance—essential for passing stringent third-party safety tests.
BMW’s commitment to stiffness is evident in the massive sward tusks and precision-cut forgings designed to collapse under force without compromising cabin integrity. Shear plates and large bolt interfaces connect subframe components to upper body structures, enhancing both crash resilience and handling dynamics.
Active Suspension and Virtual Ball SLA Setup
Underneath the vehicle, the front suspension features a forged aluminum Short-Long Arm (SLA) setup with a virtual ball joint. As expected from a luxury performance EV, the i5 M60 incorporates an active chassis system—critical for providing the plush ride quality customers expect while preserving dynamic feedback and road compliance.
The rear architecture supports rear-wheel steering, likely with a ZF-supplied unit. BMW braces it with a complex extrusion. They extrude, machine, and bend the piece before welding it into place. This step-by-step process reflects their precision and attention to detail. This intricate fabrication showcases the German precision and over-engineering that define BMW.
Subframe and Battery Pack Integration
One of the teardown’s highlights is the interaction between the subframe and the 84-kWh battery pack. Unlike some competitors that utilize mega castings, BMW relies on a modular approach. Their approach combines cast hemispheres and welded extrusions to form a stiff structural hoop. The battery pack itself is friction-stir welded with no through-fasteners, ensuring a clean, planar underbody with minimal exposure to corrosion or water ingress.
Ramp features on the cradle and battery suggest an intentional strategy to direct crash energy away from the pack. Depending on the direction of impact, the system may allow the subframe to move downward or upward relative to the pack—an uncommon flexibility that increases safety margins in complex crash scenarios.
Precision in Battery Safety and Thermal Mitigation
Thermal propagation is a critical concern in high-voltage EVs. BMW addresses this with a visible bell-shaped stamping near the top of the pack. This is likely a deliberate gas exhaust vent designed to divert heat and pressure away from the cabin during thermal runaway events. Instead of scattering multiple vents across the pack, BMW uses a focused approach. This simplifies both complexity and weight. However, it may reduce redundancy.
This structural emphasis extends rearward, where double-shear brackets connect the battery pack to the cradle, supported by stamped or cast elements. BMW’s zonal casting strategy—small cast nodes reinforced with self-piercing rivets—helps balance cost, weight, and press tonnage requirements while still achieving solid integration.
Rear Cradle and Structural Bracing
At the rear, the cradle is split into fore and aft hemispheres and welded at the half shaft to accommodate drive module geometry. This decision reflects a pragmatic balance between available casting supply, assembly constraints, and vehicle performance requirements. It also highlights BMW’s willingness to diverge from gigacasting trends, favoring flexibility over consolidation when justified by packaging or manufacturing needs.
Adding to the structural bracing is a mass damper attached to the rear cradle—an acknowledgment that even precision-engineered assemblies require mitigation for vibrations and resonance. This nod to real-world performance over idealized design further reinforces BMW’s detail-oriented engineering culture.
Lightweighting and Material Selection
Despite the vehicle’s heft, BMW attempts to save weight through material optimization. For example, the rear suspension utilizes inexpensive stamped steel with racetracked cutouts—minimizing unsprung mass without compromising strength. The underbody is largely flat, with air-managed control arms and integrated ducts that channel airflow toward rear diffuser-like elements. This blend of practical aero and styling reinforces the i5 M60’s luxury performance ethos.
Regional Complexity Management
BMW also manages regional compliance efficiently. The pedestrian alert system, required in many EV markets, is provisioned through what appears to be a shared rear part with mounts for speakers on both sides. However, only one side includes the speaker, indicating cost-saving through part commonality and selective regional integration.
Final Thoughts: BMW’s Engineering Ethos
The BMW i5 M60 teardown reveals a vehicle shaped by deep engineering tradition and adaptive innovation. While competitors push gigacastings and minimalism, BMW doubles down on modular stiffness, intricate bracing, and active systems—all with the goal of delivering a refined, safe, and performance-tuned luxury EV.
This approach carries a cost—in weight, in manufacturing complexity, and ultimately in MSRP. But for BMW loyalists and performance EV buyers, the payoff is clear: a vehicle that handles like a true M car while embracing the silent power of electrification.
Discover the Munro Difference
For more detailed EV teardown insights and expert analysis, explore our growing archive of chassis, battery, and manufacturing breakdowns or subscribe to Munro Live. From Teslas to Taycans, we lift the curtain on what makes modern EVs tick—one bolt at a time.