{"id":7150,"date":"2026-04-12T16:39:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T20:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/?p=7150"},"modified":"2026-04-12T16:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T20:40:57","slug":"bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/","title":{"rendered":"We just caught BMW&#8217;s next electric performance SUV testing in Europe, and one thing the photos reveal could change everything"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>BMW\u2019s first \u201cNeue Klasse\u201d vehicle hasn\u2019t even hit the roads in the US, but it seems like we\u2019ve already gotten a good look at the third. The upcoming iX5 (an upcoming electric X5 built on the Neue Klasse platform) was spotted testing in Europe by one of AutoNotion\u2019s photographers.<\/p>\n<p>The version we spotted is rocking noticeably less camouflage than previous prototypes, which makes the \u201cNeue Klasse\u201d styling stand out more. Fan of variety may be a bit disappointed, as the vehicle does really resemble <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-new-x5-exclusive-photos\/\">a larger iX3<\/a>. But to be honest, most companies pick a vehicle design and scale it up or down depending on model. This isn\u2019t new for BMW, just as with Volkswagen, Tesla, Ford, and any other major manufacturer.<\/p>\n<p>The headlights are heavily masked, so there could be a surprise for us further down the line there. Maybe BMW is slapping its circular logo in the middle just as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/upcoming-2027-mercedes-amg-gt-suv-ev\/\">Mercedes is making every light structure<\/a> star studded these days? Or maybe not.<\/p>\n<p>Mechanical door handles are also missing from the vehicle, which could mean a bit of trouble down the line <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/china-bans-hidden-door-handles\/\">if legislation keeps progressing<\/a> as expected. It could also be a major point of difference between the iX5 and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/lucid-cheaper-ev-announcement\/\">Lucid\u2019s upcoming midsize vehicles<\/a>, which are shaping up to be the German manufacturer\u2019s main competition in the electric SUV segment.<\/p>\n<p>A lot of this isn\u2019t particularly standout, it was either expected or something we\u2019ve seen elsewhere. But there is one closeup detail that may confirm BMW intends to go all out when it comes to the iX5 M70\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n<h2>The iX5 M70 is rumored to be all about performance, and the photos back that up<\/h2>\n<p>The wheels themselves are a bit newsworthy, though not really BMW news. The iX5 seems to be rocking a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 6s, which aren\u2019t even out yet. The Pilot Sport 5 was only launched back in 2023, so there could be some big news on the horizon from Michelin.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-7150 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_9\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_9-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Side front view of a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_21\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_21-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Rear view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_20\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_20-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Rear 3\/4 view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_19\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_19-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Rear 3\/4 view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_18\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_18-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Rear 3\/4 view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_15\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_15-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Side view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_14\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_14-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Side view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_12\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_12-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Side view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_23\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_23-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Rear view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_1\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_1-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Front view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_2\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_2-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Front view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_5\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_5-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Front view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_7\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_7-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Side view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_4\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_4-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Front view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/bmw_ix5_8\/#main'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BMW_IX5_8-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Side view of a a camouflaged BMW iX5 M70 prototype\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>BMW dropping the iX5 M70 on a set of unreleased high-performance tires suggests a huge leap in performance. While Pilot Sports have cropped up on plenty of BMWs in the past, they are very high performance tires made from cutting edge compounds, which suggests the iX5 M70 will be putting out a lot of torque.<\/p>\n<p>The rims themselves appear to be 23 inches in diameter, which would be big news on something non-electric, but performance EVs have the torque to handle what would historically be obscenely large rims. It is worth noting that bigger rims do hit range, so the leap in size from the iX3 (20 to 22 inches) along with the added weight may see the iX3 M70 get less distance than its little brother. Unless BMW is packing some extra batteries, or increased battery tech in there.<\/p>\n<p>Rumors suggest the iX5 M70 could leave the company\u2019s current electric performance SUV, the iX M70, in the dust. Putting out over 700 horsepower through a multi-motor setup. The large brake rotors also play into this. Oddly enough, in normal use EVs tend to give the brakes a bit of a break, slowing the car with its motors and pulling back a bit of energy while doing so. The hefty brakes on the prototype suggest a lot of speed and weight is going to have to be mitigated pretty quickly in this thing.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve driven the iX M70, and it has an incredible amount of punch. You do have to wonder how much room for improvement there really is on something I\u2019d describe as \u201ca bit violent\u201d when you get your foot down in sport mode. But you know what, I\u2019m all here for it.<\/p>\n<p>BMW is set to unveil the iX5 M70 in the latter half of 2026. With some suggestion it could be towards the end of the year, once the iX3 has already hit the road.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BMW\u2019s first \u201cNeue Klasse\u201d vehicle hasn\u2019t even hit the roads in the US, but it seems like we\u2019ve already gotten &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"We just caught BMW&#8217;s next electric performance SUV testing in Europe, and one thing the photos reveal could change everything\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/bmw-ix5-m70-spy-shots\/#more-7150\" aria-label=\"Read more about We just caught BMW&#8217;s next electric performance SUV testing in Europe, and one thing the photos reveal could change everything\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":7162,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,6],"tags":[17],"class_list":["post-7150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-electric-vehicles-evs","tag-bmw","resize-featured-image"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7150"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7150\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7172,"href":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7150\/revisions\/7172"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.autonocion.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}