More of a gimmick than a useful feature, BMW’s pompously called “Iconic Glow” has been around for a while and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. The latest 5 Series (G60) can light up the contour of its front grille, much like its bigger brother, the 7 Series (G70). A new photoshoot shows the two luxury sedans together in the late hours of the day, flaunting their light-up kidneys.
If you fancy the Iconic Glow, you’re not limited to these two cars (well, four if you’re counting the i5 and i7 separately) since BMW also sells other models with this party trick. Cars as small as the new X2 and as large as the XM have it, bolstering the already eye-catching appearance of these models. Not only have the grilles gotten bigger over the years, but the unconventional split headlights installed on some models give the cars a special look at night. You’ll know from a mile away that a BMW is approaching.
While the Bavarian brand has said the divided headlights are reserved for the larger and more expensive models (7 Series, X7, XM), it seems Iconic Glow will be a more widespread design element since it has already trickled down to compact cars. Rumor has it that next year’s update for the 3 Series (yes, another revision) will see the introduction of this option, along with glass controls and other goodies. The refreshed sports sedan is expected to enter production in July 2024 with new interior materials and trims.
As for the vehicles featured here, we’re looking at the i5 M60 and i7 M70, the purely electric M Performance versions of the posh sedans. The dynamic duo sharing an M badge on their oversized grilles was captured on the Istria peninsula for the Croatian launch. These are not the only M Lite cars without a combustion engine since BMW also sells an i4 M50 and an iX M60. In addition, an i5 M60 Touring is coming next year. An actual M car with an electric setup is scheduled to arrive in the latter half of the decade on the Neue Klasse platform.
Source: BMW