Manuel Nathan
Electric cars have made life trickier for traditional tuners. When there is no gasoline or diesel engine to rework, a big part of the old aftermarket formula disappears. Even so, companies can still reshape the rest of the vehicle, and AC Schnitzer is using the BMW i5 as a good example of that approach.
The Aachen-based tuner has prepared a broad package for BMW’s electric executive sedan, and the car shown here is the M Performance-flavored i5 M60. The program is not limited to that version, though. It also fits lesser i5 trims, and most of the parts can be installed on the i5 Touring as well, whether that wagon is an M60 or not.
What stands out is how restrained the body treatment is. AC Schnitzer did not turn the car into something theatrical. Up front, the splitter is noticeable without dominating the nose. Along the sides, the skirts push outward just enough to change the profile. At the rear, the trunk spoiler looks integrated rather than obviously aftermarket, and the roof spoiler has the same effect, almost as if it came from BMW’s own M Performance Parts catalog.
The wheel package is more flexible than the photos alone suggest. AC Schnitzer replaces the factory rims with its own 21-inch design, offered in silver or black, while a two-tone finish can be ordered as well. Buyers who would rather keep some extra ride comfort are not locked into the largest setup, since 19- and 20-inch alternatives are also available.
The chassis changes are modest on paper but important visually. Lowering springs bring the sedan down by 25 millimeters, which gives it a more planted posture and should help the way it reacts in corners. Optional wheel spacers then push both front and rear tracks out by 20 millimeters. It is a small number, admittedly, but it adds presence.
That is really the theme here: presence, not excess. The package gives the i5 more attitude without drifting into cartoon territory. It separates the car from a standard example, yet it never feels like the tuner was trying too hard.
AC Schnitzer has not abandoned combustion-powered 5 Series models, either. It still sells power upgrades for gasoline and diesel versions to go with visual modifications. And for owners with an M5 G90 or G99 at home, the company is also prepared to work on the V8-powered cars.
This also sets up an interesting next chapter. BMW is moving toward a cleaner design language as the next 5 Series facelift approaches and the brand edges closer to its Neue Klasse styling ideas. Tuners usually travel in the opposite direction, so the response from companies like AC Schnitzer will be worth watching.
BMW i5 by AC Schnitzer – Photo Gallery
