IM6 Performance: This kind of performance and technology should cost a lot more

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There was a time when buying a properly sophisticated performance SUV meant heading directly to one of the established European premium brands and arriving armed with a pretty substantial budget.

The IM6 Performance makes you question whether that still needs to be the case.

It's the latest offering from IM Motors, a new premium electric vehicle brand backed by automotive giant SAIC Motor, the same global powerhouse behind MG.

But while MG has made its name on value, IM Motors is taking things up a notch, with a focus on sophisticated design, luxury and cutting-edge technology.

In fact, IM stands for Intelligence in Motion, and the IM6 Performance is a pretty convincing demonstration of that philosophy.

Because beneath the sleek bodywork of this large electric SUV is an extraordinary suite of technology: dual electric motors producing 572kW of power and 802Nm of torque, all-wheel drive, intelligent four-wheel steering, a digital chassis, adaptive air suspension, continuously controlled damping, and an 800-volt electrical architecture capable of charging at up to 396kW, providing a 30-80 per cent charge in just over 15 minutes*.

And it’ll demolish the 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.4 seconds.

That's serious performance by any measure, let alone from a spacious, luxurious SUV designed to handle the school run just as comfortably as a fast back-road.

But outright acceleration is almost the least interesting thing about it.

More than straight-line speed

Plenty of electric cars are ridiculously quick these days. Instant torque and increasingly powerful electric motors have made eye-widening acceleration almost commonplace. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy accelerating away from a set of traffic lights and having clear road ahead without ever breaking the speed limit.

What separates the IM6 Performance is what happens when the road stops being straight.

At nearly 4.9 metres long and almost two metres wide, this is a substantial machine. The Performance also weighs around 2.4 tonnes. Yet from behind the wheel it has an agility that simply doesn't tally with those numbers.

A large part of that comes down to the IM6's intelligent four-wheel steering. At lower speeds the rear wheels can turn in the opposite direction to the fronts, effectively shortening the wheelbase and dramatically reducing the space required to manoeuvre the car. IM quotes up to 12 degrees of rear steering, helping give this near-five-metre SUV a turning circle of around 10.2 metres, which is like driving a small hatchback.

You notice it immediately.

Tight carparks, U-turns and narrow suburban streets suddenly aren't the headache you might expect in a vehicle this size. It feels considerably smaller from behind the wheel.

But four-wheel steering isn't simply a parking trick in this substantial SUV.

At higher speeds the system can use the rear wheels to improve stability and response. The result is a big SUV that changes direction with an immediacy you simply don't expect, but will quickly relish.

Point the IM6 into a corner and the nose reacts quickly, the rear follows faithfully and the car feels remarkably agile for something carrying a 100kWh battery beneath the floor. There’s a real ‘planted’ attitude about the handling and that’s something you’ll quickly relish behind the wheel.

That's where IM’s ethos ‘Intelligence in Motion’ starts making perfect sense.

The digital chassis

Then there's the digital chassis, and this is perhaps the most interesting piece of engineering in the IM6.

Think of it as the car's central nervous system.

Rather than treating the powertrain, steering, suspension and vehicle dynamics as largely separate systems, the digital chassis integrates them, allowing the vehicle to monitor and adjust critical functions continuously.

IM describes the system as bringing those dynamic elements together electronically, while an NVIDIA Orin N processor also supports the car's suite of driver-assistance technology.

In practical terms, the car can coordinate what the motors, steering and suspension are doing rather than having each system simply react in isolation. And in the Performance, there's plenty for it to manage.

Those two motors deliver a combined 572kW and 802Nm through all four wheels. That's enough to fire the IM6 to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds and on to a claimed 239km/h.

Yet the impressive bit isn't simply how hard it accelerates. It's how controlled it feels while doing it.

There's enormous traction, and the combination of all-wheel drive, sophisticated chassis electronics and staggered-width 21-inch tyres gives the IM6 the ability to deploy that performance without feeling unruly.

It is properly, seriously fast – but it doesn't feel like the chassis is struggling to keep up with the powertrain. And to me that’s one of the IM6’s greatest assets. There are no less than five drive modes (including Super Eco, Eco, Normal, Sport), but don’t think you need to be in Sport for any type of quick stint. ‘Normal’ feels appropriately rapid – especially for high-speed overtakes on motorways.

Fast without ruining the ride

Perhaps more impressive is that IM hasn't chased performance at the expense of comfort. Not in the least.

The Performance gets advanced air suspension and continuously controlled damping, allowing the car to alter its suspension behaviour according to the conditions. The air suspension can also adjust ride height and lower the vehicle to make getting in and out easier.

That's important because this is still meant to be a premium SUV.

Around town there's a suppleness to the way the IM6 deals with ordinary road imperfections that you don't necessarily expect from something wearing 21-inch wheels and ius capable of supercar-like acceleration.

This is a luxury-car ride by any measure, but factor in the generous cushioning across both rows of seats and the near-complete absence of noise in the cabin, and you’ve got a level of comfort and refinement that arguably surpasses some established luxury brands that charge twice as much.

And that’s what makes the IM6 Performance so compelling. At $74,990 drive-away in NSW, including the current $3000 cashback offer, it represents extraordinary value given the engineering, performance and technology on offer.

It also significantly undercuts key rivals, including the Tesla Model Y Performance at $84,900 drive-away in NSW, and the Zeekr 7X Performance AWD at around $78,000 drive-away.

Get onto faster roads and the suspension can provide the control needed to keep more than two tonnes of EV in check over all manner of surfaces. It creates an unusually broad spread of ability.

But more than that, it’s fun to pilot – not just on twisty roads, or straight-line sprints either. Just going to the gym or the supermarket in the IM6 is more enjoyable that you might imagine.

You can waft along quietly with the family aboard, then find an interesting road and discover that this enormous electric SUV is genuinely enjoyable to punt along.

It's not trying to be a lightweight sports car – physics hasn't been abolished just yet – but the technology does an impressive job of disguising the IM6's size and mass. 

Technology you can actually see

Inside, the technology story becomes considerably more obvious, and it's here that IM Motors' Intelligence in Motion philosophy really starts to make sense.

Dominating the cabin is a vast 26.3-inch ultra-wide display, accompanied by a separate 10.5-inch central touchscreen. The infotainment system is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8295 processor, while wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included.

There's also a 20-speaker premium audio system that pumps out notes like a high-end Harman Kardon unit, a 50W ventilated wireless phone charger, ambient lighting, and the sort of spacious, minimalist cabin presentation we've come to expect from contemporary premium EVs.

Then there's One-Touch AI Chauffeur, incorporating clever features such as automated parking, Pull Out Assist, and Memory Parking.

But here's the thing. For all the technology packed into the IM6, much of it serves a genuinely useful purpose rather than simply adding another line to an already impressive specification sheet.

Four-wheel steering makes navigating tight spaces a breeze and automated parking takes the stress out of tricky manoeuvres, while the cameras and driver-assistance systems provide an extra level of confidence behind the wheel. Even the air suspension makes getting in and out that little bit easier.

It's seriously clever stuff but, more importantly, it's technology that actually makes a difference to the everyday driving experience.

And when you consider just how much of this technology genuinely improves the driving experience, the whole Intelligence in Motion philosophy starts to make a lot more sense.

And then there's the charging

The IM6 Performance packs a 100kWh battery and an advanced 800-volt silicon-carbide electrical architecture, delivering up to 505km of WLTP range. It's seriously sophisticated technology and a fitting example of the brand's Intelligence in Motion philosophy.

And if outright range is more your priority, there's the IM6 Platinum, which stretches that figure to an impressive 555km (WLTP) on a single charge.

But arguably the more impressive number is 396kW. That's the maximum claimed DC charging rate, with IM saying the Performance can charge from 30 to 80 per cent in as little as 15.2 minutes when connected to a sufficiently powerful charger under the required conditions.

Think about that for a moment. Stop for a coffee, plug into the right ultra-fast charger, and the car can potentially add half its battery capacity in roughly a quarter of an hour.

For anyone still arguing that every EV requires lengthy charging stops, technology like this is rapidly changing the conversation.

The value equation

And this is where the IM6 Performance becomes particularly interesting.

MG's current Australian configurator lists it at $74,990 drive-away in NSW after the advertised cashback, although pricing varies by location and offer.

Forget the badge for a moment and look purely at the hardware. You're getting 572kW and 802Nm, a 3.4-second 0-100km/h time, dual-motor all-wheel drive, a 100kWh battery with 800-volt architecture, up to 396kW DC charging, intelligent four-wheel steering, a sophisticated digital chassis with air suspension and continuously controlled damping, a 26.3-inch ultra-wide display, and a spacious, luxurious five-seat SUV wrapped around all of it.

Start ticking comparable technologies on established premium SUVs and the financial equation can look vastly different. That's perhaps the strongest argument for the IM6.

It's not simply trying to offer more equipment for less money. Chinese manufacturers have been doing that successfully for years. The difference here is the level of equipment being offered.

Four-wheel steering, air suspension, adaptive damping, an integrated digital chassis and an 800-volt electrical system aren't gimmicks. They're expensive pieces of engineering that affect how a car steers, rides, handles, charges and ultimately feels from behind the wheel.

And that's where the IM6 starts challenging traditional definitions of premium.

Premium used to be largely about the badge on the bonnet, the quality of the leather, and how quietly the doors closed.

Increasingly, it's also about software, processing power, electrical architecture and how intelligently all the mechanical and electronic systems work together. The IM6 Performance combines both worlds.

It's quiet, comfortable, spacious and beautifully equipped when you want a luxury SUV. It's brutally quick when you want performance. Its four-wheel steering gives it the manoeuvrability of something much smaller.

Its digital chassis and sophisticated suspension give it the hardware to exploit all that performance without destroying the ride. And its 800-volt architecture means the technology keeps working for you when the battery needs replenishing.

All for a price that makes some traditional premium alternatives look decidedly expensive.

The IM6 Performance isn't compelling simply because it's fast. It's compelling because it's fast, comfortable, technologically sophisticated and genuinely useful at the same time. That's a much harder combination to pull off.

And perhaps the clearest demonstration yet of what IM means by Intelligence in Motion. Now I get it. 

*30-80% charging time applies to a 350kW Ultra-Fast charger under standardised test conditions. Charging times in real-world conditions will vary dependent on a number of factors, including but not limited to the age of the battery, charging conditions, temperature and the existing charge of the battery, the charger used and the duration of charge. Charging times will be increased when using chargers of a lower capacity. Availability of 350kW-capable chargers may be limited depending on your location. 

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