IM L6 Pre-Sales Start at ¥219,900 with Full-by-Wire Chassis

On the evening of August 18, IM announced the pre-sale price of its all-new L6: starting at ¥219,900. The midsize fastback sedan, which retains its sloping roofline and hatchback design, is offered in three standard versions—Max, Pro Max and Ultra—priced at ¥219,900, ¥234,900 and ¥269,900, respectively. The Haute Couture Limited Edition, designed with the participation of Prof. Jimmy Choo, starts at ¥234,900.

The most notable feature of the new L6 is not another added screen, but the way the steering wheel connects to the wheels. Conventional vehicles use a mechanical steering column to transmit movement, whereas the all-new L6's steer-by-wire system first converts steering-wheel rotation into electrical signals before actuators control the front wheels. Combined with a variable steering ratio, this allows the vehicle to reduce steering-wheel input when parking, making U-turns or driving through narrow spaces. At high speeds, the system can make the steering response more gradual. The vehicle also features bidirectional 18° rear-wheel steering and Continental's MKC2 brake-by-wire system, forming what IM calls a full-by-wire chassis.

This chassis is not an isolated feature. All versions use an 800V NEO powertrain architecture. IM quotes a minimum energy consumption of 11.6kWh/100km, a maximum charging power of 396kW, and up to 580km of range added in 15 minutes. The Max uses a 76kWh battery and offers 725km of CLTC range; the Pro Max uses a 93kWh battery, with 850km of range and a 0-to-100km/h time of 4.9 seconds; and the Ultra uses a 103kWh battery and dual-motor all-wheel drive, with a peak system output of 500kW, 840km of range and a 0-to-100km/h time of 2.74 seconds. The positioning of the different versions is clear: the Pro Max goes the farthest, while the Ultra is the fastest.

Safety redundancy is an unavoidable hurdle for steer-by-wire systems. IM says the system has triple safety redundancy and reliability of 10FIT, meaning an expected failure rate on the order of ten failures per billion hours of operation. However, there have been two reports regarding the intelligent-driving chip—NVIDIA Thor and Orin-X—and the company has yet to confirm the final choice. The all-new L6's powertrain and equipment specifications also remain subject to the official launch announcement. Whether the steer-by-wire system can preserve the road feel drivers expect will depend on the production vehicle.

Specifically, the ¥219,900 Max already includes an 800V platform, lidar and a full-by-wire chassis as standard. For an additional ¥15,000, the Pro Max brings a larger battery, more power and the longest CLTC range. During the pre-sale period, the panoramic roof, B&O audio system, 5.7L heated-and-cooled refrigerator and 19-inch wheels can be upgraded free of charge for a limited time. The first owner of a non-commercial vehicle will also receive lifetime free access to the full IM AD advanced driver-assistance package and a lifetime battery warranty. The pricing and configuration of these benefits after the pre-sale period have yet to be confirmed at the official launch.