While the M60 retained the basic cast design of the M48, it had a welded steel hull (the M48’s hull was of cast metal construction). It had a conventional layout for modern Main Battle Tanks, with the driver in the hull front center, the commander, gunner, and loader in a centrally mounted turret, and the engine compartment in the rear.

The suspension featured 6 road wheels per side, three track return rollers, a front idler wheel, and rear sprocket that was driven by a 750hp 12-cylinder air-cooled diesel engine.

Variants included:

• M60: Initial production model
• M60A1: Entered production in 1962, and featured a new stabilized turret with better ballistic protection and additional ammunition stowage.
• M60A2: Armed with the 152mm gun/missile Shillelagh system. This variant was plagued with problems, and 526 M60A2 turrets (the hull was the same as the standard M60A1) were delivered ten years after completion of the prototype.
• M60A3: Final production model that incorporated thermal night vision equipment, a fully stabilized gun, laser rangefinder, ballistic fire control computer, a new engine assembly, and a water fording kit.
• M728: Combat Engineer Vehicle fitted with a 165mm demolition gun.
• M60 AVLB: Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge version mounting a detachable scissors bridge.

Two M60A1 vehicles were bought by the Bundeswehr in the early 1960s for trials, but never entered service with Germany. The vehicle on display was given to the Panzertruppenschule by the German Agency for Military Technology and Procurement.