BMW’s original Neue Klasse cars of the 1960s and 1970s created the brand we know and love today. Sure, BMW had made cars since the late 1920s, but it wasn’t until the 1500 sedan arrived in 1962, and the iconic 2002 in 1969, that BMW became BMW.
So, when the Bavarian automaker revives such an important name, you know it’s a big deal. Today, the new Neue Klasse family makes its production debut at the Munich Motor Show in the form of the iX3, arguably BMW’s most important car in decades.
The iX3 is the first of many cars to ride on the Neue Klasse EV platform. It’s a break from BMW’s current strategy of selling internal-combustion and electric cars on the same bones, as it does with the 4, 5, and 7 Series models. This iX3 will live alongside the current, gas-powered X3.
BMW is promising big things. The iX3 50 xDrive will have a 400-mile range, with 463 horsepower and 473 pound-feet of torque from two electric motors. The promised base price is around $60,000. That makes the iX3 about $10,000 more than the current four-cylinder X3 and around $5,000 less than the six-cylinder X3 M50. But the EV has a lot more power, and of course, it’s far more efficient.
Photo by: BMW
Photo by: BMW
Photo by: BMW
The Neue Klasse cars are built on BMW’s first 800-volt architecture, which, among other things, enables incredible charging speeds. The iX3 can charge at up to 400 kilowatts, which translates to around 230 miles of range in 10 minutes on a DC fast charger capable of such power. That’s a ways off the Megawatt charging of some Chinese EVs, but it does make the iX3 one of the fastest-charging EVs on sale in America.
Compared with the gas X3, the iX3 is slightly longer in wheelbase and overall length, but smaller in most other dimensions. The design is inspired by both the Neue Klasse and Neue Klasse X concept cars, and of course, the original sedans and coupes of the 1960s. The quad lights are a longtime BMW signature, and the tall, slim kidney grilles are like those on the original Neue Klasse cars.
From the side, the iX3 doesn’t differ as dramatically from the X3, both with slab-sided fenders and a rising character line running across the doors, but the EV has rear shoulders that swoop down more. Around back, the iX3 has wide tailights, but they are distinct units, eschewing the full-width light-bar trend so many other automakers have embraced. But don’t worry, the kidney grilles still light up if you opt for the M Sport Professional package.
Photo by: BMW
Photo by: BMW
Photo by: BMW
The exterior is distinct from other BMW models, but still distinctly BMW. By contrast, the interior is a much greater departure. Instead of a traditional gauge cluster, you get a thin, wide display at the base of the windshield that shows speed and other important driving information. The hexagonal center touchscreen also runs BMW’s latest infotainment, Operating System X. Sadly, the old-school iDrive knob is nowhere to be found.
The most important stuff on the iX3 is what you can’t see. This is BMW’s first software-defined vehicle (SDV), following a trend started by Tesla and Rivian, of using fewer, more powerful computers to control vehicle functions. A traditional car has tons of discrete control units that manage all sorts of different functions—everything from powertrain to electric windows. An SDV integrates multiple functions into a single computer. BMW calls them “superbrains,” and there are four for the whole vehicle.
One BMW calls the “Heart of Joy,” it integrates all of the car’s dynamic systems—powertrain, braking, steering, suspension—into one unit. The upshot is more precise control of how the iX3 drives, which BMW says benefits comfort, handling, and efficiency.
Another superbrain handles all the driver-assist systems. As standard, the iX3 gets adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist, while a hands-off highway-driving system is optional. BMW says that this new system allows for a more seamless handoff between human and machine. The driver can override the assistance systems with, say, a steering or braking input, but these don’t just turn the system off automatically. Instead, they’ll seamlessly blend back in after the driver has made their input.
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Source: BMW
The iX3 uses motors BMW developed in-house, which eschew permanent magnets. BMW says these new motors are 40 percent more efficient than their predecessors, while also being 10 percent lighter and 20 percent cheaper to make. The battery cells are also 20 percent more energy-dense than BMW’s current cells.
BMW also developed the inverters in-house, and the iX3 will be the first BMW with a Tesla-style NACS charging port and the first to support bi-directional charging, meaning you can power electronics with your car. BMW will also include a CCS adapter as standard.
In typical BMW fashion, the iX3 uses a MacPherson strut front axle with a new design of multi-link rear. Weight distribution is 48.6 percent front, 51.4 percent rear, though BMW doesn’t quote an actual weight figure. Claimed 0-60 mile-per-hour time is 4.7 seconds, and the top speed is 130 mph. The standard wheels are 20 inches, but both 21- and 22-inch wheels are optional as part of the M Sport package.
BMW will build the iX3 at a new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, with US production set to begin in the first quarter of 2026, and deliveries kicking off next summer.
Photo by: BMW
Of all the German automakers, BMW has gone electric most successfully. Its approach of building EVs off platforms designed for both electric and combustion power has worked well thus far. But a platform like this is inherently compromised. BMW needs a dedicated EV platform, and with the Neue Klasse, it’s pulling out all the stops.
The original Neue Klasse was a revolution. BMW is hoping that the new Neue Klasse, led by the iX3, will be another.
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