The “Ultimate Driving Machine” has lived up to its name time and time again, even in the electric era. BMW’s latest electric sports activity vehicle (SAV), the Neue Klasse X, is shattering the perception of high-performance luxury vehicles. In March, the futuristic all-electric vehicle was teased in several company photos and videos, with the German automaker saying it will move ahead with production next year.
BMW says the Neue Klasse lineup offers 30% more range, faster charging, and an additional 25% efficiency improvement. It comes with the latest iDrive technology — BMW’s signature driving experience setting. The high-tech interior has an infotainment display that can change colors to match time and mood. It also offers Sport, Efficient, and Personal mode, which can change interior lighting.
Photo Courtesy BMW
According to Edmunds, the car previews the design aspects for the new X3 and X5 — its top-selling models. Specific details about the range and top speed are yet to emerge.
“The BMW of the future will have four totally new super-brains: high-performance computers working smartly together on what, up until now, was processed separately,” Frank Weber, member of the Board of Management of BMW, said in a news release.
“We developed the first super-brain completely in-house. It integrates the entire powertrain and driving dynamics with up to 10 times more computing power.”
“The second super-brain will enable the next quantum leap in automated driving,” he continued. “Going forward, we will combine four key control units in a single high-performance computer. The result will be more dynamic performance, more precision, more efficiency, and even more fun to drive.”
You don’t need to speak German to know that Neue Klasse means “New Class.” BMW is serious about this lineup changing their electric auto market. The exterior design is impressive, more jagged, and defined than typical BMW vehicles. The X keeps the kidney grille in front despite being a zero-emission car, and it is lined with LED lights.
“The new brand look for the BMW X models also contributes to the Vision Vehicle’s strong presence,” the vehicle’s news release explained. “Vertically aligned LED units offer a fresh interpretation of BMW’s hallmark light signature.”
The interior comes with a high-performance sound system, too. The HYPERSONX WHEEL provides a personalized sound experience for any travel: music, podcasts, or audiobooks.
It can accessed in the infotainment center. There’s also voice assistant tech with a highly human-sounding voice.
Car and Driver said “a camouflaged SUV resembling the Neue Klasse X” was spotted testing earlier this year, and the SAV concept, with “incredible details,” was unveiled to the magazine at a media event in Portugal.
Car and Driver believes the SAV’s official name will be the iX3 once it reaches showrooms. The whole lineup takes inspiration from the first Neue Klasse generation, which dropped in the 1960s. It brought the cult-classic 2002 car, one of the original sports sedans. The vehicle shared similar aspects to 1960s American muscle cars, with its boxy two-door exterior and low-weight chassis.
Photo Courtesy BMW
Production will begin in 2025 at the Plant Debrecen in Hungary. This factory will run on renewables, or as BMW put it, “fossil-free energy.” The surface materials are plant-based, mineral-based, and petroleum-free. Ocean plastic and upcycled fishnets are being used for certain components.
“The BMW Vision Neue Klasse X provides a look ahead to the X models of the Neue Klasse. The same principles apply to our Sport Activity Vehicles: electric, digital, and circular,” Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design, said in a statement. “The X models will always remain strong in character: monolithic, clean, and with a very distinctive vertical interpretation of the BMW light signature.”
