Revolution in the air: Why you should be excited about the new BMW iX3

Chairman of the board, Oliver Zipse, announced the news while updating shareholders at the company’s annual conference, telling the audience: “No other manufacturer has a project as ambitious and ground-breaking as ours [the Neue Klasse] about to enter production.” 

Zipse called the Neue Klasse cars “unprecedented in both form and significance in the history of the BMW Group,” before confirming that a new saloon – a spiritual successor to the 3 Series based on the BMW Vision Neue Klasse concept – will go on sale in 2026. The iX3 and new saloon will be two of 40 new or updated Neue Klasse-inspired models due by 2027.

With the Neue Klasse cars comes new tech like BMW’s Panoramic iDrive infotainment system, featuring a head-up display that uses the entire width of the car’s windscreen. They’ll also get sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology with round cells that increase battery density by 20 per cent, increase charging speeds and range by 30 per cent. Furthermore, they will be capable of adding 186 miles (300km) of charge in just ten minutes using a public fast charger.

BMW’s Gen6 batteries get 800V architecture (allowing for those fast charging speeds) and bi-directional charging, allowing your car to send power back onto the grid. BMW also predicts a reduced battery cost of between 40 and 50 per cent relative to range. 

Four high-performance “super-brains” with 20 times the power of a current model will control the new tech and be responsible for the car’s auto drive and dynamics. The latter will be controlled by the company’s ‘Heart of Joy’ computer, BMW claiming its Neue Klasse cars will set “new standards for dynamic performance and efficiency.” Neue Klasse cars will require 600m less wiring than current models, reducing weight by 30 per cent, and the company is targeting the same five-miles-per-kWh goal as the new Mercedes CLA.

Read on for our detailed explanation of exactly what you can expect from the pivotal new iX3 SUV. 

Who designed the Neue Klasse X, the new BMW iX3?

Domagoj Dukec, former head of design at BMW, now doing the same job for Rolls-Royce, styled the new iX3, starting with the new 'sharknose' grille based on that found on cars like the original 6 Series coupe. It's smaller than the 'gopher tooth' design on the current M4 but manages to be just as prominent thanks to its three-dimensional shape, the clean design surrounding it, and the fact that it's illuminated. It'll be joined by another BMW styling cue, twin headlights, although LED slashes replace the rings of light of older models.  

This amalgamation of old and new continues around the sides, where you'll find BMW's Hofmeister kink etched into the windows rather than pressed into the metalwork. BMW's new EV architecture allows the company to push the wheels out to the corners of the car, for a more alert and sporty appearance. It also enlarges the wheelbase, which is excellent for interior space; more on that in a minute. 

Meanwhile, the back follows the front's lead. The L-shaped tail lights are the firm's signature, but the iX3 amplifies them to stretch across the back of the car with individual segments that appear to float in their housing for an ultra-modern look. The simple design of the surrounding body increases the impact of the fancy LEDs. Even BMW's enamel, blue-and-white badge isn't safe from the new looks; a minimalist design that appears etched into the paintwork replaces it.

The ultra-modern theme even applies to the car's glass house with super-flush-fitting windows and a huge panoramic roof that increases the light getting into the cabin and enhances the modern, fresh feel. 

Is the iX3 the most classically beautiful BMW we’ve ever seen? Definitely not. But it’s a welcome move away from the vulgar end of the SUV spectrum occupied by the likes of the XM performance PHEV. That said, Dukec’s best work comes in the form of the Vision Neue Klasse saloon car that combines elements of classic saloons like the E21, E30, E36 and E46 – unsurprisingly it previews the new 3 Series. 

Will the Neue Klasse X drive like a BMW?

“Yes”, appears to be the reassuring answer. BMW is throwing serious computing power at the new iX3 as previewed in the Neue Klasse X as BMW's Frank Weber, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Development, tells us. 

He explains: “Neue Klasse means BMW driving at an even higher level. 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. We developed the first super-brain completely in-house. It integrates the entire powertrain and driving dynamics with up to ten times more computing power. 

“The second super-brain will enable the next quantum leap in automated driving. 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 [it being] even more fun to drive.”

What exactly will that mean in practice? Well, you can expect the iX3's motors – it will have up to two, one on each axle – to meter out power with digital precision, tightly managed by the car's traction control, stability control and torque vectoring systems. 

An authentic rear-wheel drive feel would link this high-tech BMW with its predecessors but with a four-wheel drive system that would haul you out of trouble if things get too ‘exciting’. Expect the regenerative brakes to feel incredibly natural – not inconsistent and snatchy as they have in the past – and to be able to promote weight transfer into corner entry, helping the new iX3 move on its axis into bends. 

Factor all that in with active dampers, active steering, active torque distribution and the potential for augmented gearshifts – à la the Hyundai Ioniq N, a guiding light for performance EVs in the eyes of many – all controlled by a powerful computer, and the potential of BMW's new breed of EVs is near endless: something to look forward to.

Meanwhile, the second "super brain" should make for slick autonomous driving, the likes of which we haven't yet experienced in a midsize SUV. That will translate into chauffeur-like smooth driving and an uncanny ability to read the road and other road users. All of which should make the iX3 exceptionally relaxing on long journeys. 

What are the range and specs of the Neue Klasse X, the new BMW iX3?

The Neue Klasse X previews the 800V electrical architecture that will underpin the new iX3 allowing for charging speeds that are 30 percent quicker than present, for around 180 miles of charge in just 10 minutes. The Lithium-ion battery cells the car uses are also advanced, 20 percent denser than previously, allowing more electricity to fit in a smaller space. 

BMW's new design language also helps. The Neue Klasse X is 20 percent more aerodynamic than a comparable model – like the current iX3 – and with new, more efficient tyres and a smarter regenerative braking system, it's 25 percent more efficient overall. In real terms, that means the production iX3 should be capable of 375 miles between changes – almost 100 miles more than the current model.  

What will the new BMW iX3 be like on the inside?

The simple answer is very different from what we have experienced with current BMWs, covering everything from its hardware to its software. 

Materially, you can expect the iX3 to have eco-friendly textiles in place of leather – the show car boasts red corduroy-like upholstery – and an emphasis on a simple design enhanced by the natural light in the cabin and the ambient lighting that appears to make the dashboard float free from the bulkhead.

The big centre screen’s angular design separates it from the curves of the rest of the interior, but the big talking point will be the car's 3D head-up display. Called BMW Panoramic Vision, it can augment things like sat-nav directions and speed-limit warnings onto the windscreen, making them appear like they are painted onto the road in front of you. 

BMW's 'HYPERSONX' steering wheel will add touchpads and other controls to the part of the car you hold the most – hopefully more successfully than in the likes of the latest VWs and Mercedes models. 

The overriding feel of the new iX3 will be one of space. The neat packaging of the battery and the small size of the motors means the engineers can devote more of the BMW's footprint to the interior room, helped by the airy feel promoted by the car's deep windows and huge glass roof.

When will the Neue Klasse X go on sale?

Pre-production versions of the iX3 are already rolling off their Hungarian factory line, and customer cars will hit UK shores at the end of 2025. You can expect the Audi Q4 e-tron rival to be priced at around £50,000. 

In 2026, the iX3 will be joined by the production version of BMW's Vision Neue Klasse saloon, the new 3 Series and, by virtue of this, one of the company's most critical new-car launches.