Esquire was in Munich for the world premiere of the all-new BMW iX3, the first production model of the Neue Klasse. This fully electric Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) delivers a bold new chapter in Sheer Driving Pleasure, carrying BMW into its future of electrification, digitalisation, and sustainability.
BMW calls the Neue Klasse its biggest investment ever–a platform that will shape more than 40 models in the next two years. The revival of the name also carries history: in the 1960s, it defined a line of saloons that reshaped BMW’s future. Sixty years later, the Neue Klasse signals another clean break.
“The Neue Klasse is our biggest future-focused project and marks a huge leap forward in terms of technologies, driving experience, and design,” said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG.
“What started as a bold vision has now become reality: the BMW iX3 is the first Neue Klasse model to go into series production. We are not only bringing the next generation of one of our most successful fully electric vehicles onto the road, we are launching a new era for BMW.”
The iX3’s design makes that intent clear. Its exterior styling departs from two decades of BMW convention, but it’s the interior that signals the real reset. A square steering wheel packed with controls, customisable ambient LED lighting across the cabin, and a minimalist yet warm digital cockpit set the tone for the future.
The cabin feels like it’s a space designed to put digital experience centre stage while still preserving BMW’s driver-first philosophy. The “floating” instrument panel flows into large door trims, wrapping the cabin in a continuous line. Atmospheric backlighting across fabric surfaces softens the minimalism, creating warmth rather than sterility.
Space is generous with all five seats offering comfort that feels closer to a lounge than a traditional SUV. The rear bench is a single, sofa-like surface, while the front seats combine long-distance comfort with a sharper, sportier character.
Above, a panoramic glass roof floods the cabin with light, amplifying the sense of openness. And the redesigned centre console and expansive storage areas bring a practical edge to the futuristic layout.
At the centre of this experience is the new Panoramic iDrive. The Panoramic iDrive an interface that blends display, light, sound, and voice into one seamless control hub. Physical buttons remain only for essentials, while everything else responds to touch, gesture, or voice. BMW also debuts Symbiotic Drive, an AI-backed system that integrates driver input with assistance features so seamlessly that Sheer Driving Pleasure doesn’t fade in the electric era.
The launch version, the iX3 50 xDrive, delivers 469 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a range of up to 805 km. Production begins in 2025 at BMW’s new Debrecen plant in Hungary, which will run entirely without fossil fuels.
The new BMW iX3 also debuts a design language that will define the entire Neue Klasse generation. It’s a modern interpretation of BMW’s original blueprint: clean, timeless, and reduced to its essence. The proportions stay true to the SAV form, with a length of 4,782 mm, width of 1,895 mm, and height of 1,635 mm. Sharp lines highlight all four wheels, while refined aerodynamics bring the drag coefficient down to 0.24, balancing rugged X-model presence with sleek efficiency.
Sustainability drives every decision. BMW uses secondary raw materials for around one-third of the iX3. Recycled PET fabrics upholster the seats, reclaimed maritime plastics form components, and even the floor mats come from recycled fibres. At the Debrecen plant, engineers design with circularity in mind, ensuring materials can be disassembled and reused at the end of the car’s life.
The iX3 is just the start. By 2027, BMW will launch more than 40 Neue Klasse models, from entry-level cars to high-performance M models. So we’ll watch this space because this wasn’t just a new car launch this was a new dawn for BMW.
