We still had to wait for BMW to confirm the name of its first modern new class model. As previously reported by BMWblogThe brand new electrical SUV will keep the “IX3” moniker alive for its second generation. Compared to the CLAR-based outgoing model, its replacement will sit on a dedicated platform that was developed exclusively for EVS.
During the annual conference of the BMW Group 2025, CEO Oliver Zipse also announced when the camouflage released. The world premiere of the IX3, ready for production, is planned for the IAA mobility show in early September. Series production will begin in the new factory in Debrecen before the end of the year. BMW has been prototypes in the factory in Hungary since November 2024. Sales begins in 2026.
While BMW did not sell the original IX3 in the USA, its replacement has a better chance of achieving the US market. BMW also plans to build the electric frequency in Mexico, but production at the San Luis Potosà location will not begin until 2027. The newcomer, the code name “NA0”, is expected to produce a stretched version for the Chinese market. According to reports, it bears the internal code name “NA8” and should be sold shortly after the global model.
In the meantime, BMW is about to withdraw the original IX3 “G08”. You can no longer configure the first generation model, so you have to be satisfied with everything that is in stock. Production in the Dadong Factory in Shenyang, China, ends in the second quarter of the year.
The company’s head honcho did not respond to details about the future new class models and only mentioned a limousine. BMW will probably call it an i3, and the car will compete in the 3 Series segment if it is offered for sale in 2026. The electrical sports sedan is assembled in Munich. Why does the company start things with the IX3 and i3? The following said Zipse:
“We intentionally begin in segments with a high volume: We want our innovations to have a broad influence, not just in niche segments.”
Source: BMW
