BMW began series production of the new Class iX3 at its new Debrecen plant in Hungary at the end of October. However, customer deliveries won’t begin until early March as Europe is the first market to receive the electric SUV. However, a small number of early adopters have already been invited by the luxury car maker to take delivery. The handover event took place at the BMW Welt in Munich at the weekend.
According to BMW, an “exclusive group of customers” had the privilege of securing the keys ahead of the wider launch. We count at least five iX3s in these pictures, four in Ocean Wave Blue and a fifth in Space Silver. The M Sport package appears to be a common feature across the fleet, while the wheel selection varies. The silver example rides on 22-inch Individual Aero wheels (1053), while one of the blue vehicles is equipped with 21-inch alloy wheels (1051 M) without Individual branding.
However, the exact specifications of these iX3 50 xDrive models are not necessarily the decisive insight. The handover event itself is crucial because it effectively signals the start of deliveries, even if only for a handful of customers. The rest of us will have to wait until March 7th, when it’s scheduled to launch in Europe. From this day on, the “NA5” will be available at all dealers on the continent.
BMW has already confirmed that production will be ramped up in Debrecen. A second shift will be introduced earlier than originally planned to keep pace with increasing demand. The iX3 is already almost sold out in Europe this year, even before a cheaper version comes onto the market. The rear-wheel drive, single-motor iX3 configuration is expected to go on sale before the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, the BMW Welt handover impressively underlines the return of the New Class: The iX3 is the first of around 40 new models that will come onto the market by the end of 2027. This year alone we’ll see the next 3 Series (G50), i3 sedan (NA0), long-wheelbase iX3 (NA6), next-gen X5 (G65) and 7 Series facelift (G70). The iX4 (NA7) has not yet been officially confirmed for 2026, but is expected to launch this year as well.
In 2027, BMW will push electrification even further with its first full-fledged M model. The already announced M3 (ZA0) is expected to be joined by an X3 M (ZA5) this year.
