Quick linksBMW has officially entered the new class -era, a transformation that was as profound as the original shift that the brand saved in the 1960s. In a recent roundtable, Joachim Post, the board member of BMW for research and development, spoke openly about what makes this program a turning point not only for a model, but for the company’s global portfolio. In an extensive Q&A meeting, he addressed everything from tariffs to the resilience of the supply chain to AI integration, the BMW IX3 driving dynamics and the philosophy behind design and sounded.
The scale of the new class
Dr. Post emphasized that the new class is not about starting a single model, but redefining the entire fleet. “The IX3 is the first, but for the USA we will bring the X5 in Spartanburg next year with all this technology,” he said. Over the next two years, BMW will bring the platform innovations into around 40 models and updates worldwide.
At the center of this shift is the new class Architecture (NCAR), in which four “super brain” are introduced – central computers that process everything from dynamics to driver aid. With 20 -more computing power than the previous generation, the BMW system enables the software to separate hardware. “This is one of the keys to be prepared for the future,” said Dr. Post. “We can integrate more AI functions, update more easily and quickly adapt to what comes.”
From tariffs to flexibility: production follows the market
Dr. Post also dealt with the realities of geopolitics and trade policy. When asked about tariffs, he repeated BMW’s long -standing position: “We stand for free trade. But we have to prepare for uncertainties.” BMW’s reaction is to have a considerable footprint in all important regions: Europe, China and the USA that the strategy has shaped the mantra. “Production follows the market and the supply chain follows the production.”
Spartanburg, the world’s largest system of BMW, embodies this approach. With a long-term commitment in the USA, BMW invests heavily in a new battery assembly facility and expands the production of electrified models. This local strategy for local strategy helps BMW to remain resistant to tariffs and political changes, and at the same time anchor them closer to customers.
Technology that moves faster
Automobile development cycles are traditionally long – seven years or more between the main generations. Dr. Post admitted that at first glance the Newuse Class program could start in 2021 and only now brought onto the market. But he countered that the real innovation lies in how quickly BMW can spread these technologies on the line -up. “Forty derivatives in two years – that’s real speed,” he said.
The architecture was deliberately constructed in such a way that they are scalable and transferable to other models, so that everything benefits from compact limousines to SUVs to benefit from the same calculation, security and infotainment upgrades. It is a way to speed up the technological rollout without constantly reinventing the wheel.
Driving pleasure in the digital age
BMW’s slogan – sheer driving pleasure – it was always so much about numbers. Dr. Post made it clear that electrification and software did not affect this identity. “It has to drive like a BMW,” he insisted. For this reason, the company insisted on developing the functional driving software internally, even if fundamental layers came from suppliers.
An outstanding example is regenerative brakes. New class IX3 models can achieve a recovery of 95 percent and make braking so seamless that the drivers cannot feel when the car reaches a complete stop. During my own test drive of an IX3 prototype at Miramas, I decided to try something unusual: I briefly closed my eyes when the car slower. To my surprise, I couldn’t even say when the car was completely adjusted. There was no vibration, no stab, no sense of mechanical intervention – just a smooth, almost imperceptible transition to a standstill. This smoothness reduces fatigue in traffic and at the same time maximizes energy recovery – a victory for driving dynamics and efficiency.
The same applies to the dynamics of the borders. On tests, BMW engineers can feel how computing and fast reactions from electric motors can keep a car planted under conditions in which combustion models would rotate. It is part of what BMW calls “heart of joy” – a merger of control and emotions that are made possible by digital performance.
The panorama -idrive
The new class also defines how the drivers interact with their cars. The panorama -idrive survives information about the width of the windshield and eliminates the constant view of a middle screen. “As soon as you have seen it, you say: Why didn’t we always do it that way?” Dr. Post said. BMW projects critical data directly into the visual line of the driver and delivers both immersion and security.
Beyond Hans Zimmer: A new sound identity
Sound has turned out to be an unexpected limit for the EV identity. BMW made headlines by working with the composer Hans Zimmer to create futuristic soundscapes. Dr. Post described the partnership as “very successful”, but said that new class is progressing with BMW’s own philosophy.
Instead of imitating combustion noises, BMW creates human, symphonic tones. A project recorded a choir by designer, which expressed what new class meant to them, and then thrown these records into the sound palette of the car. “It’s not about imitation,” said Dr. Post. “It’s about creating something new, authentic for electromobility. Some customers will love the sounds, others may prefer silence. There will be something for everyone.”
Global brand, local adjustments
Design is another area in which BMW insists on staying loyal to its roots. When asked by another journalist, whether the Chinese taste had excessively influenced earlier models, Dr. Post does not agree. “It’s not true for us,” he said. “We have always created designs that work all over the world because BMW is a global brand.”
What changes are local adjustments for models that are built in certain markets. In China, for example, customers expect a longer wheelbase and more comfort in the back seat, so that BMW generates expanded versions of certain limousines. In the United States, however, demand is more of sports packages and distinctive failures. “These are market -specific adjustments,” emphasized Dr. Post, “But the core design is always global.”
EV introduction and market deals
Finally, Dr. Post the unequal introduction of EVS worldwide. While Europe is moving quickly, the US market is more stained and the infrastructure remains inconsistent. Nevertheless, he argued that, as soon as they experience an EV, customers rarely return. “Dynamics, charging speed, range – as soon as you have driven an EV, remain there,” he said. New class models aim to remove barriers with 400 miles range (EPA estimate) and 400 kW charging capacity and add 175 miles in just 10 minutes.
Dr. Post emphasized that BMW’s technological approach is due to a simple faith: the customer should decide, not governments. “Regulations can determine limits,” he said, “but in the end it is the customer who opts for which car.” Therefore, BMW rejects the bans of fuel engines in markets such as Germany and prefers a wide range of options instead. This flexibility has made BMW possible to lead the premium segment in the sale of electric cars and at the same time reduce the total -COaged emissions.
The real challenge, noted Dr. Post, it is to convince customers to try EVs at all – because as soon as they do, they remain with them. The cost reductions of the sixth generation to battery technology will also make electrical models more attractive in terms of price and performance. “Some countries move faster than in Europe, others slower,” he added. “But with the flexibility to build different drive lines on the same production line, we can adapt to any adoption pace. That is the key.”
A work of art
Dr. Post used a German word to summarize the new class: total work of art – a total work of art. From design and driving dynamics to software and sound, he sees it in every discipline as a new level in every discipline. It is not just a new car, but a new standard for the future of BMW, one that is based on flexibility, digital strength and the permanent promise of pleasure in driving behavior.
