Short overhangs. Minimal, minimal, functional styling. Driver -oriented interior. These are attributes of the best classic BMWs, of which we have not seen much for years. Based on what we have seen and what we have heard, this will change.
In essence, BMW could repeat its products again and again to technically guided decisions that bring the driving experience to most other attributes. Without this, you have products like the 2-series grane coupé with front-wheel drive. The one with the Bading Engineered product that is really a good car, but it doesn’t feel like a BMW behind the steering wheel. It also doesn’t look like a BMW with long overhangs and clearly front proportions.
The good news is that BMW is not immune to this criticism. And when we have spoken to the people behind the cars, they often confess to their love for models such as E21 and E30. They often refer to the E46 as a classic and often pay homage to 2002. In our conversations with designers, engineers and product managers who work on the next generation of BMWS, it is clear that the inspiration from the past directly influences the next generation BMW .
This begins with the new class generation of electric vehicles. Based on what we know, the new class family of vehicles in relation to a driver technology and design ethos of drivers will be a return to the form for BMW.
Unfortunately, it is not a switching gear that is of course in a seated car with six activities inline. But the new class product family will be modern electric cars that rethink the concept of the ultimate driving machine in an electrical form and at the same time the models that BMW is today use a tribute.
What is the BMW new class?
The new class family is really a modular architecture in combination with the next generation processing performance, the battery technique and the electric motors that signal a seismic shift for BMWS. This will be the first attempt by the brand to enable a really ground electrical vehicle family of vehicles (without counting the Stopgap IX), which should take over the best in the world.
The most important thing is that you do this by relying on classic BMW brand attributes such as short overhangs, function-oriented styling and even an interior geared towards the driver. We can see all of this in the Vision NEE class concept from last year and this year’s NEE class X concept.
Practical with the new class concepts
Going to the new class almost feels like a sophisticated version of the E21 or even E30. It has a scale and a share that we are no longer used to. It is not necessarily small, but the designers have created a car with a shape and a share that makes it shrink visually in the scaling.
The A and B columns are smaller than since the E46. In contrast to the current 4 and other BMWs, there is a angle design philosophy that feels unique and classic. It is even more important that they offer better visual lines for drivers and airy cabins for passengers.
The new class X vision takes this design language and takes you to a crossover. On the one hand, I was immediately impressed by the size of the concept. We are used to the next generation of every car that grows noticeably in every dimension. However, this concept felt smaller than the current X3 in its presence. BMW has not published the dimensions, but the effect of this new design language and what an EV drive train in cabin design allows a car that feels smaller, even if this is not the case. Somehow, BMW designers created a crossover with a shape and a share that almost shrink it in the scaling.
But this allusion to the past is not widespread. Gone is the chrome that has been on BMWS for over a hundred years. In its place, BMW adds shiny black and subtle lighting, which creates a cleaner, more modern look. But maybe one of the brave changes that BMW designers have made is to drop the belt line on which the windows meet the top of the door. This creates an interior that is brighter and with much better visual lines.
Of course, the new class has much more than just the design. Performance, reach and pricing are the key. But after what we have seen and what we heard from sources, there is a clear philosophy of BMW designers and engineers who take the past of the brand with these new cars while the brand uses its electrical development.
The new iDrive with panoramic view
For many, the biggest revolution will be inside, where BMW will replace its current iDrive system with a radical that contains the panorama. Even this change is driven by the desire to make the current infotainment experience more driver -oriented.
This innovative innovative contains three key components. A There are three key components in this innovation: a trapezoidal display that is suitable for the driver, the panoramic view and an optional 3D heads-up display (augmented reality).
The change is driven by BMW, which removes the size of the screens just a few centimeters from the driver’s face and goes closer to the street. This new iDrive is a completely new concept and re -introduces the idea of infotainment with a view to simplicity and a more driver -oriented experience. And in our early experience it does exactly that. Read more of our first experiences with the new iDrive.
BMWS combustion to see design changes
These design changes are also reflected on ice wagon. BMW will use a modified Claar platform for future internal combustion cars and try to imitate the changes in the styling that we will see in the new class. This includes the radically new infotainment system that comes to all BMWs.
The time table for the BMW revolution
BMW will aggressively move its EV reach to the new class platform. Here is an overview of what is to be expected, when:
2026: The first no class vehicles, the i3 sedan and IX3, are released. Preliminary production begins at the end of this year, and customer vehicles may be available at the end of 2025, but probably in early 2026.
2027: The IX1 is published. It is also rumored that the Mini Countryman EV will switch to the new class platform near this period.
2027: The new class M3 is published (ZA0)
2028: The i4 Coupé and the i4 convertible are published. The I1 will also be released in 2028.
Before 2030: The i5 is published.
