BMW may not have a world premiere at Auto Shanghai 2025, but it still makes a lot of show. Instead of the usual, often boring static representation, the Vision Driving Experience (VDX) was seen in action during the BMW brand night. The test drivers Jens Klingmann and Elias Houndtonji gave the participants a foretaste of what the VDX is capable of.
The quad engine EV successfully rose to a 55-degree ramps as if it were nothing. The BMW electrical limousine has five fans (also known as an impeller), which literally suck the car to the ground. Together, the fans generate around 1,000 kilograms of trigger (£ 2.204), even if the vehicle is stationary. The execution of the fans requires 50 kW of energy, but they do not create a train.
BMW went the extra mile to keep the VDX on the street. Since the four engines deliver unprecedented power, the handle usually becomes a problem. Together, the engines produce astonishing 1,700 hp and ridiculous 18,000 Nm (13,269 LB-FT) top moment.
In addition to the wild numbers, the VDX is a preview of the “Heart of Joy” control unit from BMW. While the car itself does not rise to production, this new superbrain will supply the upcoming new class models with electricity. It processes data ten times faster than the current BMW systems. If it can manage this electricity and torque, it will easily deal with the more modest demands on production cars.
The active aerodynamics, which is integrated into the VDX, help to produce up to 1.2 tons of downforce and up to 3 g of side power. Again it is exaggerated for a limousine in the 3 Series class. BMW will launch the Regular EV in 2026, but a high-performance M variant will probably follow around 2028. Of course, the electrical M3 will not be as radical as the VDX, and it won’t look as extreme either.
The VDX is more of a technological demonstrator and shows what is possible. Do not expect the fans or wild aero to make it into production. Even if the first electrical M is not so outrageous, it will keep some of the DNA of the VDX. Prototypes of the “ZA0” have already been caught hiding a weakened design compared to this crazy concept.
