We’ve updated this article with live images of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse from its world premiere at the Munich Motor Show that runs Sep 5-10, 2023. Check out our complete coverage of the show here.
This is what the next generation of BMWs will look like, with the Vision Neue Klasse being touted as the company’s rebirth for a new era – one which will focus heavily on the company’s deepening trajectory into EVs with an all-new dedicated architecture.
It’s no coincidence that this concept takes after the naming convention introduced in the 60s, when the original Neue Klasse served as the brand’s sporty, driver-centric blueprint for decades to come. With the Vision Neue Klasse, the Bavarian company is showing the public what it expects its next crop of vehicles to look and perform like.
Future BMW EVs will be based on the Neue Klasse platform, with six new models confirmed to be launched between 2025 and 2027. The Vision Neue Klasse previews the first entrant – a small electric sedan with a similar footprint to the current 3-Series, which will enter production in two years’ time.
Retention Of The BMW Design Pillars
Live images Baldauf / ten Brink for Carscoops
Have you ever seen the memes about how BMW’s ever-expanding grilles will eventually take over the entire front of the car? Well, it would appear they weren’t far off. But look closer, and you’ll find that many design elements present in BMWs of old have survived the cut.
At the front, the double kidney “grilles” are capable of displaying 3D animations, which will trigger whenever the driver walks towards the car. Incorporated in the design are the headlights, which – although losing the circle/squircle graphic that has been prevalent for years – retain the double elements. Also of note is the “sharknose” snout – a return to more traditional BMW styling that was found in the 70s and 80s.
Related: BMW Says EV Sales Soaring, But ICE Cars Still Have Plenty Of Life Left
Perhaps the biggest throwback is the low beltline and large glass area – two factors that are bound to improve visibility and usability. The aforementioned beltline ends in BMW’s traditional “Hofmeister Kink,” while E Ink elements in the lower portion of the side windows also feature in the exterior welcome sequence.
Finishing the look off are muscular wheel arches, which house 21-inch aerodynamic wheels, and the concept is painted in an interesting shade of luminous color, dubbed “Joyous Bright.” Finally, at the rear, those trick taillights are 3D-printed, spread over several levels in a design that shows depth.
A New Generation Of BMW iDrive
There are three significant omissions from the Vision Neue Klasses’s interior. Namely buttons, chrome, and leather.
Cowhide has been shunned in an effort to improve the car’s carbon footprint, and we’ll just assume that chrome is more resource-intensive to produce than we thought. Either that or the designers thought it was a bit too old hat (on balance, it’s probably that).
Instead of leather, you’ll find bright cord fabric on the seats, while the front seats themselves have been designed to mount to the floor via a single bracket. This design choice, BMW says, frees up interior space for passengers in the back.
See Also: 2024 BMW 5-Series Finally Revealed, $84,100 All-Electric i5 M60 Gets Top Billing
Interaction with the car occurs via the BMW Panoramic Vision and the Central Display. Controls on the steering wheels (the only sign of any buttons in this interior) help the user navigate the central iDrive display. However, the much-lauded iDrive controller has met its maker.
Panoramic Vision takes traditional infotainment a step further. It projects information at a height perfectly matched to the driver across the entire width of the windscreen. In driving situations, the BMW 3D Head-Up Display displays information such as assisted driving or traffic guidance.
Power And Efficiency
BMW’s Vision Neue Klasse isn’t just another concept looking to make waves on the showroom floor; it offers real insight into not only the design of the next generation of bimmers but also how they’ll be powered.
Read More: BMW Confirms 6 Neue Klasse Models Coming Between 2025 And 2027
The company’s sixth-generation eDrive technology is at the forefront of this charge, promising a 30 percent improvement in range and similar gains in charging speed. Those are bold claims, but with round battery cells that are said to have 20 percent higher energy density than the previous cells, it seems BMW might be onto something.
The overarching goal? Delivering solid performance while upping the ante in terms of efficiency. But the big question remains: can BMW’s next crop of vehicles balance these advancements without losing the driving pleasure the brand is known for? The answer to that one remains to be seen.
Production Set For 2025
Production of the first Neue Klasse EV will commence in 2025 at Debrecen, Hungary. Manufacturing of the new EV has been said to shun fossil fuels entirely in its manufacturing process, focusing on utilizing low CO2 footprint materials and an innovative recycling-friendly design for end-of-life.
The sedan will be followed up by an SUV and four other EVs, which we expect to see previews of in the coming months.
So, has BMW nailed it with this “near production ready” concept, or are they off-base? Over to you in the comments to let us know you feel.