When the BMW i3 first debuted, it was quite a shock to BMW fans. Its oddball styling, funky interior and cool carbon fiber construction made it unique not only to BMW but in the industry. It was BMW’s funkiest car and the one that brought EV-market attention over to the Bavarians. Those same Bavarians are planning yet another car like the i3 and it’s going to be the upcoming BMW iNEXT. Instead of focusing on EV tech, though, it’s going to be more focused on automation. Sadly, though, it doesn’t seem to have the same sort of groundbreaking interior as its predecessor, as seen in some new spy photos. (We don’t own them but they can be seen here).
In these new spy photos, we get a look at the cabin of the upcoming BMW iNEXT and it doesn’t seem to do enough to separate itself from the rest of the Bavarian pack. It’s not as revolutionary as the i3’s back in 2014 and for a car that’s supposed to be something from the future, it really should be. Sure, its dashboard is a bit lower, like in many EVs, offering a commanding forward view out of the cabin. But that’s about it.
While it looks a bit different from the rest of BMW’s lineup at first, it also seems to be missing quite a bit of its interior. The digital gauges are missing the housing that surrounds them, as you can see the exposed structure. It’s also missing BMW’s iDrive screen, with a few test buttons and a small screen in its place.
As for the steering wheel, “gear’ selector and center console, they’re all pulled directly from BMW’s parts bin. Unlike the BMW i3, which has a unique steering wheel and a completely new dash. BMW even re-engineered its gear selector just for the i3. So to see the iNEXT, a car whose name implies the future, it’s a bit disappointing to see an interior so familiar.
[Source: Car Scoops]
