Ok, we have a good one for you folks. We’re usually up to date on what BMW is working on for the years ahead but these spy shots have caught us off guard. An intriguing prototype of a coupe has us wondering what the peeps from Munich are cooking up. The first impression we’re getting is of a dedicated electric sports car rather than the rumored i4 Coupe (“NA2”), but that’s unlikely to be the one.
Despite the camouflage, the mysterious test vehicle clearly sends out a Neue Klasse vibe. It’s particularly noticeable at the front and rear. The slim headlights and unusually high-mounted taillights are a dead giveaway that the EV embraces BMW’s upcoming design language. However, unlike the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse sedan and the 2024 Vision Neue Klasse X crossover, it has only two doors. For a sports car, it sits unusually high, featuring generous ground clearance.
Cross Turismo Stand and Height
The NK-derived design and the absence of a visible exhaust indicate we are indeed dealing with an electric car. The short overhangs also suggest this prototype rides on a bespoke electric car platform. That somewhat unusual high-riding coupe silhouette reminds us of Chris Bangle’s strange X-Coupe from 2001. The profile is interesting for other reasons since we can spot air vents ahead of the rear wheels.
Four In-Wheel Motors
We can’t confirm this, but it appears BMW fitted the puzzling coupe with four in-wheel motors since there are no visible brake calipers. That would make sense considering BMW i Ventures invested $16.1 million early last year in DeepDrive. The German startup has developed a radial flux dual-rotor electric motor that can be installed as a central drive or as an in-wheel drive. DeepDrive is working with eight OEMs to bring the technology to the market by 2026.
It doesn’t look like a wacky concept that BMW will never sell to customers. It has regular side mirror caps and even windshield wipers. Those large wheels wouldn’t look out of place on a production model. We can’t see what’s going on inside but that seems to be the back of the iDrive X’s central screen. The next-gen infotainment will premiere with the Neue Klasse models.
Since there are no visible door handles, it appears that accessing the cabin is done by pressing a small rectangle mounted at the base of the B-pillars. It’s likely a touch panel that triggers the doors to electrically open. If it hadn’t been for the familiar lights, we honestly would’ve had an issue identifying this odd prototype as a BMW.
Overall, it would appear that BMW is working on something fresh with a whiff of that X-Coupe concept.
[Photos credit: Baldauf]
