BMW never misses an opportunity to hype up its future Neue Klasse EVs. Even so, it hasn’t set an expiration date for gas cars. Other rival brands have rushed to announce overly ambition to go completely electric, but not the Munich-based marque. That’s because ICE is staying for the long haul. However, it doesn’t mean there will be two completely different lineups. The plan is to merge the two and create a cohesive portfolio with gasoline, diesel, plug-in hybrid, and electric cars. Oh, a hydrogen EV is coming, too.
As we’ve seen in spy shots of the next-gen X5 (G65), the conventionally powered models will adopt styling cues from Neue Klasse. Speaking with Top Gear magazine, the BMW Group design boss confirmed there will be similarities between cars that have combustion engines and those that don’t. In addition, Adrian van Hooydonk mentions new technology pioneered by NK-based cars will be adopted by existing nameplates in the vast lineup.
“The big push with EVs, these technologies and this design language, will transfer over the entire product portfolio including our combustion vehicles. For the customer it won’t be difficult – they will all get new modern BMWs and they can choose the drivetrain. There is some proportional difference on the exterior and a little on the interior but the look and feel and user interface is going to be identical. It’s a big change how you operate the vehicles.”
These next-gen cars will be released by 2029. All of them have been penned by the previous design team led by Domagoj Dukec. In the next five years or so, we’ll see new X5, X6, and X7, complete with electric counterparts. The next-gen 3 Series is also planned to arrive within the same timeframe. Concomitantly, facelifts of current models will also inherit goodies from Neue Klasse, especially on the technology side.
Adrian van Hooydonk mentioned the Neue Klasse concepts are accurate indicators of production models. He drew parallels between those two and the i3 and i8, which underwent small changes for the road-going versions. The subsequent electric SUV and sedan will be smaller since the concepts were intentionally bigger for a greater visual impact.
Neue Klasse will usher in not just a fresh design language but also a revamped interior. Expect even fewer buttons than what the current BMWs have. Both concepts had iDrive X with a huge central screen and no instrument cluster. The latter will be indirectly replaced by Panoramic Vision, a head-up display as wide as the dashboard.
It’s safe to say huge changes are coming, and it all starts with the new iX3 crossover in 2025. The i3 sedan follows a year later. At least four other models will be launched by 2028.
Source: Top Gear
