• Base MSRP $61,500 plus $1,350 destination and handling.
• Official EPA estimated range of up to 434 miles.
• Configurator and reservation live now on bmwusa.com.
• US market launch set for September 25.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – May 7, 2026… Today, BMW is proud to announce the base price of the 2027 BMW iX3 50 xDrive – the first series-production Neue Klasse model – will be $61,500 plus $1,350 destination and handling when it enters the US market in September of this year. For that price, customers can acquire a very well equipped, fully electric BMW SAV capable of up to 434 miles of range on a full charge. Even at the starting price, the iX3 brings the pioneering Panoramic iDrive user experience powered by BMW Operating System X, class-leading driving dynamics enabled by the Heart of Joy superbrain, and an 800V architecture that allows up to 400 kW charging at DC fast charging stations.

The Build Your Own configurator is now live on bmwusa.com. Customers can design their ideal 2027 iX3 50 xDrive and then reserve their vehicle through their preferred retail center with a $1,000 deposit via the portal on the website. Deliveries are set to commence in late September.

Exceptional electric range and super-fast charging. 

The iX3 utilizes sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology comprised of highly efficient electric motors, fundamentally new high-voltage batteries with more energy-dense cylindrical cells, and an 800V architecture. This drive technology reduces energy losses by 40% compared to fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, weight by 10%, and manufacturing costs by 20%.

These advancements result in outstanding electric range, illustrated below:

A maximum charging rate of 400 kW enables customers to add an estimated 185 miles of range in just 10 minutes or charge from 10 to 80% capacity in just 21 minutes at an 800V DC charging station via the standard NACS port. 

Major standard equipment.

BMW Panoramic Vision

Free-cut Central Display

Multifunction Steering Wheel

Perforated Veganza Upholstery

• Black Contemporary Interior Design
• Digital White Contemporary Interior Design
• Castanea Contemporary Interior Design
• Agave Green Contemporary Interior Design

Fast Charging AC

15.4 kW AC charging or 19.2 kW DC via BMW Wallbox Professional

Bi-directional Charging

Multifunction Charger

20” Aero Bicolor 1046 Wheels with All Season Tires

Seal & Drive Tire Kit

Ambient Lighting

Digital Key Plus

Wireless Device Charging

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Capability

Driving Assistant Plus

Active Blind Spot Detection

Lane Keeping Assistant

Forward Collision Mitigation

Active Cruise Control with Steering Assistant

Active Park Distance Control with Side Protection

Option Packages.

Comfort Package - $1,500

• Heated Steering Wheel
• Panoramic Glass Sunroof with Climate Comfort Glazing
  • May be deleted for $750 credit
• Multifunction Seats

Driving Assistance Professional Package - $2,500

• Highway & Commuitng Assistant
• Traffic Jam Assistant
• Active Lane Change with Eye Activation

M Sport Package - $2,500

• Sport Steering Wheel
  • M Steering Wheel - $150
• 20” M Aero V-Spoke Bicolor 1047M Wheels with Summer Tires
  • 20” M Aero V-Spoke Bicolor1047M Wheels with All-Season Tires - N/C
  • 21” M Star-Spoke Bicolor 1050M Wheels with All-Season Tires - $600
  • 21” M Star-Spoke Bicolor 1050M Wheels with Staggered Summer Tires - $600
  • 21” M Aero Bicolor 1051M Wheels with All-Season Tires - $600
  • 21” M Aero Bicolor 1051M Wheels with Staggered Summer Tires - $600
  • 21” M Aero Bicolor 1051M Wheels with Staggered HP Tires - $1,200
  • 22” Aero Multi-Spoke 1053i Wheels w/ Staggered Summer Tires - $1,350
  • 22” M MultiAxis Y-Spoke Bicolor 1054M Wheels with Staggered Summer Tires - $3,500
• M Sport Exterior Elements
• M Sport Interior Elements

M Sport Professional Package - $4,000

• M Sport Package Content
• BMW Iconic Glow Exterior Lighting
• M Sport Brakes with Red or Blue Calipers
• M Steering Wheel

Parking Assistant Package - $750

• Parking Assistant Plus
• Parking View with 3D Surround View

Technology Package - $1,900 ($1,200 if ordered with M Sport Professional)

• BMW Iconic Glow Exterior Lighting
• BMW 3D Head-up Display
• Harman/Kardon Premium Sound System

Major standalone options.

Perforated Merino Leather - $1,500

• Black BMW Individual Interior Design

Heated Steering Wheel - $200

Rear Heated Seats - $500

• Requires 3-Zone Automatic Climate Control - $200

Digital White BMW Individual Steering Wheel - $250

Metallic Paint - $650

• Black Sapphire metallic
• Brooklyn Grey metallic
• Space Silver metallic
• Vegas Red metallic
• Polarized Grey metallic
• Ocean Wave Blue metallic
• Eucalyptus Green metallic

Frozen Space Silver Metallic Paint - $3,600

Trailer Hitch - $750

BMW Iconic Glow Exterior Lighting - $850

Panoramic Glass Sunroof with Climate Comfort Glazing - $1,000

Harman/Kardon Premium Sound System - $650

BMW Group in the United States

BMW Group began operations in the U.S. over 50 years ago. In addition to the sales, marketing, and distribution of BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorrad vehicles, BMW Group’s business in the U.S. spans 30 locations in 12 states including BMW Group Financial Services, BMW Manufacturing, Designworks, BMW Technology Office USA, and BMW i Ventures. The company’s U.S. plant in South Carolina is the largest single BMW production facility in the world and the global center of competence for BMW Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented by a nationwide network of 355 BMW retailers, 147 BMW motorcycle retailers, 104 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. Taken together, BMW Group’s business activities in the U.S. provide and support over 120,000 jobs and contribute more than $43.3 billion to the U.S. economy annually. For more information about BMW Group’s business and products in the U.S., please visit: PressClub USA.

                                            #      #      #

• First-time demo of AI-powered BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant with Alexa+ technology.
• Revolutionary user-interaction with BMW Panoramic iDrive.
• Sixth generation BMW eDrive Technology.
• Next level driving dynamics with the Heart of Joy.
• Seamless driver assistance with BMW Symbiotic Drive.
• Ever-evolving Entertainment and App ecosystem in BMW Operating System X.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 5, 2026… The new BMW iX3 is in the spotlight at CES 2026. For the first time, the enhanced, AI-powered BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant with Alexa+ technology will be presented to the public. As the debut model for the Neue Klasse, the BMW iX3 showcases groundbreaking innovations that will shape the entire model range of the brand in the future. By 2027, the technologies of the Neue Klasse will be integrated into a total of 40 new models and model updates from BMW.

BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant expanded with Amazon Alexa+.
One year after the world premiere of the new BMW Panoramic iDrive with BMW Operating System X at CES 2025, visitors to this year’s CES can experience the revolutionary user-interaction concept firsthand in the BMW iX3. With a balanced combination of digital functions and physical elements, it elevates intuitive operation according to BMW’s guiding principle ‘Hands on the Wheel, Eyes on the Road’ to a new level of driver orientation. Built on the technological foundation of a software-defined vehicle, the customer experience in the BMW iX3 continues to evolve. For the first time, BMW presents the next generation AI-powered BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. BMW is the first manufacturer to expand its voice assistant with the AI assistant Amazon Alexa+. This enables intuitive and intelligent interaction between passengers and the vehicle in a natural dialogue. The interaction includes the operation of vehicle functions as well as access to information and knowledge beyond

the vehicle. For the first time, passengers can ask multiple questions in a single sentence—covering both your vehicle’s features and e.g. general knowledge topics.

The integration of Amazon Alexa+ into the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant represents a technological leap forward that focuses on added value for the customer. The AI technology used in the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant is a Large Language Model (LLM), a generative AI that understands language and is capable of formulating its own responses. Starting in the second half of 2026 at the latest, this further development will be gradually rolled out in Germany and the USA across all BMW models equipped with BMW Operating System 9 and X. More detail can be found here.

BMW iX3 transforms waiting time into entertainment: stream a movie, play a video game or make a video call.^[1]
The BMW booth at CES also focuses on the wide range of entertainment options in BMW Operating System X. It offers an extensive selection of apps, videos, and games. In addition to the popular streaming service Disney+, customers in the BMW iX3 have access to the Video App (powered by TiVo™). This app enables video streaming on the central display when the vehicle is stationary, with a continuously growing selection of content such as news, live, and on-demand streaming. The portfolio of the video streaming platform will continue to evolve.

The BMW ConnectedDrive Store will also soon include the YouTube Music app for the first time, joining the more than 85 apps worldwide in categories such as Music & Audio, Entertainment, Gaming, News, Travel & Local. YouTube Music gives customers access to an extensive catalog with over 300 million tracks, including the official studio recordings, remixes, live performances, and hard-to-find covers. Zoom now allows video calls on the iX3’s central display for the first time when the vehicle is stationary. As soon as the vehicle starts moving, the video transmission stops, and the conversation seamlessly continues via audio.

In-car gaming via AirConsole, as introduced for the first time with the BMW Operating System 8.5, is also available in the new BMW iX3, featuring world-renowned titles like UNO®️ Car Party! 
A new highlight in AirConsole’s extensive game library is Hot Wheels: Xtreme Overdrive™️ from Mattel, available exclusively to BMW customers. AirConsole allows users to use their own smartphones as controllers, so all passengers can play together or compete against each other. Additional games and apps for in-car entertainment can be accessed through the BMW

ConnectedDrive Store. Selected games in the BMW iX3 can also be controlled using Bluetooth controllers from conventional gaming consoles.

Sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology: higher efficiency, more range, faster charging.
The sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology developed for the Neue Klasse comprises highly efficient electric motors, fundamentally new high-voltage batteries with cylindrical cells, and 800V technology. The BMW iX3 50 xDrive is powered by two electric motors, which together generate output of 345 kW/469 hp and 645 Nm (475 lb-ft) of torque. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 210 km/h (130 mph). Its electric all-wheel-drive configuration consists of an extensively upgraded electrically excited synchronous motor (EESM) with particularly high levels of efficiency at the rear axle and, at the front axle, a new asynchronous motor (ASM) distinguished by its compact design and high cost efficiency. The combination of EESM and ASM is evidence of the BMW Group’s commitment to technological neutrality within electric mobility as well. The drive technology developed for the Neue Klasse reduces energy losses by 40 per cent compared to fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, weight by 10 per cent and manufacturing costs by 20 per cent.

The new high-voltage battery concept with cylindrical cells for the Neue Klasse also achieves significant advances. The energy density on a cell level is 20 per cent higher than with fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, and the new concept also paves the way for a 30 per cent increase in charging speed. The cylindrical cells are integrated directly into the high-voltage battery (“cell to pack”), which benefits energy density and cost efficiency. Added to which, the high-voltage battery is integrated into the vehicle architecture as a structural component to minimise weight (“pack to open body”). The high-voltage battery in the BMW iX3 50 xDrive has a usable energy content of 108.7 kWh, enabling a range of up to 805 kilometres (500 miles) in the WLTP cycle.

BMW Charging: short charging times, premiere for bidirectional charging.
The advances brought by sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology have a significant influence on the charging experience, too. A maximum charging rate of 400 kW enables users to fill their new BMW iX3 with enough energy at an 800V direct current (DC) rapid charging station to add up to 372 kilometres (231 miles) ^[2] of range in just ten minutes. The high-voltage battery can charge from 10 to 80 per cent capacity in 21 minutes. Thanks to the battery management tech with integrated switching matrix developed completely in-house by the BMW Group, the new BMW iX3 can also be charged from 400V DC stations. Upgrades to the battery preparation also help to shorten charging times. The new BMW iX3 50 xDrive can top up on alternating current (AC) at 11 kW as standard or 22 kW ^[3] as an option.

Extensive bidirectional charging functions ^[3] are also available for the new BMW iX3, meaning that it can be used as an energy supply source for a variety of applications. The Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function turns the new BMW iX3 into a mobile powerbank, which can supply electric devices with power while on the move. Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) hands it the role of storage unit for solar energy generated by home-fitted photovoltaic systems. And customers can also hook their car up to the energy market via the Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) application and earn some money in the process.

The selection of standard-fitted and optional charging accessories has been significantly expanded. For flexible charging during a journey, customers can make use of the new Multifunction Charger, which comes with several adapters for charging and discharging the high-voltage battery. The new BMW Wallbox Professional (DC) enables bidirectional charging at home or work. And BMW Charging offers the option of cost-optimised /solar-power-optimised home charging.

In order to give owners the best possible charging experience, the new BMW iX3 will be fitted as standard with an NACS (North American Charging Standard) compatible charging port. This will provide iX3 owners access to the vast Supercharger network, while a standard CCS (Combined Charging System) adapter will preserve access to other providers from coast to coast, thus ensuring that iX3 owners are never far from a provider no matter where the journey is taking them.

Heart of Joy: The Ultimate Driving Machine reaches a new level.
One of four superbrains in the electronics architecture of the Neue Klasse, the Heart of Joy looks after drivetrain and driving dynamics management. This high-performance control unit is responsible for the drivetrain, brakes, energy recuperation, and steering functions, and processes information up to ten times faster than conventional control units. In this way, the potential of electric mobility in terms of instantaneous power delivery, smooth power transfer, agility, stability, and efficiency is fully realized.

Together with the BMW Dynamic Performance Control software stack developed fully in-house, the Heart of Joy calculates all the driving dynamics parameters with a new level of speed and precision. The driver and passengers in the new BMW iX3 experience a uniquely harmonious and BMW-typical driving sensation whatever the situation. Every movement of the accelerator, brake pedal, and steering is executed directly and with assurance and precision. Supreme traction and – thanks to the unique Soft Stop function – the smoothest stopping process ever achieved by a BMW are among its other attributes. In addition, the efficiency of the new BMW iX3 is optimized by the integrated management of drivetrain, braking system, and energy recuperation. In everyday driving, 98% of braking maneuvers are carried out using recuperation only, without application of the friction brakes. The only occasions these are called upon are under emergency braking and during extremely sporty driving.

“Superbrain of automated driving” for the driver assistance systems with of the next technology generation.
Another high-performance computer brings together all the automated driving and parking functions in the BMW iX3. With 20 times greater processing power than in the previous vehicle generation, the watercooled “superbrain of automated driving” enables a significant technological advance with the Neue Klasse in this area as well.

BMW Symbiotic Drive provides seamless support.
The BMW iX3 uses its Symbiotic Drive capability combined with driver assistance to create a completely new driving experience. Whenever the driver wants to accelerate, brake or steer, their inputs merge seamlessly and intuitively with AI-enabled software.The result is a whole new form of Sheer Driving Pleasure. For example, the automatic cruise control system is not deactivated with only a light press of the brake pedal; instead, it is only switched off when the driver brakes harder. In the same way, the lane control assistance remains active even after light steering inputs by the driver.

With the optional BMW Highway / Motorway Assistant ^[4], drivers can take their hands off the steering wheel permanently at speeds of up to 85 mph / 130 km/h, while remaining attentive and ready to intervene. The system assists with vehicle guidance within the lane and can also perform automated lane changes when needed – a simple glance confirmation by the driver is sufficient. With active BMW Maps route guidance, the system proactively suggests lane changes at highway interchanges and exits, which can be confirmed with a quick glance in the wing mirror. The Highway Assistant remains active while passing through interchanges and until the end of highway exits. This allows BMW iX3 drivers to enjoy Level 2 driver assistance without touching the steering wheel in even more situations.

The new Highway and City Assistant ^[4] also offers innovative functions for urban environments, such as stopping and automatically restarting at traffic lights. Additional driver assistance features for complex urban driving situations will be rolled out later via over-the-air software updates.

# # #

BMW Group in the United States.

BMW of North America, LLC was established 50 years ago to support the sales, marketing and distribution of BMW automobiles in the U.S. BMW Motorrad was brought into the fold in 1980. In 1993 BMW Group Financial Services NA, LLC was founded, and one year later BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC began assembling vehicles in South Carolina. In 2002 and 2003, BMW Group established MINI USA, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC relaunching two iconic brands and rounding out its product portfolio.

Today, the BMW Group has a nationwide corporate footprint in the U.S. which consists of nearly 30 locations in 12 different states. Beyond the National Sales Company and Financial Services headquarters in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, its manufacturing plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and numerous other operational facilities, BMW Group in the U.S. also includes Designworks, a strategic design consultancy in Santa Monica, CA, BMW Group Technology Office USA, a technology research and development center in Silicon Valley, and BMW i Ventures, a venture capital fund, also in Silicon Valley.

BMW Group Plant Spartanburg is the largest single BMW production facility in the world, and the global center of competence for BMW Sports Activity Vehicles including the X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, and XM. The plant assembles more than 1,500 vehicles each day, and up to 450,000 annually. Since 1994, Plant Spartanburg has assembled more than 7 million BMW vehicles in the U.S.

The BMW Group sales organization in the U.S. is represented through a network of 351 BMW retailers, 143 BMW motorcycle retailers, 105 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. The company’s activities provide and support over 120,000 jobs across the U.S. and contribute more than 43.3 billion to the U.S. economy annually.

Journalist note: Information about BMW Group and its products in the USA is available to journalists on-line at  www.press.bmwna.com

• New level of natural dialogue enabled with integrated AI assistant, debuting in the new BMW iX3.
• Available in Germany and the US at market launch 2026.
• Presentation at CES 2026.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 5, 2026… In 2026, BMW will expand its BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, built on Amazon’s AI Alexa+ architecture, taking voice interaction between humans and vehicles to a new level.

BMW will become the first car manufacturer to integrate the AI assistant technology into its vehicles, starting with the BMW iX3. This new functionality enables intuitive and intelligent interaction between passengers and the vehicle in a natural dialogue including both the operation of vehicle functions as well as access to information and knowledge beyond the vehicle. For the first time, users will also be able to ask multiple questions in a single sentence covering both your vehicle’s features and general knowledge topics. The ability to link the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant with Amazon accounts will also make it easier to search for and stream music, retrieve public news, and access a wide range of other content.

"Our partnership with Amazon is based on a shared vision of technological excellence," says Stephan Durach, BMW Group – Senior Vice President Development, Digital Services, Infotainment, Connected Company. "This has resulted in a product that sets new standards in the naturalness of human-vehicle interaction through the use of artificial intelligence. With the addition of Amazon's

Alexa+ technology to the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, the vehicle becomes an intelligent companion for its users."

“BMW Group has been fantastic to work with as we introduce the first implementation of the new Alexa Custom Assistant. BMW’s advanced technology, combined with the intelligence and conversational capabilities of Alexa+, creates a truly sophisticated in-vehicle experience." says Daniel Rausch, Vice President of Alexa and Echo.

BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant powered by Amazon Alexa+

Natural language and free choice of words represent the latest development of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. The use of predefined voice commands (intents) is no longer necessary. This means that with the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, various requests and queries can be linked together as in a normal human conversation, and follow-up questions can be asked. BMW customers can trust that their vehicle understands them in context and provides the appropriate answers. For example¹⁾, when asked, “Hey BMW what’s the most famous painting there is in the world and where can I find it?” the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant will provide the corresponding answer (e.g., Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci, Louvre) and can link this answer directly to other vehicle functions such as navigation. The follow-up request "Take me there!" will then enable direct guidance to the exhibition location of the artwork. The intelligent voice assistant also uses such interactive dialogues to respond even more precisely to future voice commands and anticipate the intent of the question.

The integration of Amazon Alexa+ architecture into the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant represents a technological leap forward that focuses on added value for the customer.

The AI technology used in the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant is a Large Language Model (LLM), a generative AI that understands language and is capable of formulating its own responses. 

BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant with AI technology initially available in Germany and the US. 

The enhanced AI-supported BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant will be presented to the public for the first time at CES 2026 in Las Vegas. Starting in the second half of 2026, BMW iX3 customers in Germany and the US will be the first to benefit from the advantages of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant powered by Amazon Alexa+. Other markets and model series will follow gradually. The UI/UX of the BMW iX3 is based on the new BMW Panoramic iDrive control concept with BMW Operating System X. 

This integration is an important step on the BMW Group's path to offering this AI technology across the entire BMW model range²⁾. It exemplifies the seamless integration of the "software-defined vehicle" (SDV) into the customer's digital ecosystem.

The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant has played a central role in the BMW iDrive operating concept since 2018. In 2022, the addition of Amazon Alexa Custom Assistant to the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant led to even more information diversity, faster response times, and better understanding of user requests. Most recently, in 2025, the intelligent voice assistant was expanded for all BMW vehicles with Operating System 9 to include new functions such as music search, news, sports, and general knowledge. The integration of Amazon Alexa+ technology into the next-generation BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant demonstrates the innovative power of the cooperation between the BMW Group and Amazon. 

¹⁾ The video in the press release shows a question in English. For the market launch, the corresponding languages, German and English, will be offered for Germany and the US respectively.

²⁾ Latest in the 2^nd half of 2026, gradually for all BMW models with BMW Operating System 9 and X.

# # #

BMW Group in the United States.

BMW of North America, LLC was established 50 years ago to support the sales, marketing and distribution of BMW automobiles in the U.S. BMW Motorrad was brought into the fold in 1980. In 1993 BMW Group Financial Services NA, LLC was founded, and one year later BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC began assembling vehicles in South Carolina. In 2002 and 2003, BMW Group established MINI USA, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC relaunching two iconic brands and rounding out its product portfolio.

Today, the BMW Group has a nationwide corporate footprint in the U.S. which consists of nearly 30 locations in 12 different states. Beyond the National Sales Company and Financial Services headquarters in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, its manufacturing plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and numerous other operational facilities, BMW Group in the U.S. also includes Designworks, a strategic design consultancy in Santa Monica, CA, BMW Group Technology Office USA, a technology research and development center in Silicon Valley, and BMW i Ventures, a venture capital fund, also in Silicon Valley.

BMW Group Plant Spartanburg is the largest single BMW production facility in the world, and the global center of competence for BMW Sports Activity Vehicles including the X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, and XM. The plant assembles more than 1,500 vehicles each day, and up to 450,000 annually. Since 1994, Plant Spartanburg has assembled more than 7 million BMW vehicles in the U.S.

The BMW Group sales organization in the U.S. is represented through a network of 351 BMW retailers, 143 BMW motorcycle retailers, 105 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. The company’s activities provide and support over 120,000 jobs across the U.S. and contribute more than 43.3 billion to the U.S. economy annually.

Journalist note: Information about BMW Group and its products in the USA is available to journalists on-line at www.press.bmwna.com

# # #

Since January, each installment of this series has looked at pivotal moments in BMW’s past. With this final chapter, we look toward BMW’s future.

When BMW board chairman Oliver Zipse unveiled the all-new iX3 on September 5, 2025, his words carried the significance of the moment. “When else do you get to re-imagine a brand like BMW from the ground up? The chance to create an entirely new generation of vehicles? The chance to break completely new ground?”

Speaking at the Munich auto show, Zipse was positioning the iX3 as BMW’s most important vehicle of the last half-century, and indeed it is. The iX3 is the first series-production automobile of what Zipse identified in 2021 as the Neue Klasse—a series of vehicles that would lead BMW into the next decade and beyond. The Neue Klasse (“New Class”) is at once the essence of what BMW has always represented as well as a quantum leap forward where technology, design, and driving dynamics are concerned.

Zipse’s decision to use that term carried historical resonance. In the 1960s, the term Neue Klasse was used to signify another quantum leap for BMW, one that signaled the company’s rebirth after its existential crisis of the postwar era.

Throughout the 1950s, BMW had offered automobiles at two extremes: expensive, small-volume luxury vehicles and motorcycle-engine powered microcars. Its automobiles were massively outdated, not to mention so unprofitable that the company was facing bankruptcy by the end of 1959. In 1960, after a significant investment from Herbert Quandt saved BMW from absorption into Daimler-Benz, the company embarked in earnest on the development of what would become the first Neue Klasse automobiles.

In September 1961, BMW premiered its new 1500 sedan at the Frankfurt auto show. This midsize BMW drew huge crowds eager to examine the modern four-door styling by Giovanni Michelotti, which featured double-kidney grille, round headlights, and an interesting angle in the rear window: the so-called “Hofmeister kink,” named for BMW’s then-head of engineering, Wilhelm Hofmeister. Consumers were further impressed by an all-new four-cylinder engine, state-of-the-art suspension, and unit-body construction.

The 1500 was an immediate success, and in 1963 it was joined by the more powerful 1800. That prompted BMW Board Member for Sales Paul Hahnemann to identify these sedans as part of an entirely “new class” of BMW. With agile handling and inspiring performance, the Neue Klasse would define BMW going forward. So would a new ad slogan, “Aus Freude am Fahren” or “For the pleasure of driving,” that underscored the promise of superb dynamics.

The Neue Klasse created a template that brought BMW to profitability, and which would serve the company for more than half a century. Today, BMW is stronger than ever, which prompts the questions of whether it really needs another reinvention. And if it does, why now?

Those who’ve been following BMW in the 21st century will note that the company attempted a similar reinvention more than a decade ago, when it launched Project i. That initiative became public in 2009, when it premiered the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept at the Frankfurt auto show, followed by the “Born Electric” i3 and i8 that went into production in 2013 and 2014, respectively. These carbon-chassis cars were ahead of their time, not to mention prohibitively expensive to build and short on the battery-electric range that customers demanded.

Since those cars launched, however, battery-electric mobility improved dramatically in nearly every respect. BMW began offering hybrid and battery-electric powertrains in its standard models, and it also experimented with new vehicle concepts for its 2016 centennial.

When business slowed in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, they were able to take advantage of what Zipse called “a unique opportunity to completely rethink the car. We saw the chance for a massive leap in development across all relevant technologies—from battery technology to digital user experience to computing power. It was a time for pioneers. In other words: the perfect BMW moment.”

Just one year later, at the Munich auto show in September 2021, BMW unveiled the first of five Vision vehicles that would preview various technologies underpinning the Neue Klasse concept. The compact i Vision Circular demonstrated the Neue Klasse’s emphasis on sustainability and “circularity,” using materials that were both recycled and recyclable, and which minimized waste thanks to novel design and production processes. The i Vision Circular also incorporated an entirely new information display concept, which projected information across the base of the windscreen for its entire width.

The following January, Zipse demonstrated the i Vision DEE (for Digital Emotional Experience) at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. A stylish sedan inspired by Marcello Gandini’s 1970 Garmisch concept, DEE introduced a user interface that turned the automobile into a personal assistant/companion, one fully integrated with one’s digital existence.

DEE’s design language was further refined in the Vision Neue Klasse, which premiered at the 2023 Munich auto show in September. This time, BMW previewed not only an attractive exterior with classic sports sedan proportions but a thoroughly reimagined interior. Minimalist, elegant, and nearly free of buttons and knobs, the cockpit featured a large, driver-focused central touchscreen used to engage most functions. A tall greenhouse filled the cabin with light, while the underfloor battery compartment and absence of a transmission tunnel made the interior exceptionally spacious. 

Those themes were carried forward into the Vision Neue Klasse X, an SAV introduced at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles in May 2024. The Neue Klasse X distilled BMW SAV design language to its essence, and it received high praise from those who saw it.

Finally, BMW executed the coup de grâce, putting journalists in the passenger seats of a high-performance sedan called the Vision Driving Experience (VDX) built to demonstrate an unprecedented level of in-car computing power. The VDX demonstrated the capabilities of its four control computers (“Superbrains”) developed entirely in-house by BMW, including one dubbed the “Heart of Joy” that controls driving dynamics. The Heart of Joy integrates motor functions with those of the chassis on an entirely new level, and it’s perhaps the most revolutionary aspect of the entire Neue Klasse project.

Today, the elements previewed in that series of five concepts have been incorporated into the iX3, the first Neue Klasse vehicle to reach series production. Introduced at the Munich auto show on September 5, 2025, the iX3 realizes what Zipse called “a massive leap that will shape the entire brand for years to come.”

Like the 1500 that premiered in 1961, and unlike its i3 and i8 predecessors, the iX3 is a mainstream vehicle, one that will be accessibly priced and produced in significant numbers. “We made a conscious decision to start out in the high-volume segments, because the Neue Klasse was never designed for a niche,” Zipse said. “We want all our customers to benefit from the innovations as quickly as possible.”

Those innovations begin with a new design language that incorporates sleek surfaces, pure forms, and unprecedented aerodynamic efficiency. Though it’s an all-new design, the iX3’s exterior nonetheless references classic BMW design hallmarks: including the original Neue Klasse’s small kidney grille and Hofmeister kink. It also pays homage to the four-eyed “face” and L-shaped taillights of subsequent BMWs, here with distinctive LED illumination.

The iX3’s interior, too, has been pared to its essence. That minimalism was made possible by the revolutionary Panoramic iDrive user interface designed by the team led by Stefan Durach, the former head of the BMW Technology Office in California.

In explaining the concept, Durach noted that BMW has been integrating its automobiles with our device-focused lives for years. The iX3 does so in a new way, and with a different goal.

“Cars are getting better access to your personal ecosystem than they had in the past, and you see a trend of putting a lot of screens in the car,” Durach said. “But our perspective is that your car is your last private space, and it’s more than just sitting in front of a big television. At the same time, you want to have access to your digital life, and you still have a driving task. So our philosophy is more like ‘hands on the wheel, eyes on the road,’ so that you don’t have too much distraction. With the Panoramic Vision, we cleaned up the interior of the car, and the information is right in your line of sight, at the right point in time and at the right location. We have control elements on the steering wheel, and we have a pretty capable voice interface as the dominant interaction, as well as more touch control. It’s our iDrive system taken to the next step, with completely new possibilities.”

The Panoramic iDrive system consists of four elements: the Panoramic Vision across the lower edge of the windshield, the central display, a multi-function steering wheel, and the optional 3D head-up display. The system was designed to be supportive and informative rather than flashy and distracting, and its development was guided by individual customer feedback, data from over 10 million connected vehicles, and usability studies with more than 3,000 customers. “We put a lot of effort into consumer testing, but the truth is when the customer is driving the car,” Durach said. 

In addition to an all-new design language and user interface, the Neue Klasse’s NCAR architecture has been engineered specifically for the new Gen6 battery-electric powertrains.

The sixth-generation electrical architecture consists of highly efficient motors, new high-voltage batteries with compact cylindrical cells, and 800-volt technology. Together, they allow 30 percent faster charging speeds, 30 percent more range, and 40 percent greater overall efficiency than BMW’s fifth-generation battery-electric vehicles. In real-world use, the iX3 is expected to have an EPA-rated range of up to 400 miles on a single charge, and drivers will be able to add about 175 miles of range in just 10 minutes at a 400-volt DC charging station.

The iX3 sends power to all four wheels via two electric motors: an electrically excited synchronous motor at the rear, and a compact asynchronous motor at the front. The use of two different electric motor designs is novel, and it reinforces BMW’s commitment to technology openness even within the realm of purely electric mobility.

All of that represents a significant advance from BMW’s previous electric vehicles, but the real breakthrough lies in the Neue Klasse’s electronic control systems. Rather than dozens of control modules and highly complex network of connections, as would be typical, the Neue Klasse utilizes just four control computers. Each module controls a specific aspect of the vehicle: driving dynamics, automated driving, infotainment, or basic control and comfort functions such as locks and lighting. This groundbreaking design eliminates nearly 2,000 feet of wiring, reduces weight by 30 percent over previous systems, and reduces reaction times (latency) within each area of operation.

Reducing latency is critical when it comes to driving dynamics, which fall under the responsibility of the computer known as the Heart of Joy. The Heart of Joy controls all aspects of driving dynamics—motors, power distribution, steering, suspension, ABS, DSC, regenerative braking, etc.—and it does so up to 10 times faster than conventional digital motor electronics and with an unprecedented degree of precision and control. In short, it allows the Neue Klasse automobiles to realize an electric powertrain’s benefits—instantaneous power delivery, smooth power transfer, agility, stability, and efficiency—to a greater degree than ever. 

Oliver Zipse agreed. “Whether you’re pushing the limits or driving in everyday situations, this is Sheer Driving Pleasure taken to a whole new level,” he said.

The Heart of Joy is augmented by BMW’s highly evolved Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). The ADAS is controlled by its own water-cooled, high-performance computer with 20 times the processing power of conventional units. It’s more than just fast: Since no driver assistance system can function if it’s so intrusive that the driver simply disables it, the new ADAS has been designed as a true complement to the human behind the wheel rather than an authoritarian who’ll intervene based on incomplete information. In that, it adheres to the philosophy of “smart, symbiotic, and safe.”

Take, for example, the optional Highway Assistant, which allows attentive hands-free driving at up to 85 mph. When active, it allows the iX3 to steer around obstacles in the road if traffic conditions make it safe to do so. It can also suggest a lane change to pass slower traffic, which the driver can confirm simply by glancing at the appropriate rear view mirror. If the driver forgets to activate the turn signal before manually executing a lane change, the system will do so automatically. And unlike conventional cruise control, it won’t automatically deactivate if the driver taps the brake pedal or turns the steering wheel.

It’s all very forward-thinking, but production of the iX3 50 xDrive is already underway at a brand-new plant in Debrecen, Hungary. European customers will take their first deliveries in spring 2026, while US customers will have to wait until summer. The first iX3 model to arrive will be the 2027 iX3 50 xDrive, which will be offered for around $60,000.

The iX3 will be followed by a sports sedan, the i3 that will premiere in later in 2026 and arrive in the US in 2027. The i3 will provide the basis for the first fully electric M3, which will demonstrate the Heart of Joy’s full capabilities as tuned by the engineers at BMW M. In light of the preview offered by the VDX, we can expect the electric M3 to be breathtaking.

The design, innovations, and lessons learned in the development of these Neue Klasse (NCAR) vehicles will soon spread to the entire BMW product lineup. The iX3 and i3 are only the first of some 40 new or significantly updated models—battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and internal combustion vehicles—that will launch by the end of 2027. In this sense, the Neue Klasse isn’t merely a new vehicle or even a stand-alone architecture but a fundamentally new way of engineering an automobile.

The original Neue Klasse ensured BMW’s survival in the 1960s, and its underlying concept served BMW well for more than 50 years. The next Neue Klasse is being launched by a company in a much stronger position, but it too has a crucial role to play in ensuring BMW’s survival through a rapidly changing automotive environment. From all indications, including the first reports by journalists who tested the car on the road and on the track in Spain, it should do so every bit as effectively as the original.

“Celebrating fifty years in the U.S. in the same year that we unveil the Neue Klasse is a true privilege,” said BMW of North America CEO Sebastian Mackensen. “It’s a perfect opportunity to connect our legacy with the innovation that defines our future. The iX3 isn’t just any new BMW; it truly is the Next Ultimate Driving Machine. Together, these milestones honor where we’ve come from and define the bold new era we’re shaping next.”

• The First Model of the Neue Klasse Heralds the Future of BMW Design and Technology; Arrives in the U.S. Mid-2026.  
• Built on the Neue Klasse Principles of Electric, Digital, and Circular, the BMW iX3 will be Presented as Part of a Showcase Underlining BMW Group’s Commitment to Responsible Innovation.   
• BMW Group’s “Technology Openness” Strategy will Include Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) Powered by Hydrogen Starting in 2028.  

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – September 18, 2025… Following its World Premiere at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich earlier this month, the all-new BMW iX3—the first of BMW’s Neue Klasse, or “New Class” of vehicles—will make its North American Premiere at a special event at Bathhouse Studios in New York City on Sunday, September 21, 2025. Presented by BMW Group Member of the Board of Management, Development, Dr. Joachim Post, the BMW iX3 Sports Utility Vehicle is not just the first series-production Neue Klasse model, but a preview into an entirely new era of The Ultimate Driving Machine.  

“The BMW iX3 is much more than one vehicle,” said Dr. Joachim Post, BMW Group Member of the Board of Management, Development. “As the first of our Neue Klasse, the BMW iX3 set new industry standards for user experience, digitalization, driving dynamics, and circularity. These characteristics will be incorporated throughout our entire vehicle lineup and usher in a whole new era for BMW.”

Over the next two years, BMW will launch nearly 40 new and refreshed models featuring Neue Klasse design language, technology, and driving dynamics.  

BMW Panoramic iDrive: First-of-its-Kind User Interface. 

The BMW iX3 features a completely new user interface, which will inform all future BMW models. The new user interface, dubbed BMW Panoramic iDrive, redefines the user experience by balancing digital functions and physical elements and elevating intuitive operation to a new level of driver focus. The system is highlighted by a first-of-its-kind BMW Panoramic Vision display which projects relevant information across the entire base of the windscreen from one side to the other. The most important driving information is projected directly into the driver’s line of sight while the driver is able to personalize content in the central and right-hand areas of the BMW Panoramic Vision via the 17.9-inch Central Display. BMW has filed several patent applications resulting from the development of the projection technologies used in the two displays, underlining just how much innovation has gone into them. 

New Standards for Efficiency, Range, and Charging Speed.  

With sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology, an estimated range of up to 400 miles (according to preliminary BMW AG tests based on the EPA’s test procedure standards) and a peak charging rate of 400 kW, the new BMW iX3 also sets new standards for efficiency, range, and charging speed.  

The new high-voltage battery concept with lithium-ion cylindrical cells for the Neue Klasse also achieves significant advances. The energy density on a cell level is 20% higher than with fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology and also enables a 30% increase in charging speed. The advances brought by sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology also have a significant influence on the charging experience. A maximum charging rate of 400 kW enables users to add up to ~175 miles of range in just 10 minutes at an 800V DC charging station. The high-voltage battery can be charged from 10 to 80% capacity in just 21 minutes.  

In order to give owners the best possible charging experience, the new BMW iX3 will be fitted as standard with an NACS (North American Charging Standard) compatible charging port. This will provide iX3 owners access to the vast Supercharger network, while a standard CCS (Combined Charging System) adapter will preserve access to other providers from coast to coast.  

Unmatched Driving Dynamics.  

A new electronics and software architecture including four “superbrain” high-performance computers makes the first Neue Klasse model more intelligent and better equipped for the future than ever. The “Heart of Joy” drivetrain and driving dynamics management technology brings the hallmark characteristics of the “Ultimate Driving Machine” to the Neue Klasse by enabling unmatched poise, assurance, and precision, while the latest systems for automated driving optimize symbiotic human-vehicle interaction. 

New Design Language: Reduced, Characterful, and Timeless. 
The new BMW iX3 will launch the new BMW design language, which will expand across the whole of BMW’s range as new models and variants are introduced. This new use of forms provides a very modern interpretation of BMW’s original and enduring blueprint. For this reason, comprehensive design protection has been registered for the new BMW design language used in the new BMW iX3. 
The new BMW iX3 has the hallmark proportions of a BMW SUV infused with the authoritative presence of a BMW X model and has a reduced surface treatment that emphasizes all four wheels. Created squarely and exclusively for electric vehicles, the vehicle architecture enables an extremely favorable ratio of exterior size to interior space.  

Sustainability Showcase. 

BMW will present a series of discussions and displays at Bathhouse Studios focused on the key principles of the Neue Klasse, with an emphasis on design, technology, and BMW’s approach to reducing emissions across the entire value chain.

The new BMW iX3 demonstrates the BMW Group's holistic approach to product sustainability across the entire vehicle life cycle. During product development, extensive measures were implemented throughout the supply chain, production and use phases, explicitly focused on conserving resources and reducing the model’s environmental footprint. A central focus of this approach lies in the increased use of innovative and secondary materials. For example, 30% of the secondary raw material used for the engine compartment cover and the storage compartment under the front hatch is recycled maritime plastic. This post-consumer material consists of old fishing nets and ropes, preventing these materials from potentially being dumped in the ocean. 

For the first time, the BMW Group will also show the Natural Fiber Roof, a vehicle roof developed in collaboration with Swiss clean tech company Bcomp. Bcomp uses natural flax fiber composites to create more sustainable and lightweight vehicle parts which can replace conventional carbon fiber components. The CO₂e footprint from production is reduced by about 40 percent, including end-of-

life considerations. Following their successful use in certain BMW race models, these innovative natural fiber composites are now ready for BMW M production models.  

In addition, the BMW Group will provide an outlook on future sustainable materials through two research projects: the M Visionary Materials Seat Evo and the Bumper. The M Visionary Materials Seat Evo is an evolution of a concept first presented last year and demonstrates how circular design principles with recyclable mono-materials and secondary raw materials can be applied to interior components. Developed with partners FSCM, the Bumper is an example of Future Sustainable Car Materials, and explores how used car bumpers can be collected, processed, and partly reshaped into new components, enhancing material circularity in the automotive industry. 

“Technology Openness” as a Strategic Success Factor and the Benefits of Hydrogen.  

By offering a broad range of drivetrain options—including highly efficient internal combustion, plug-in hybrid electric, battery-electric, and, starting in 2028, fuel cell electric vehicles powered by hydrogen—BMW Group offers customers the ability to choose the vehicle and drivetrain that best suits their needs. This “technology openness” strategy has proved to be a key success factor for the BMW Group globally. 

Following the successful testing of its pilot fleet of BMW iX5 Hydrogen vehicles, BMW will launch its first series-production hydrogen-powered model in 2028. This drivetrain technology is based on a third generation fuel cell system developed in collaboration with Toyota Motor Corporation which enables a more compact design, while delivering a more powerful and efficient system that increases range and performance while simultaneously reducing energy consumption. 

Hydrogen is also recognized as a promising future energy carrier for global decarbonization. It acts as an effective storage medium for renewable energy sources, helping to balance supply and demand and enabling a more stable and reliable integration of renewables into the energy grid. BMW Group sees hydrogen as the missing piece for completing the electric mobility puzzle in locations where battery electric vehicles are not an optimal solution. 

Live Podcast Recordings. 

A series of three live podcast recordings will also be hosted throughout the day on September 22 during which BMW experts will discuss the engineering and design behind the BMW iX3, how BMW is putting decarbonization goals into practice, and the future of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) powered by Hydrogen.  

• From Vision to Reality: Setting Impulses for the Circular Economy: BMW’s Neue Klasse is built on the three guiding principles of electric, digital, and circular. Nils Hesse, BMW Group Vice President of Product Sustainability and & Glenn Schmidt, Vice President of Sustainability Communications will discuss how the Neue Klasse is simultaneously setting the stage for the future success of the company and setting a new standard for the automotive industry.  
• Powering Progress: What’s Next in Hydrogen Innovation: Dr. Michael Rath, BMW Group Vice President of Hydrogen Powered Vehicles will discuss Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) as a viable drivetrain alternative, including the advantages of FCEV technology, the challenges of fostering widespread adoption, and what it will take to make it happen.  
• Successful Together: Resilient, Innovative and Future-Proof Supply Chains: Hendrik Lang, BMW Group Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Strategy and Sustainability, and Inga Grieger, BMW i Ventures Business Development Manager and Managing Director, will discuss the complexity and need of emission reduction in automotive supply chains and how innovative start-up solutions can contribute to making the BMW Group’s supply chain future-proof. 

                                                 # # #

BMW Group in the United States.

BMW of North America, LLC was established 50 years ago to support the sales, marketing and distribution of BMW automobiles and motorcycles in the U.S. In 1993 BMW Group Financial Services NA, LLC was founded, and one year later BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC began assembling vehicles in South Carolina. In 2002 and 2003, BMW Group established MINI USA, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC relaunching two iconic brands and rounding out its product portfolio.

Today, the BMW Group has a nationwide corporate footprint in the U.S. which consists of nearly 30 locations in 12 different states. Beyond the National Sales Company and Financial Services headquarters in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, its manufacturing plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and numerous other operational facilities, BMW Group in the U.S. also includes Designworks, a strategic design consultancy in Santa Monica, CA, BMW Group Technology Office USA, a technology research and development center in Silicon Valley, and BMW i Ventures, a venture capital fund, also in Silicon Valley.

BMW Group Plant Spartanburg is the largest single BMW production facility in the world, and the global center of competence for BMW Sports Activity Vehicles including the X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, and XM. The plant assembles more than 1,500 vehicles each day, and up to 450,000 annually. Since 1994, Plant Spartanburg has assembled more than 7 million BMW vehicles in the U.S.

The BMW Group sales organization in the U.S. is represented through a network of 351 BMW retailers, 143 BMW motorcycle retailers,105 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. The company’s activities provide and support over 120,000 jobs across the U.S. and contribute more than 43.3 billion to the U.S. economy annually.

                                        # # #

Journalist note: Information about BMW Group and its products in the USA is available to journalists on-line at www.bmwusanews.com www.miniusanews.com and www.press.bmwna.com 

• Dawn of a new era: the first Neue Klasse model heralds the future of BMW design and tech.
• Gen6 eDrive technology with cylindrical-cell high voltage battery and new electric motors.
• 800V architecture, 400 kW peak charging adds ~175 miles of range in just 10 minutes.
• Four superbrains provide world class handling and intelligent, symbiotic driver support.
• BMW iX3 50 xDrive to start around $60,000, offer up to an estimated 400 miles of range.
• US production begins at BMW Group Plant Debrecen in Q1 2026, US deliveries mid-2026.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – September 5, 2025… BMW presents the first series-production Neue Klasse model. The BMW iX3 is a fully electric Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) that gives customers their first on-the-road taste of a whole new era of The Ultimate Driving Machine. An all-new design language gives the iX3 a character-rich appearance that faithfully conveys the technological progress made by the new model. With sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology, a range of up to 400 miles (estimated range of up to 400 miles according to preliminary BMW AG tests based on the EPA’s test procedure standards) and a peak charging rate of 400 kW, the new BMW iX3 sets new standards for efficiency and long-distance capability. A new electronics and software architecture including four “superbrain” high-performance computers makes the first Neue Klasse model more intelligent and better equipped for the future than ever. The “Heart of Joy” drivetrain and driving dynamics management technology enables unmatched poise, assurance, and precision, while the latest systems for automated driving optimize symbiotic human-vehicle interaction.

A defining element of the digital user experience in the new BMW iX3 is the BMW Panoramic iDrive, which elevates intuitive operation and the driver focus to a new level. And an all-encompassing sustainability concept reduces the iX3’s product carbon footprint over its lifecycle by more than 30% compared to previous electric BMW models.

The first Neue Klasse model will be built at the newly constructed BMW Group plant in Debrecen, Hungary. The first variant of the fully electric SAV to roll off the production line will be the BMW iX3 50 xDrive with an output of 463 hp and dual-motor all-wheel drive. Further fully electric variants will follow, including a single-motor rear-wheel drive model. The market launch of the new BMW iX3 will commence in the US in the summer of 2026.

The new BMW iX3 represents a leap forward in development and a milestone in the transformation process when it comes to electrification, digitalization, and circularity. Spearheading the arrival of the Neue Klasse, the iX3 offers customers the latest design and technology innovations, which will shape the brand’s entire model range moving forward. The technologies introduced in the Neue Klasse will be incorporated into nearly 40 new models and model updates between now and 2027.

“The Neue Klasse is our biggest future-focused project and marks a huge leap forward in terms of technologies, driving experience, and design,” says Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “Practically everything about it is new, yet it is also more BMW than ever. Our whole product range will benefit from the innovations brought by the Neue Klasse – whichever drive system technology is employed. What started as a bold vision has now become reality: the BMW iX3 is the first Neue Klasse model to go into series production, kicking off a new era for BMW.”

Launch of the new design language: reduced, characterful, and timeless. 

The new BMW iX3 will launch the new BMW design language, which will expand across the whole of BMW’s range as new models and variants are introduced. This new use of forms provides a very modern interpretation of BMW’s original and enduring blueprint. For this reason, comprehensive design protection has been registered for the new BMW design language used in the new BMW iX3.

“The design of the Neue Klasse provides a very modern interpretation of what BMW has always stood for,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design. “With our new design language, the new BMW iX3 looks future-focused, modern, and timeless – but, above all, more BMW than ever.”

At 188.3 inches long, 74.6 inches wide, and 64.4 inches tall, the new BMW iX3 has the hallmark proportions of a BMW SAV. The characteristic two-box design is infused with the authoritative presence of a BMW X model and has a reduced surface treatment that emphasizes all four wheels. Created squarely and exclusively for electric vehicles, the vehicle architecture enables an extremely favorable ratio of exterior size to interior space. The BMW iX3 has a 114.1-inch wheelbase and track widths of 64.1 inches at the front axle and 64.3 inches at the rear.

The front end: new interpretation of the classic four-eyed face.  

The upright front end gives the new BMW iX3 a commanding presence. Large air intakes and a black band in the lower section of the front apron accentuate the robust sportiness of this BMW X model. Added to which, the reduced surface treatment allows the distinctive BMW kidneys and twin headlights to take center stage. An all-new horizontal light signature takes the place of chrome trim elements, lending the front end a sense of quality and sophistication. The redesigned BMW roundel is embedded above the kidneys in the “valley” of the hood.

Evocative of iconic Neue Klasse vehicles of the 60s and 70s such as the 1600 and 2002, the sculpted BMW kidneys are vertically arranged. Embedding the kidneys into the surface of the front apron emphasizes their contours further still. There is also a new take on the signature BMW four-eyed face created by the headlights. Here, vertical, slightly outward-slanting daytime driving light elements with indicator functions produce the unwavering gaze on the road familiar from BMW’s past. Additional horizontal light surfaces, which create a distinct sense of depth and extend up to the BMW kidneys, add the finishing touches to the new light signature. Together with the optional illuminated BMW kidneys, they bring a unique lighting effect to the front of the new BMW iX3.

Side view combines powerful stature with lightness.  

In the vehicle’s flanks, generously proportioned surfaces accentuated by a small number of precise lines create a character-rich appearance. The design appears as if cut from a single mold thanks to flowing transitions into the front and rear ends. The muscular stature of the new BMW iX3 is underscored by fully body-color wheel arches subtly rectangular contours. In contrast, the glazed areas in the upper section of the vehicle body exude an elegant sense of lightness. The slim side windows and slightly downward-sloping roofline optimize aerodynamics. Hidden seals allow the vehicle body to transition directly into the glass surfaces, producing a harmonious side view. A character line positioned low down in the flanks emphasizes the height of the iX3 and suggests a dynamically stretched profile. The door handles are integrated flush into the doors and extend automatically when the standard BMW Digital Key approaches.  

The 20-inch alloy wheels fitted as standard underscore the SAV’s powerful appearance. Painstaking aerodynamic optimization enables a drag coefficient (C_d) of 0.24. 

Rear end with athletic shoulders and a new light signature.  

The clear design language, focusing on the essentials, continues at the rear of the new BMW iX3. As at the front, the dominant theme in the upper section of the rear is large surfaces detailed by a small number of lines, creating a technical, modern aesthetic. The lower section of the rear apron, meanwhile, generates greater visual impact, with the robust yet sporting character of the new BMW iX3 underscored by a black band and a diffuser element.  

When viewed from the rear, the eye is drawn to the athletic shoulders of the body and the heavily tapered – and therefore aerodynamic – greenhouse. The visual emphasis of the wheel arches accentuates the iX3’s width and robust stance on the road. This effect is enhanced by the expansive, horizontally arranged rear lights. The BMW iX3 also has a new light signature at the rear. Its light sources are split through several levels and develop a vivid sense of depth. The individual light sources of the rear lights on the new iX3 are arranged in the familiar BMW “L” shape.  

The standard roof spoiler further raises the visual dynamism of the new BMW iX3. Echoing the “valley” in the front hood, the spoiler has a central recess that continues into the space between the rear lights, where it creates a perfect stage for the updated BMW logo. 

Interior design: modern space has a BMW-typical driver focus and offers exceptional comfort for all passengers. 

The design of the BMW iX3 interior sets new standards in terms of modernity and digital experience. The interior has an uncluttered, reduced design, providing the ideal stage for the digital experience. The cabin is all about a clear driver focus and comfort for all those on board. Created specifically for electric vehicles, the vehicle architecture allows for generous levels of space in all five seats. The lines of the “floating” instrument panel flow directly into the large door trim panels, creating an enveloping wrap-around effect for the passengers. With its textile surface, the instrument panel – with atmospheric backlighting – contributes to the warm and inviting atmosphere inside. Large window surfaces and the optional Panoramic moonroof with climate comfort glazing create an ambience bathed in light.

Another prominent influence in the horizontally arranged cockpit is the new BMW Panoramic iDrive, which is based on the likewise newly developed BMW Operating System X. It brings together displays, geometry, and light and sound design into a holistic experience, customizable via My Modes. Also contributing to the prevailing atmosphere are the new driving sounds, sound effects, and sound signals of the BMW HypersonX soundscape created specifically for the Neue Klasse.

Newly designed seats in a choice of interior colors and materials.  

The newly designed seats in the new BMW iX3 offer high levels of comfort over long distances, firm lateral support, and a wide range of adjustment. Thick seat cushions extending downward and the absence, to a large extent, of plastic trim give the seats an elegant appearance. With their distinctive contours, the head restraints also contribute to the progressive style of the interior design.

As standard, the seats are upholstered in perforated Veganza in Black Bicolor, Digital White Bicolor, or Castanea Bicolor. Optionally, customers may select Black in a combination of M PerformTex and Veganza or BMW Individual Merino Leather, also in Black.

In the front section of the center console is a storage space with a wireless device charging pad, two USB-C ports, and two cup holders separated by an illuminated triangular trim element. Behind it are the gear selector, a roller switch for adjusting the audio system volume, and the physical buttons for the parking brake, rear window heating, windscreen defrosting, and hazard warning lights. Below the center console, a storage space with indirect illumination offers additional room for stowing items.  

The luggage compartment of the new BMW iX3 measures 30.4 cu ft, which can be expanded to 65 cu ft by folding down the rear seats as required. An additional 2 cu ft storage compartment under the front hood is available for smaller items. Customers needing additional capacity can specify the optional trailer hitch with a towing capacity of up to 4,400 lbs.

BMW Panoramic iDrive. Four elements with a single goal: complete driver focus.

The BMW iX3 is the first series-production model in which BMW Panoramic iDrive redefines the user experience. With its neatly judged balance between digital functions and physical elements, BMW Panoramic iDrive elevates intuitive operation – according to BMW’s “hands on the wheel, eyes on the road” principle – to a new level of driver focus. The entire system – consisting of the BMW Panoramic Vision, the multifunction steering wheel, the Central Display, and the optional BMW 3D Head-Up Display – is born out of decades of experience and a user-centric design approach. Individual customer feedback, data from over 10 million connected vehicles, and usability studies with more than 3,000 customers were all incorporated into the development process. Physical controls are on hand for the windscreen wipers, turn signal indicators, exterior mirrors, volume control, gear selector, parking brake, hazard warning lights, rear window heating, and defrost function. Other functions have been optimized for use by touch and voice command or via the multifunction steering wheel.

The BMW Panoramic Vision is a newly developed display concept from BMW for projecting content directly onto the lower section of the windscreen, where information appears on a black printed surface stretching from A-pillar to A-pillar. The information is visible to all occupants and promises a new dimension in driver focus.

The most important driving information is projected directly into the driver’s line of sight on the left-hand side of the BMW Panoramic Vision, above the steering wheel. The driver is able to personalize content in the central and right-hand areas of the BMW Panoramic Vision via the Central Display. The way the BMW Panoramic Vision is integrated creates a 3D effect for the driver and passengers.

The new optional BMW 3D Head-Up Display positioned above the BMW Panoramic Vision now shows integrated navigation and automated driving graphics in the driver’s immediate field of vision. The content in the BMW Panoramic Vision and BMW 3D Head-Up Display is presented in a neatly coordinated way.

BMW has filed several patent applications resulting from the development of the projection technologies used in the two displays, underlining just how much innovation has gone into them.

The 17.9-inch Central Display with matrix backlight technology features a further improved version of the familiar QuickSelect menu structure to enable optimum operation of functions and content by touch. The Central Display’s home screen continuously shows the BMW Maps navigation system’s map view or other individually configurable content. Also to be found on this level are vertically arranged widgets on the driver’s side, which the user can switch between by swiping. The QuickSelect feature allows important functions to be accessed directly without having to enter a submenu. Swiping a widget horizontally then displays additional related information and settings options. Operation is highly ergonomic thanks to the Central Display’s shape and positioning in close proximity to the steering wheel. Users can return to the home screen from any of the submenus with a tap of the finger on the home icon at the lower edge of the Central Display. Quick access icons for music, navigation, phone calls, the All Apps menu, and the vehicle settings menu are also located here. There is also menu on the Central Display containing widgets that can be moved to the BMW Panoramic Vision by drag and drop. Up to six widgets can be configured in this way.

The new multifunction steering wheel employs BMW’s shy-tech approach, meaning available functions are indicated by illuminating the corresponding buttons. It thereby serves as the primary physical control point, whose buttons provide active haptic feedback. The buttons’ finely designed, relief-like surfaces provide optimum orientation and enable the driver to control functions manually without needing to take their eyes off the road. The buttons have been arranged in accordance with the customary principle of placing driving assistance functions on the left side of the steering wheel and functions for controlling infotainment and communications features on the right.

BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant with major improvements for natural interaction.

The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant plays a key role in the BMW iX3 operating concept, serving as an adaptive assistant that turns the iX3 into an intelligent digital companion. Besides the addition of two new voices, its appearance has also been completely redesigned for the BMW Panoramic Vision. The assistant can be summoned in the usual way with the prompt “Hey BMW” or the push of a button on the steering wheel’s right-hand control panel. The Intelligent Personal Assistant is positioned in the center of the BMW Panoramic Vision by default following initial setup. It is able to react appropriately to the specific context with a range of engaging, lively animations. Following prolonged periods of inactivity, the assistant recedes into the background on a visual level by transforming into the BMW logo. The assistant can control the windows, air conditioning, seating comfort, phone calls, in-car entertainment, and more. It can also be used to call up many function menus or operate certain apps.

If the driver so chooses, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant is also able to offer proactive suggestions based on usage patterns and other factors. BMW Operating System X further expands this intelligent capability by taking far more contexts into account, e.g. from the environmental situation. In the case of driver assistance systems that are fitted but seldom used, for instance, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant will point them out to the driver in suitable situations. If the vehicle is being driven in a sporty manner on entertaining stretches of road, the assistant will propose activating My Mode Sport. And if the driver misses a call, the assistant will suggest returning the call in the widget on the Central Display. If the driver doesn’t react to the proactive prompts repeatedly or if individual suggestions are frequently rejected, the intelligent system will take note of this and refrain from making suggestions in future. 

The Routines function further expands the ways in which the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant can help the driver. In the same way people have their daily morning routine of, say, first switching on the coffee maker then scrolling through the day’s news, drivers are now able to easily teach the assistant routines for the ultimate in personal driving pleasure. If the steering wheel heating, seat heating, and defrost function are all switched on at the start of every journey in winter, for instance, these same actions can be simply combined into a routine.

Additional functions will be provided to customers in future via software updates in order to keep improving and expanding the capabilities of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.

Underpinning BMW Panoramic iDrive is the newly developed BMW Operating System X, which offers extensive scope for personalization via the BMW ID, intelligent driver assistance, a wide variety of digital functions, extensive connectivity using the My BMW App, and outstanding future-proofing thanks to BMW Software Updates.

Sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology: higher efficiency, more range, faster charging.

The sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology developed for the Neue Klasse comprises highly efficient electric motors, fundamentally new high-voltage batteries with cylindrical cells, and 800V technology. The BMW iX3 50 xDrive is powered by two electric motors which generate a combined output of 463 hp and 476 lb-ft of torque, enabling a trip from 0-60 mph in an estimated 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph. Its electric all-wheel-drive configuration consists of an extensively upgraded and highly efficient Electrically Excited Synchronous Motor (EESM) at the rear axle and a new Asynchronous Motor (ASM) at the front. The combination of EESM and ASM is evidence of BMW’s commitment to technological openness within electric mobility. The drive technology developed for the Neue Klasse reduces energy losses by 40% compared to fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, weight by 10%, and manufacturing costs by 20%.

In the Electrically Excited Synchronous Motor (EESM) at the rear axle, the rotor’s magnetic field is generated by an excitation current from an external source rather than permanent magnets. As with the Gen5 version, this synchronous motor features a compact housing incorporating the electric drive unit, power electronics and transmission. Unlike the Gen5 drivetrain, Gen6 employs a second electric motor technology in the form of an Asynchronous Motor (ASM). The ASM at the front axle works on the principle of induction, so neither permanent magnets nor an external excitation current are required.

The new high-voltage battery concept with lithium-ion cylindrical cells for the Neue Klasse also achieves significant advances. The energy density on a cell level is 20% higher than with fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, and also enables a 30% increase in charging speed. The cylindrical cells are integrated directly into the high-voltage battery (“cell to pack”), which benefits energy density and cost efficiency. Added to which, the high-voltage battery is integrated into the vehicle architecture as a structural component to minimize weight (“pack to open body”). The high-voltage battery in the BMW iX3 50 xDrive enables a range of up to 400 miles (estimated range of up to 400 miles according to preliminary BMW AG tests based on the EPA’s test procedure standards).

BMW Charging: short charging times, premiere of bi-directional charging.

The advances brought by sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology also have a significant influence on the charging experience. A maximum charging rate of 400 kW enables customers to add an estimated 175 miles of range in just 10 minutes at an 800V DC charging station. The high-voltage battery can be charged from 10 to 80% capacity in just 21 minutes. Thanks to the battery management tech with integrated switching matrix developed completely in-house by BMW, the new iX3 can also be charged from 400V DC stations. Upgrades to the battery preparation also help to shorten charging times. At home, the new BMW iX3 50 xDrive can charge at up to 15.4 kW via the standard AC Charging Professional, or up to19.2 kW DC when connected the available BMW Wallbox Professional (timing of availability of the BMW Wallbox Professional to be announced closer to US market launch).

Extensive bi-directional charging functionsare also included with every new BMW iX3, meaning that it can be used as an energy source for a variety of applications. The Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function turns the new BMW iX3 into a mobile powerbank, which can supply electric devices with power while on the move. Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) allows the iX3 to function as a storage unit for solar energy generated by home-fitted photovoltaic systems. And customers can also connect their iX3 to the energy market via the Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G).

The selection of standard-fitted and optional charging accessories has been significantly expanded. For flexible charging during a journey, customers can make use of the standard Multifunction Charger, which comes with several adapters for charging and discharging the high-voltage battery. And BMW Charging offers the option of cost-optimized/solar-power-optimized home charging.

In order to give owners the best possible charging experience, the new BMW iX3 will be fitted as standard with an NACS (North American Charging Standard) compatible charging port. This will provide iX3 owners access to the vast Supercharger network, while a standard CCS (Combined Charging System) adapter will preserve access to other providers from coast to coast, thus ensuring that iX3 owners are never far from a provider no matter where the journey is taking them.

Emblematic of the charging experience in this new vehicle generation is the intelligent charging flap of the new BMW iX3, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect the customer’s intention to connect to a charger and then automatically opens or closes. And sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology makes it possible to view the current charging speed and curve in the My BMW App. Up to ten individual charging contracts from various suppliers can be shown digitally inside the new BMW iX3, enabling use of the Plug & Charge Multi Contract function.

Highly intelligent control center on the high-voltage battery: the Energy Master.

The Energy Master is the control center for the Gen6 electric drivetrain. It is positioned on top of the high-voltage battery and supplies power to the electric motors and the electrical system. It acts as the interface for the high- and low-voltage power supply as well as for data from the high-voltage battery.

In addition, it ensures the battery operates safely and intelligently. Both the hardware and software for the Energy Master were developed in-house at BMW. In-house development of the Energy Master means that innovations can be implemented extremely quickly, which is a major advantage for customers.

New electronics architecture with four “superbrains”.

The completely newly developed electronics architecture comprises a total of four high-performance computers known as “superbrains”. They pool their processing power for driving dynamics, automated driving, infotainment, and basic and comfort-enhancing functions. They also provide the basis for a new software architecture that enables separate development of vehicle and software and creates the foundation for the next-generation Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV). It will be rolled out across the whole of the BMW range in due course, allowing all models to benefit from the same state-of-the-art cyber security and enhanced over-the-air updates complete with tangible AI features.

The new digital nervous system consists of a wiring harness divided into four zones. This reduces weight by 30% compared to the technology used previously and eliminates nearly 2,000 feet of wiring. Another new feature are digital “smart eFuses”, which replace conventional safety fuses. They enable intelligent power modes for different vehicle states that help to improve the iX3’s overall efficiency.

With its four superbrains and highly connected software platforms, the BMW iX3 is a true software-defined vehicle and exceptionally well equipped for the future. Added to which, the new electronics architecture forms the basis for multifaceted improvements in the networking of the BMW iX3 with the My BMW App. This new level of quality when it comes to integration delivers new experiences and holds considerable potential for future innovations.

Heart of Joy: Sheer Driving Pleasure reaches a new level.

One of four superbrains in the electronics architecture of the Neue Klasse, the Heart of Joy looks after drivetrain and driving dynamics management. This high-performance control unit is responsible for the drivetrain, brakes, energy recuperation, and steering functions, and processes information up to ten times faster than conventional control units. In this way, the potential of electric mobility in terms of instantaneous power delivery, smooth power transfer, agility, stability, and efficiency is fully realized.

Together with the BMW Dynamic Performance Control software stack developed fully in-house, the Heart of Joy calculates all the driving dynamics parameters with a new level of speed and precision. The driver and passengers in the new BMW iX3 experience a uniquely harmonious and BMW-typical driving sensation whatever the situation. Every movement of the accelerator, brake pedal, and steering is executed directly and with assurance and precision. Supreme traction and – thanks to the unique Soft Stop function – the smoothest stopping process ever achieved by a BMW are among its other attributes. In addition, the efficiency of the new BMW iX3 is optimized by the integrated management of drivetrain, braking system, and energy recuperation. In everyday driving, 98% of braking maneuvers are carried out using recuperation only, without application of the friction brakes. The only occasions these are called upon are under emergency braking and during extremely sporty driving.

The BMW iX3 can be guided through corners with exceptional accuracy. The Heart of Joy ensures fewer control inputs are required, and the iX3 holds a more precise and stable line. In this way, the BMW iX3 develops consistent, repeatable cornering behavior and can be steered more smoothly and intuitively.

“Superbrain of automated driving” for the driver assistance systems with new-generation technology.

Another high-performance computer brings together all the automated driving and parking functions in the BMW iX3. The central, water-cooled, high-performance computer pools all the functions of the new automated driving systems with 20 times greater processing power than conventional control units. The shy-tech illumination in the newly designed steering wheel signals when functions are available and activates them at the touch of a button: smart, symbiotic and safe.

Active Driving Assistant Plus is fitted as standard in the new BMW iX3. This package of advanced driver assistance systems combines useful functions including Forward Collision Mitigation with Daytime Pedestrian Protection,  Active Blind Spot Detection, and Exit Warning. It also includes Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop&Go as well as Steering and Lane Keeping Assistant, which applies corrective steering to help the driver stay centered in the lane even at highway speeds.

Highway Assistant, part of the optional Driving Assistance Professional package, allows the driver to take their hands off the steering wheel for long periods at speeds of up to 85 mph on suitable limited-access highways when weather and traffic conditions permit. However, they must still remain alert and ready to intervene if necessary. Highway Assistant has been enhanced with the addition of Active Lane Change with Eye Activation. If Highway Assistant is engaged and the iX3 approaches slower moving traffic, it can recommend a lane change. To accept the recommendation, the driver need only glance into the appropriate outside rear view mirror. The iX3 will signal and execute the lane change when it is safe to do so.

With the optional Parking Assistant Plus, the BMW iX3 can park itself – parallel or perpendicular – at the touch of a button. The AI-supported parking space recognition function searches for parking spaces of sufficient length and width while driving past. The parking space search function is active at speeds below 22 mph. The driver presses the park button to initiate the automated parking process, which they then only have to monitor. Park Assist also helps the driver exit from spaces, observing the road situation and alerting the driver to approaching vehicles and pedestrians.

BMW Symbiotic Drive provides seamless support.

The BMW iX3 uses its Symbiotic Drive capability combined with driver assistance to create a completely new driving experience. Whenever the driver wants to accelerate, brake, or steer, their inputs merge seamlessly and intuitively with AI-enabled software. This symbiotic driver assistance creates a seamless transition between support for the driver and driver control.

As well as featuring symbiotic steering, the BMW iX3 is also the world’s first model with symbiotic brakes. When this functionality active, the driver is able to apply light steering and braking inputs to adjust the system’s actions as desired at any time, without disengaging the driving assistant as a result. Instead, the function continues to assist the driver. The new approach is demonstrated in how the Lane Departure Warning works: if the system detects that the driver intends to change lane based on their eye movement, it won’t intervene and take corrective action.

The innovative power of the symbiotic brakes is underscored by the more than two dozen patent applications submitted by BMW resulting from the development of these technologies.

Comfort, everyday usability, lightness. Proven chassis technologies, optimized for electric vehicles.

For the first Neue Klasse model, BMW has focused on everyday usability and driving comfort over long journeys as well as shorter trips, combined with a striking degree of lightness. To this end, the BMW iX3 employs proven chassis technologies that bring confidence-inspiring dynamics to the new battery-electric vehicle (BEV) architecture. In everyday use, the sense of connection that creates the feeling of being in a much smaller vehicle makes a compelling impression. In the stop-start conditions of commuter traffic, the BMW iX3 maintains its composed and relaxed demeanor from drive-away to standstill, balancing dynamic flair and comfort with a mastery never before experienced in this class.

The new, slim construction of the high-voltage battery enables a low center of gravity with low roll center height and almost even weight distribution (48.6% front, 51.4% rear). Wide front and rear tracks and a generously long wheelbase improve directional stability and traction. The double-joint spring strut front axle with torque arm and anti-roll bar in the BMW iX3 has its steering gear located ahead of the axle. The kinematics of the front axle were developed with an increased caster offset and firmer rubber mounts to give drivers better steering feel and achieve more precise vehicle response. At the back, a new type of five-link rear axle with separate arrangement of springs and dampers creates space for a larger luggage compartment.

Equipment and individualization to enhance driving pleasure, comfort and versatility.

The new BMW iX3 will be available from launch with an array of solid and metallic paint finishes including two exlcusive colors; Polarized Grey metallic and Ocean Wave Blue metallic.

As an alternative to the 20-inch alloy wheels fitted as standard, customers can also browse an exclusive selection of new alloy wheel designs (20-, 21- and 22-inch) available as options. The range also includes BMW M and BMW Individual alloy wheels, some in aerodynamically and weight-optimized Air Performance specification.

Standard specification for the new BMW iX3 50 xDrive includes dual-zone automatic climate control, Comfort Access keyless entry with BMW Digital Key Plus, automatic tailgate operation, an alarm system, and wireless device charging. Among the other highlights of the optional equipment offering are three-zone automatic climate control, illuminated BMW kidneys, the Harman Kardon HiFi system with 13 speakers, steering wheel heating, and a large Panoramic moonroof, whose climate comfort glazing has unique solar energy filtering and 100% UV protection.

Available from launch: the M Sport package and M Sport Professional package.  

The new BMW iX3 can be ordered from launch with an optional M Sport package. Accentuating the SAV’s dynamic aura are special exterior design features including a two-section front apron, air-guiding elements near the front wheels, two-tone painted side skirts, a pronounced rear diffuser element, and vertically arranged reflectors in the rear apron. 

Also part of the M Sport package are 20-inch M alloy wheels in double-spoke design (21-inch or 22-inch wheels may also be fitted), M Sport brakes with blue-painted brake callipers, and an exterior mirror projection for the welcome and goodbye sequence that displays the M logo. Accentuating the iX3’s sporting character inside are a Sport steering wheel, M pedals, an M-specific trim element between the cup holders, black seat surfaces in Veganza/M PerformTex, the instrument panel covered in a combination of black M PerformTex and anthracite-colored textile, and M-specific content in the Central Display and BMW Panoramic Vision. 

The M Sport Professional package enhances the M Sport package with features including illuminated BMW kidneys with a black surround, black exterior mirror caps, and a diffuser element at the rear, also in black, and red brake callipers. Inside, an M Sport steering wheel adds to the engaging driving pleasure offered by the new BMW iX3. Further color and equipment details will be made available closer to the US market launch. 

Elevating the digital experience to a whole new level – in the BMW iX3 and beyond.

The BMW iX3 spearheads a new era for the digital user experience, both in the vehicle and when using the My BMW App. Thanks to the all-new electronics and software architecture featuring four high-performance computers, customers will notice the superior intelligence of the BMW iX3 in everyday situations, too. For example, the interior lighting is automatically switched on when the driver reaches for an object on the front passenger seat, the charging flap opens when approaching it to insert the charging cable, and the My BMW App alerts the customer if the interior sensors detect movements in the vehicle when it is locked. The new electronics and software architecture in the BMW iX3 is already primed for the numerous additional intelligent features that customers are set to benefit from in future thanks to over-the-air software updates.

An engaging experience from start to finish: the BMW iX3 welcomes the driver and says goodbye with a customizable lighting and sound sequence. 

BMW Digital Key Plus is set to be the preferred form of vehicle access for the BMW iX3. This means that smartphones and smartwatches from all leading manufacturers (Apple, Samsung, Google, etc.) can be easily set up to work as a vehicle key. Ultra-wideband (UWB) and Bluetooth technology are used to enable smartphone and vehicle to communicate with one another at close range. The UWB technology allows the user’s location to be pinpointed extremely precisely while also ensuring the highest possible vehicle access security. Featuring visual and acoustic effects to accompany the driver as they move from the outside of the BMW iX3 to its interior, the welcome sequence begins while they are approaching the car with the BMW Digital Key Plus. The BMW logo is projected on the ground and the door handles extend automatically just before the driver reaches the car. The iX3 unlocks when they grasp the door handle. While the driver is still settling into their seat, they are welcomed by an animation encompassing the BMW Panoramic Vision and the Central Display that builds harmoniously from the driver’s side to the front passenger side. From approaching the car to driving away in it, the smartphone can simply be left in the driver’s pocket the entire time, with just a press of the brake pedal needed to start the BMW iX3. The BMW Digital Key Plus continues to enrich the seamless digital experience in the BMW iX3 when the journey reaches its end, too. As soon as the driver leaves the vehicle, a lighting sequence provides visual confirmation that the BMW iX3 has been locked automatically.

The BMW Digital Key Plus has further benefits to offer in addition to highly convenient vehicle access. Customers are able to share the digital key with others easily and securely using a messaging app, while setting individual roles and rights at the same time. It also enables the use of additional functions via the smartphone wallet, such as remote operation of the tailgate or, in conjunction with the optional Parking Assistant Professional, Remote Control Parking with the My BMW App.

BMW Operating System X: intelligent and future-proof with great scope for personalization.

The BMW ID opens the door to the personalized driving experience with BMW Operating System X. Up to seven different users can sign in to the new BMW iX3 with their BMW ID, allowing them to enjoy every drive to the fullest with their individual settings. The personalization process begins in the vehicle with initial registration, which is done by scanning a QR code in the Central Display with a smartphone. The personal BMW ID is then added to the car and the user is guided through the main steps of initial setup, which can also be started prior to vehicle handover via the My BMW App if desired. At the same time, the vehicle is automatically stored in the My BMW App with the corresponding profile. All personal vehicle settings, such as the configuration of the BMW Panoramic Vision, media favorites, recent destinations, seat settings with entry and exit configuration, and much more, are now automatically available for every journey provided the profile has been linked to a BMW Digital Key or physical key. Before setting off, a message greeting the customer by name – together with their personal profile picture if desired – will automatically appear in the Central Display.

Stay informed, entertained, or productive: stream a movie, play a video game, or make a video call.

BMW Operating System X offers BMW iX3 customers more in-car entertainment options than ever before. They can opt for the convenience of using the extensive app, video, and gaming portfolio with the unlimited data included with the optional BMW Digital Premium package. Alternatively, customers can provide their own connectivity by using their smartphone as a mobile hotspot or logging in to a Wi-Fi network. The BMW iX3 provides access to the Video app (powered by TiVo™). This allows video streaming on the Central Display when the vehicle is stationary and offers an ever-expanding range of content, such as news and live/on-demand streaming platforms. The latest addition to the Video app and App Store offering for the new BMW iX3 is the Disney+ streaming service, while YouTube is also available. By signing in with existing accounts, customers can pick up movies or series in their parked car from the exact point they left off at home. The choice of video streaming platforms will keep evolving. BMW Originals is an integral part of the Video app that additionally offers BMW customers streaming of selected concerts and sports events, such as the Ryder Cup, the BMW Open, or BMW Classics with the London Symphony Orchestra. The Video app will be made available across all BMW ConnectedDrive markets over the course of 2026.

The AirConsole app in BMW Operating System X provides great entertainment for all occupants with games that have been specially adapted for the in-car experience, such as UNO^® Car Party!. Hot Wheels: Xtreme Overdrive™️from Mattel is a new highlight in the extensive AirConsole gaming library and is available exclusively to BMW customers. The Hot Wheels game lets players test their racing skills at the wheel of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X. With AirConsole, players can use their smartphones as controllers, allowing all passengers to play with or against each other.

Customers can obtain further games and apps for in-car entertainment from the BMW ConnectedDrive Store. Selected games can now also be controlled with the Bluetooth controllers for standard games consoles in the BMW iX3. Today, the BMW ConnectedDrive Store already features a total of over 60 apps worldwide in the categories music & audio, entertainment, gaming, news, and travel & local. For the first time, customers are also able to use the Zoom app for video calls when stationary in the BMW iX3. The video shown in the Central Display stops as soon as the vehicle sets off, but the conversation can be continued seamlessly in audio form.

The portfolio is set to keep growing. In order to download and use the apps, either the connectivity provided by BMW Digital Premium or a connection to a Wi-Fi network or mobile smartphone hotspot is required.

A personalized ambience: My Modes offer new scope for customization.

The adjustment options offered by the My Modes have been expanded, enabling BMW iX3 drivers to customize driving characteristics. My Mode Personal now lets the driver adjust responsiveness and steering feel as they please. There is also a variety of options for tailoring the user interface design to suit personal preferences in Personal mode. Six inspirational background images from BMW Design will be available for this purpose at launch. Customers will also be able to set their own pictures as the background image for the Central Display using the My BMW App. The appearance of the user interface design colors across all displays automatically adjusts to the selected image. Alternatively, a range of individual shades is available for the user interface design and ambient lighting.

Drivers can choose from the My Modes Sport, Efficient and Silent in addition to the customized Personal mode. Sport mode is focused on delivering a more performance-oriented driving experience, while Silent mode is all about digital reduction and simply enjoying a quiet journey. The vehicle settings in Efficient mode, meanwhile, facilitate efficient driving. The Personal, Efficient and Silent My Modes can each be set as the preferred default mode.

BMW Maps: intelligent, charging-optimized route planning and comprehensive navigation experience even in base specification.

The new BMW Panoramic iDrive turns every journey into an experience when route guidance is activated. Thoughtful coordination of the navigation information shown in the BMW Panoramic Vision, Central Display, and optional BMW 3D Head-Up Display ensures the driver is given the right information at the right time and in the right place. The Curve Ahead View function provides the driver with visual assistance in the BMW 3D Head-Up Display for challenging bends in the road.

In the BMW iX3, the cloud-based BMW Maps navigation system will calculate a charging-optimized route as soon as the destination has been entered if the vehicle’s current range is insufficient for the journey’s distance. The charging stops are planned so that the selected destination is reached as quickly as possible. The driver can also set a preferred minimum charge level for when the vehicle reaches the final destination or charging stops that can be adjusted in increments of 5%. The system is able to give preference to charging stations operated by selected providers at the driver’s request.

If required, even more detailed information can be provided for the charging station stops en route. Current station availability, supported connector types, and payment options are listed, along with the availability of sanitary, catering, or shopping facilities in the vicinity of the respective charging station. The expected duration of the planned charging stop and the resulting cost can also be shown in advance.

The closer the vehicle gets to a scheduled mid-journey stop, the more frequently the availability of the charging point is checked so that an alternative route can be calculated in good time if necessary. The MAX RANGE function that can be used in the BMW iX3 was mainly developed for situations where a charging point on the intended route is unavailable. The function is available in My Mode Efficient and is able to extend range by up to 25% by carefully limiting drive power and top speed and scaling back comfort functions.

If the BMW Maps navigation system’s route guidance has planned a mid-journey stop at a DC charging point, the high-voltage battery of the BMW iX3 is automatically pre-conditioned prior to arrival in order to ensure it is charged as efficiently as possible. This preparation of the battery can also be initiated manually.

All the details of each completed charging operation are stored in the BMW backend. In this way, the actual charging rate achieved can be precisely documented, for example, and preference given to the best charging stations for the charging-optimized route. Live data from charging station operators on out-of-service charging points is also taken into account for route planning.

BMW Digital Premium: the complete, flexible package of extensive security functions, extended navigation features and unlimited entertainment.

BMW Operating System X has brought about major enhancements to the BMW Digital Premium offering over the preceding generation. For the first time, the package now includes a Security Assistant, comprising a host of useful functions for giving the customer greater peace of mind. Attempted thefts and parking knocks will trigger push notifications in the My BMW App, for instance. And in the event of an accident, the BMW Drive Recorder instantly makes exterior footage of what happened available in the car, which can then be exported to a mobile phone. The anti-theft and parking collision recorder likewise makes automatic video recordings. The optional Remote Inside and Remote 3D View functions additionally allow customers to take a glance inside their BMW iX3 and check its immediate vicinity using the My BMW App.

The data required for use of the functions is included with BMW Digital Premium, meaning there is no need for customers to provide a data connection by using a smartphone as a hotspot or signing in to a Wi-Fi network. What’s more, the 5G-ready vehicle telematics system ensures the best possible streaming speed at all times.

BMW Digital Premium offers customers who equip their BMW iX3 with the M Sport package three further M-specific in-car apps. These provide access to technical vehicle signals and driving dynamics data as well as additional media content. The M Cockpit app allows the customer to create an individually configured dashboard with real-time data, while the M Drag Meter provides a measurement of the vehicle’s acceleration. And the M Channel offers motor racing videos along with exclusive insights into the world of BMW M.

Flexible vehicle specification even after buying: extended choice of BMW ConnectedDrive Upgrades. 

BMW ConnectedDrive Upgrades allow customers to add further digital products and services to their vehicle even after they have bought it. Most BMW ConnectedDrive Upgrades give customers the option of a free trial period. Besides BMW Digital Premium, the range available for the new BMW iX3 includes the full spectrum of driver assistance systems offered in the local market, from the Parking Assistant Plus to the Highway Assistant. Depending on the particular product, these functions can be booked flexibly as BMW ConnectedDrive Upgrades for the vehicle’s lifetime, one year, or one month. They can be obtained from the BMW ConnectedDrive Store either online, in the My BMW App, or directly from the vehicle.

The BMW ConnectedDrive Store has been given a clearer layout for BMW Operating System X. It serves as the main gateway for customers wishing to obtain third-party apps, book BMW ConnectedDrive Upgrades, or manage existing bookings.

Improvements to customer experience for over-the-air software updates.

BMW already has over 60 models on the world’s roads that are fully updateable, some 10 million vehicles in all – a benchmark figure for the industry. Customers have successfully performed far in excess of 15 million updates in their BMWs. This vast experience was used to make targeted improvements to the update capability and update process for the new BMW iX3. Executing the updates will also be made even easier. If the Automatic Update option is activated, the BMW iX3 will take care of all steps apart from the final confirmation for installing the update. Even the most extensive updates of the vehicle’s software will take no more than 20 minutes. Further information on the current software version and availability of new updates can be found at any time by opening the “My Vehicle” app in the BMW iX3.

Personalization from before the word go: new Onboarding Wizard and far greater range of functions in the My BMW App. 

A brand new vehicle with its vast array of digital functions can seem a daunting prospect at first. The Onboarding Wizard in the iX3 has undergone a fundamental overhaul in order to offer customers an optimum user experience right from their first encounter with it. Following initial registration with their BMW ID, it guides the customer through the vehicle’s key functions. These include setting up the BMW Digital Key, pairing a smartphone via Bluetooth, and adjusting the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. The My BMW App allows customers to start personalizing their BMW iX3 before they have even taken delivery of it. Locations such as “Home” or “Work” can be set, for instance, or a profile photo added.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration.
Wireless use of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is also included as standard in the new BMW iX3. Any available metadata for media titles or route guidance that are active in the current mode is shown to the driver in the BMW Panoramic Vision and optional BMW 3D Head-Up Display in an intelligently presented form. The QuickSelect widgets continue to be available in the Central Display’s home screen, while the content projected from the smartphone is embedded alongside them so that it fits in with the display’s shape. Once linked, the Apple CarPlay / Android Auto icon will be added to the menu bar, allowing the projected content to be displayed in full screen mode.

Specifications (preliminary – subject to change).

BMW Group in the United States.

BMW of North America, LLC was established 50 years ago to support the sales, marketing and distribution of BMW automobiles and motorcycles in the U.S. In 1993 BMW Group Financial Services NA, LLC was founded, and one year later BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC began assembling vehicles in South Carolina. In 2002 and 2003, BMW Group established MINI USA, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC relaunching two iconic brands and rounding out its product portfolio.
Today, the BMW Group has a nationwide corporate footprint in the U.S. which consists of nearly 30 locations in 12 different states. Beyond the National Sales Company and Financial Services headquarters in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, its manufacturing plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and numerous other operational facilities, BMW Group in the U.S. also includes Designworks, a strategic design consultancy in Santa Monica, CA, BMW Group Technology Office USA, a technology research and development center in Silicon Valley, and BMW i Ventures, a venture capital fund, also in Silicon Valley.
BMW Group Plant Spartanburg is the largest single BMW production facility in the world, and the global center of competence for BMW Sports Activity Vehicles including the X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, and XM. The plant assembles more than 1,500 vehicles each day, and up to 450,000 annually. Since 1994, Plant Spartanburg has assembled over 7 million BMW vehicles in the U.S.
The BMW Group sales organization in the U.S. is represented through a network of 351 BMW retailers, 143 BMW motorcycle retailers, 105 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. The company’s activities provide and support over 120,000 jobs across the U.S. and contribute more than 43.3 billion to the U.S. economy annually.
Journalist note: Information about BMW Group and its products in the USA is available to journalists online at www.press.bmwna.com. 

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