BMW Vision Neue Klasse X is next all-electric X3

BMW will launch an all-new X3 this year, but the car model everybody is focusing on is the Vision Neue Klasse X. This is the north star for the brand’s next-generation battery-powered SUVs, lifting electrification, digitization, and sustainability to a new level.

Following a leak earlier this week, BMW has revealed the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X, a concept SUV—well, officially, SAV for Sports-Activity Vehicle—that previews a production model slated for release in 2025.

This new SUV concept follows the Vision Neue Klasse saloon concept unveiled at the Munich Motor Show the previous year. It highlights BMW’s future direction in terms of design and technology within an SUV framework. The Neue Klasse project represents the brand’s most significant investment in history.

Modern and still classic

The new concept incorporates design cues from the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse saloon. Still, as we saw in the leaked photos, it distinguishes itself with a classic vertical kidney grille flanked by horizontal headlights. A matured version is next to the saloon. But the setup also echoes some of BMW’s classic models, such as the E30 Series, for instance.

At the flanks, BMW opted for a seamless design that contrasts with a pronounced form of flame surfacing and large window areas. Notably, the monolithic-looking X adopts the innovative ‘virtual’ wing mirrors and hidden door handles.

Technology-wise, the SAV version shares the sixth-generation eDrive powertrain with the presented saloon concept, which promises 30% more range and 30% faster charging speed thanks to an 800-volt network (300 kilometers in ten minutes). The vehicle’s overall efficiency will rise by a quarter compared to fifth-generation technology.

Four superbrains

As for driving dynamics, a core value for the brand, BMW is introducing four so-called superbrains, which oversee various areas. Two of them handle the road holding, steering, and the car’s semi-autonomous reactions. Lifting computing power by ten, the first superbrain controls the powertrain and chassis, while the second is focused on the automated driving functions.

Chief Designer Adrian Van Hooydonck zoomed in on the new generation iDrive that will be launched in the Neue Klasse range. It features a medium-sized ‘leaning’ touchscreen that is highly customizable and looks to be operating on Android Automotive OS, judging by the design of the drag-and-drop icons. There are no conventional buttons, but this is still a prototype.

The Panoramic Vision feature will make it into production, enabling information to be projected all over the windscreen instead of the limited box-shaped area of head-up displays in front of the driver. For a more immersive experience, BMW is introducing the HypersonXwheel sound experience, providing personalized sound scapes saved to the various driver profiles.

First steps in circularity

Building on BMW’s circular efforts, the Neue Klasse X incorporates materials like the plant-based “Verdana” for the interior and maritime plastics for injection-molded parts. The side skirts, along with the attachments for the front and rear aprons, are also manufactured using recycled single-type materials. These innovative technologies will dripfeed into the automaker’s other models.

The SAV version of the Neue Klasse will be built on three continents: in the companies’ facilities in Hungary, Mexico, and China. “We are underlining that the Neue Klasse is much more than just a car or a specific concept; it is redefining the BMW brand—and, at the same time, will be more BMW than ever,” concluded Oliver Zipse.