The Vision Driving Experience made headlines for its unprecedented technical specifications. The quad-motor EV has 18,000 Nm of torque (likely at the wheels) and over 1,300 horsepower. It can climb a 55-degree ramp and incorporates five fans that generate 1,000 kilograms (2,204 pounds) of static downforce. Active aero adds another 200 kg (441 lbs), and BMW claims the car can generate lateral forces of up to 3Gs.
That’s impressive and all, but what about the design? At Auto Shanghai 2025, BMWBLOG spoke with Adrian van Hooydonk about the VDX. A beefier follow-up to the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse concept, this is a functional prototype rather than a static concept. BMW Group’s Head of Design says they’ve widened the car by fitting bulging arches, possibly hinting at the electric M3 (“ZA0”) coming in a couple of years.
Although there’s no combustion engine under the hood, BMW added side air outlets to cool the electric powertrain. The original Vision Neue Klasse didn’t have the slots between the hood shut line and the fenders. At that point, heat dissipation wasn’t an issue. While the VDX won’t go into production, the company’s design chief let it slip that the electric i3 sedan will share some similarities, particularly around the C-pillars and rear shoulders.
One feature we hadn’t noticed before is at the back, where air outlets are mounted below the taillights. The rear of the VDX protrudes more than the show car’s. According to van Hooydonk, the blown diffuser with huge outlets gives the rear end an “extreme” appearance.
The BMW Group’s design head confirmed that sedans will use the wider, horizontal kidney grille with built-in daytime running lights. SUVs will adopt an upright layout with narrower kidneys, as seen on the Vision Neue Klasse X. Interestingly, van Hooydonk suggested future models will feature cleaner front-end styling by hiding some of the sensors used for autonomous driving technology.
Overall, the new design language will use fewer lines to create smoother surfaces, as previewed by the two Vision Neue Klasse show cars. We also learned that BMW will replace chrome at the front with LEDs. The profile will include electrically operated winglets mounted on the beltline. However, the iX3 won’t have them, but the future X5 (“G65”) will, along with the Skytop.
Inside, the simplified cabin is closer than ever to the production-ready i3 (“NA0”), including the Panoramic Vision display and the new steering wheel. Of course, the roll cage and racing harness aren’t planned for the regular i3 or its M variant.
BMW is certainly keeping more than a few things under wraps until the iX3 premieres in early September. The i3 sedan will follow next year, along with a long-wheelbase iX3 for China.