BMW is on the brink of its most radical transformation in decades, and it all centers around the Neue Klasse. More than just a new platform, the Neue Klasse represents the company’s largest investment in its history, one that will carry the brand into a future of electrification. It’s BMW’s long-term bet on the future, and more immediately, it virtually demands a reset of how those inside and outside the organization think about the brand.
The Neue Klasse is A Huge Deal
The enormity of the Neue Klasse simply can’t be overstated. It’s the “biggest investment ever made” by the company, according to Frank Weber, Head of Development. Neue Klasse will underpin and shape more than 40 new models within two years, with even more cars coming after 2030. Some of those cars, like the i1 and i2, will arrive in segments BMW hasn’t even pushed into yet. Research and development is only part of that equation, too. Neue Klasse architecture, including the upcoming iX3, unwaveringly paves BMW’s road forward. And it requires the brand to reimagine itself, too. Sites once responsible for some of BMW’s most iconic gas-powered vehicles have been outfitted to exclusively produce EVs, like Munich. New plants like Debrecen have become cornerstones overnight. Retraining and familiarizing employees, new and old, with electrification and other EV disciplines likely wasn’t cheap or easy either.
With electrification comes vast changes to how we think of BMW as a performance brand, too. We’ve now witnessed the electric M3 testing, which will likely feature an electric powertrain offering nearly 700 horsepower. What’s more, we’ve gotten a taste of electrified concept cars like the VDX in Shanghai. That car touted an unspecified “over 1,300” horsepower and a ridiculous 13,000 pound-feet of torque. When we’re talking about BMW performance in the Neue Klasse era, there will certainly be an adjustment period. Which is an odd sensation; we’ve only just got used to the M3 having damn near 550 horsepower — only fifteen years ago, 414 horsepower and 295 pound-feet from the E92 M3 sounded colossal.
No BMW Has Been Produced Like a Neue Klasse BMW
From the ground up, the Neue Klasse is a leap forward. Before you even seat yourself in a Neue Klasse vehicle, it has already lived a life unlike any BMW manufactured up until this point. The Neue Klasse and iX3 specifically further aligns the BMW brand with its commitment to sustainable vehicle manufacturing — and eventually, recycling. Remember, the goal is full net-zero emissions by 2050. Working with a supply chain of over 2,700 Tier 1 suppliers has already cut approximately 35% of CO₂e from the production process. Neue Klasse itself utilizes Gen6 batteries that reduce emissions per watt-hour by 42% compared to Gen5 batteries. Other components are made partially from recycled materials, such as the under-hood storage comportment, which is 30% recycled maritime plastics.
And once you’re in the car, there’s plenty to take in. Neue Klasse cars are bringing digitalization to a new level, the likes which we haven’t witnessed since iDrive was originally introduced over two decades ago. Panoramic Vision and voice commands will change how we interact with every new BMW over the coming years. And the brand’s emphasis on digital has had real, physical effects, too; the elimination of the traditional gauge cluster is one of the most obvious changes, but the Neue Klasse cockpit is almost certainly going to require a slight reconfiguring of our brain and how we interact with and drive new BMWs. Remember, too, that BMW did what others didn’t. While Neue Klasse vehicles will be electrified, you’ll still have internal combustion, PHEV, and even hydrogen offerings from the brand. All powertrains will, eventually, share Neue Klasse technology.
Neue Klasse is Coming Soon
Remember, the Neue Klasse cars have big shoes to fill. Their namesake is largely credited with “saving” the brand in the 1960s. Neue Klasse signals a seismic shift: one that blends sustainability, digitalization, and performance into a new definition of what it means to drive a BMW. The iX3 reveal on September 5th will show us exactly where all new BMWs are heading.