It’s safe to say this is the dawn of a new era at BMW. Pre-production of Neue Klasse prototypes has kicked off at the company’s brand-new plant in Hungary. The Debrecen site will initially build an SUV to replace the outgoing iX3. Series production of vehicles for customers is on track to commence near the end of 2025.
Unlike the current iX3 made exclusively in China, its replacement will transition from the omnipresent CLAR platform to Neue Klasse. It’s a dedicated electric car architecture that will also underpin a 3 Series-like EV we recently spotted testing. The sedan is going to roll off the assembly line at the Munich plant in Germany at some point in 2026.
In the meantime, these first pre-production SUV prototypes will be used as test vehicles. That means we’ll see them out on the open road soon. BMW is not only evaluating these cars but it’s also making the final adjustments to the Debrecen factory before series production begins in about a year or so. The next-gen iX3 is closer to its final form than it has ever been. We first saw it as a concept in March when the Vision Neue Klasse X broke cover.
Although this pre-production prototype wears a disguise, the design is already an open secret. A few days ago, revealing images of the 2026 iX3 emerged through leaked design trademarks. The road-going model stays true to the concept, which makes sense because BMW likely created the showcar after freezing the production vehicle’s design. By the way, the old team led by Domagoj Dukec was responsible for the styling.
Aside from a fresh design language and a simplified interior with iDrive X (but no rotary knob), the new iX3 will usher in Gen6 batteries. Replacing the current prismatic cells, the new round cells are going to have a 20% higher energy density. BMW touts a 30% boost in charging speed and range. The electric crossover is expected to offer roughly 800 kilometers (nearly 500 miles) of range in the WLTP cycle. Logic tells us the more aerodynamic i3 sedan will deliver even greater autonomy.
BMW aims to launch at least six Neue Klasse models by 2028. The San Luis Potosi plant in Mexico will build the iX3 from 2027. Before that happens, China will get its first NK model in 2026.
Source: BMW
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
Source: BMW BLOG
