BMW iX3 debuts as first Neue Klasse SUV with 644 km range, dual motors and more

The original Neue Klasse compact sedans of the 1960s are the reason why BMW still exists. The post-war period was brutal for the automaker; its factories had been heavily bombed, and it was banned from producing motor vehicles and aircraft. After surviving by manufacturing pots, pans, and bicycles, it began making cars and bikes again in the late 1940s. The company was, however, in deep financial trouble and was almost taken over by rival Daimler-Benz (now the Mercedes-Benz Group), when an investment from the Nazi industrialist Herbert Quandt helped it stay afloat. In 1959, the BMW 700 was launched, and its relative success gave the funds required to develop the Neue Klasse of sedans.

The BMW Neue Klasse compact sedans marked the beginning of the company’s reputation for being a leading manufacturer of performance-oriented cars. It also gave us the iconic kidney grille design language that has persisted to this day, since its debut with the BMW 1500. So, it surely must be important for the Bavarian manufacturer to revive the name with the BMW iX3 debut at IAA Mobility 2025.

The iX3 is the first of many to be built on the Neue Klasse EV platform, dictating the automaker’s strategy for its future electric range. The first model to be unveiled is the iX3 50 xDrive, and it will be launched in 2026 at a starting price of around $60,000 ( ₹52.91 lakh). It debuts the company’s new design language, which will be seen on all future models, ICE or EV.

BMW iX3: Design and interior

The iX3 carries design cues from the original Neue Klasse cars, with thin kidney grilles and twin headlamps derived from the likes of the BMW 2002. The front end further features a set of sculpted air intakes flanking a chunky bumper with gloss black elements imitating bumper cladding. Its silhouette is defined by sharp lines, and it features horizontal taillights at the rear. BMW is offering optional M Sport packages that bring a redesigned body kit, alloy wheels, an illuminated grille and more.

The interior reveals the more radical choices BMW is making with its Neue Klasse cars. Upon entering, all eyes immediately shift to the new Panoramic iDrive, a pillar-to-pillar display that runs along the base of the windshield. It functions alongside a 17.9-inch display on the centre console and an optional 3D HUD, all powered by the latest BMW Operating System X. Buyers can opt for features such as a 13-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, a panoramic moonroof, and 3-zone auto climate control.

BMW iX3: Battery, range, and power

The 800-volt Neue Klasse architecture that underpins the iX3 will make its way to all future electric BMWs. It debuts the sixth-generation eDrive system that features a set of newly developed electric motors that derive power from high-density cylindrical cells. The platform further integrates the ‘Heart of Joy’ driving system alongside ADAS features.

The iX3 50 xDrive features dual electric motors that send a combined 463 bhp and 645 Nm of torque to all four wheels. With this, the electric SUV can sprint from a standstill to 100 kmph in 4.7 seconds, with an electronically limited top speed of 209 kmph. There are four drive modes available: Sport, Efficient, Silent, and Personal.

BMW has not specified the battery capacity, but the iX3 is claimed to offer 644 km of range on the EPA cycle and approximately 800 km on the WLTP cycle. There is a long-wheelbase version in the pipeline for the Chinese market, planned for 2026, and it is expected to offer up to 900 km under CLTC conditions. The SUV will also support fast charging, with 350 km of range claimed to be recoverable in 10 minutes.

The iX3 is expected to be offered with more variants at launch, and these include a single-motor RWD version as well as a more powerful M-badged variant. The Neue Klasse platform will underpin all future versions, highlighting BMW's direction for the coming years. The SUV enters the global EV market in the middle of intensifying competition, with the likes of the Tesla Model Y and BYD Sealion 7 already being well-established.

Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India, Upcoming EV Bikes in India.