BMW wants to make its ICE cars look like EVs. Here's why

BMW's Neue Klasse concepts offered a glimpse into the future of the brand's upcoming design philosophy. Debuted in 2023, the BMW Neue Klasse sedan and the Neue Klasse X crossover that was introduced earlier this year, primarily previewed what the future electric cars from the German automaker would look like. However, the auto company has now revealed that this design philosophy will not be limited to electric cars only but will make its way into internal combustion engine-powered vehicles as well.

BMW's head of design, Adrian van Hooydonk said that the automaker wants to make its future internal combustion engine-powered cars look like electric vehicles. In an interaction with Top Gear, he said that the Neue Klasse design language will make its way into the ICE vehicles as well.

More specifically, Hooydonk said that every upcoming BMW car will use cues from the Neue Klasse concepts, irrespective of their powertrains. However, there will be distinctive design elements and proportions to set the ICE vehicles apart from EVs. "The big push with EVs, these technologies, and this design language, will transfer over the entire product portfolio including our combustion vehicles," said van Hooydonk further adding, "For the customer, it won't be difficult—they will all get new modern BMWs and they can choose the drivetrain."

Suggested watch: This BMW car can talk, change colours and take you to virtual worlds

The BMW design head further stated that the production models derived from Neue Klasse concept cars will look even better than their prototype iterations. "You know how close the i3 and i8 were to their concept cars? That's what's going to happen here. If anything I like the production cars better because they're a bit more compact," he added.

BMW to launch five Neue Klasse cars by 2029

The luxury auto giant has already revealed its plan to introduce at least five Neue Klasse models by 2029. These will include a new 3 Series, a performance-focused M3, and one or two SUVs. Also, there will be a sporty high-riding coupe that was spotted being tested a couple of months back. The automaker plans to start introducing the production version of Neue Klasse cars to the global market in 2025, while a larger number of vehicles will be introduced in 2026 and beyond.

Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape.