BMW’s first manufacturing Neue Klasse (new class) mannequin made its public debut in Munich this week, the iX3 debuting an all-new devoted battery electrical automobile (BEV) platform with the most recent in battery expertise, high-performance on-board computing, environment friendly electrical motors, and a “characterful” design language that may pave the way in which for brand new BMW fashions to return.
Manufacturing of the 2026 BMW iX3 will start in Hungary later this yr, with the primary examples anticipated in Australian showrooms mid subsequent yr.
Whereas BMW Australia has but to verify full iX3 line-up particulars or pricing for the native market, it’s anticipated the mannequin will retail from round $90,000 – taking the struggle to the likes of the Audi Q6 E-Tron, the Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Expertise that additionally debuted in Munich, and a raft of different entrants from China, Europe, Japan, and america.
The ‘neue’ ix3 will change the present Chinese language-built iX3 and is longer (+48mm to 4782mm), wider (+4mm to 1895mm), decrease (-33mm to 1668mm), and with an extended wheelbase (+33mm to 2897mm) than the mannequin it replaces.
It’s additionally much more slippery at simply 0.24Cd, a 0.05Cd enchancment.
Proven in flagship 50 xDrive trim within the lead-up to this week’s IAA Mobility present in Munich, the iX3 boasts the most recent, sixth-generation eDrive expertise to ship what BMW says is a extra highly effective, extra environment friendly, and sooner charging BEV expertise.
The mannequin gives a 108kWh (usable) battery pack – 28kWh extra capability than earlier than – that varieties a part of the automobile’s construction and gives a driving vary of as much as 805km (WLTP, or 345km additional than was doable within the outgoing mannequin).
Its 800-volt electrical structure (beforehand 400-volt) permits DC quick charging at as much as 400kW, which means a 10-80 per cent cost is feasible in as little as 21 minutes.
AC dwelling charging is on the market at as much as 11kW, whereas vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities are included as normal at a price of as much as 3.7kW.
The iX3 50 xDrive that debuted in Munich has a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup to ship 345kW and 645Nm of general system output.
BMW quotes a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.9 seconds, and says the drive system is lighter, extra reasonably priced to supply, and extra environment friendly than the one it replaces.
It’s understood that two-wheel drive fashions with decrease outputs – and potential better driving vary talents – will probably be supplied sooner or later.
If these factors alone fail to get BEV consumers excited, the high-performance computing on-board the iX3 50 xDrive is definite to lift an eyebrow.
BMW has outfitted the Neue Klasse structure with 4 ‘superbrains’ it says can course of knowledge 10 instances sooner than standard on-board computer systems. Not solely is the system smarter than earlier than, it additionally requires a claimed 600 metres much less wiring, lowering weight, complexity, and value.
The expertise is updatable over-the-air to make sure it’s saved at its prime and handles each computing side of the automobile together with power administration, driveline performance, security and driver help techniques, infotainment and connectivity, and far more.
Inside, the five-seat iX3 gives a pared again décor and is fronted by a large 43.3-inch ‘Panoramic Imaginative and prescient’ show stretching your complete width of the dashboard.
The brand new interface is claimed to supply extra intuitive management and is joined by a head-up show within the driver’s line of sight, a separate 17.9-inch infotainment touchscreen, wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, native sat nav, downloadable apps, and a far better degree of personalisation.
In fact, a lot of that ‘screenification’ means the cabin of the iX3 is with out exhausting buttons.
Haptic controls are used for gadgets together with the symptoms, wipers, mirrors, gear selector, local weather management, quantity management, and extra, retaining a conventional button just for the hazard lights, demister, and door latches.
The cabin is upholstered in Veganza fake leather-based with complementary finishes together with the carpet mats and hood lining constructed from recycled supplies.
Normal tools contains dual-zone local weather management, heated and energy adjustable entrance seats, a panoramic sunroof, wi-fi cellphone charging pad, and a powered tailgate. Cargo area is listed 520 litres (+10 litres) with all of the seats in place and 1750 litres all instructed. A small ‘frunk’ gives an extra 58 litres of stowage below the bonnet.
