BMW's Neue Classe design and technology will be incorporated into a gasoline-powered vehicle.
BMW is working on a new generation of electric vehicles known as the Neue Klasse series, and last year teased the first two with the Vision Neue Klasse sedan and Vision Neue Klasse X SUV concept.
But these concepts also preview the technology and design BMW will use in future gas-powered vehicles, BMW design chief Adrian van Hoydonk told Top Gear in an interview published Thursday.
“These technologies and design languages that are the big drivers for EVs will carry over to the entire product portfolio, including internal combustion vehicles,” he said.
He added that there will be some differences in proportions between the vehicles to match the internals, as certain powertrains, especially gas models, still require transmission tunnels, but the overall look and feel, and all on-board technology will be the same.
Van Hooydonk also stated in an interview with Top Gear that the production models produced by Vision Neue Klasse and Vision Neue Klasse X will be very similar to the concepts, likening their design proximity to the previous i3 and i8 and their respective concept, respectively.
“You know how close the i3 and i8 were to the concept cars.
The Vision Neue Classe X, possibly a preview of the compact crossover to be called the iX3, will be the first Neue Classe EV to be launched in 2025. A camouflaged prototype has been spotted.
A production version of the Vision Neue Klasse concept is expected to follow in 2026, most likely an i3 badged compact sedan. This model is expected to closely resemble the upcoming gas-powered 3 Series, due around 2027.
One new in-car technology that debuted on the first Neue Klasse and is expected to be common to future BMWs is a user interface that relies on a heads-up display and controls on the steering wheel. The heads-up display will be available for displaying important driving information and for the infotainment system. There will also be a touchscreen in the center of the dashboard, but the digital meter cluster of BMW's current vehicles may disappear.
Regardless of the powertrain, the vehicles will use a large amount of recycled materials to help reduce the overall environmental footprint.