Let’s get this out of the way. The Vision Neue Klasse X is the next generation electric BMW X3. Likely called the iX3 it will very closely resemble the concept you see above down to the revolutionary new user interface. But this concept goes beyond a simple preview of a new model. The Neue Klasse X and its sedan sibling represents an entirely new approach to design and engineering from BMW that is poised to take the brand into the future with inspiration from the past.

We went hands-on with this radical new concept in Portugal to properly judge this new design direction and experience its radically new iDrive operating system. Here’s what we found.

Having set the stage with the BMW Vision Neue Klasse sedan at IAA 2023, BMW is shifting its focus to its X models, epitomized by the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X. The concept takes what we saw in the Vision Neue Klasse sedan and applies it an X3 sized crossover. Underpinning this concept is a suite of cutting-edge technologies, including advanced drive and chassis control and the latest BMW eDrive technology that promises to be at least 30% more efficient than the BMW EVs currently on the market.

BMW will be ushering in a new generation of cars based on the Neue Klasse architecture in 2025 with the launch of a production version of the Neue Klasse X crossover. Within 24 months of this first Neue Klasse car being launched we will see six more models in the road. So the move to this new architecture, design language and technology suite will happen quickly and it will be led by the NK family of EVs. 

Hands-On with the Vision Neue Klasse X

The Vision Neue Klasse X is a clean, minimal electric X3. From the moment I turned the corner and saw it in BMW’s temporary secret studio, it was evident what this a production intend concept that’s laying the groundwork for what’s the come. Which makes it all much more interesting as this is a revelation similar to the original Vision Neue Klasse sedan.

Short overhangs. Minimal, function oriented styling. Driver focused interior. These are attributes of all the best classic BMWs that we haven’t seen much of in years. But the Vision Neue Klasse X and its sedan sibling bring these back and in the process signals a nod to the past for the brand. Granted the Neue Klasse X doesn’t have a historical reference to anything from the 70s or 80s like the sedan doesn’t, there’s a philosophy that feels tied to the simple athletic shapes of that era.

Sportier, Friendlier and a Smaller Looking Crossover

BMW has not just cleaned up the design language with the Vision Neue Klasse X but made some real changes in the engineering philosophy. For one I was immediately struck by the size of the concept. We’re used to the next generation of every car noticeably growing in every dimension. However this concept felt smaller than the current X3 in its presence. BMW hasn’t released the dimensions the effect of this new design language and what an EV drivetrain allows in cabin design has resulted in a car that feels smaller even if it’s not. Somehow BMW designers have created a crossover with a shape and proportion that almost make it shrink in scale.

But this nod the past isn’t pervasive. Gone is the chrome that has been on BMW’s for over a hundred years now. In its place BMW is adding gloss black and subtle lighting which creates a cleaner, more modern look. But perhaps one of the most bold changes BMW designers have made is to drop the belt line where the windows meet the top of the door.

Designers have been slowly raising the belt line on cars for decades increasingly creating a taller, more aggressive cars and crossovers. In the process for creating the Neue Klasse sedan and crossover, BMW designers looked to the past for inspiration. The BMW 3.0 CSL for instance had an elegantly low belt line that created perfect sight-lines and let enormous amount of light into the cabin. So they pushed themselves to find distinction between aggressive and sporty, moving away from the trend we’ve seen over the last 10-20 years to serve a different time.

Sitting in both the Neue Klasse X and its sedan sibling you immediately feel the effects. There’s an airy and openness to the cabin of both cars that immediately strikes you. It’s hard to put your finger on it at first but the lower belt-line coupled with the thinner A, B and C Pilars brings the outside in while giving you excellent visibility. It also has the side effect of slightly lowering the center of gravity as there’s less mass higher in the vehicle.

The Radically Simple New iDrive

The new iDrive in the Neue Klass X isn’t a concept but an early look at the production version that will be coming to BMWs in just a few years. A newer iteration than what we saw in the sedan last summer, this new iDrive reimagines the idea of infotainment with an eye towards simplicity and a more driver focused experience. But maybe more importantly it’s the coolest thing we’ve ever seen in a car.

There are four key components to this system; a multifunction steering wheel controller, the Central display with matrix backlighting and local dimming, the Panoramic Display and a 3D (augmented reality) heads-up display. All four are interesting but it’s the HUD and Panoramic Vision that feel unlike anything we’ve seen before. 

The Panoramic Vision actually isn’t a screen but actually three separate 4K projectors that project light onto a black band at the bottom of the windshield. With projection BMW can use nothing more than standard automotive glass keeping product costs and potential rock-chip related repair bills down. It’s also using an area that is both historically dead space in a car and one that is the direct line of sight of a driver. In so many ways it feels like a logical conclusion to where infotainment system design has been going.

It’s a bold new move from a company that has steadfastly remained connected to a multi-function controller since iDrive 1.0. And while we will always prefer a center controller for safety, the added functionality and reliance on the display itself has pushed BMW UI designers away from the relatively simple iDrive interfaces of the past and into one that, through human centered design, reimagines everything. 

The default mode we experience had the map on the right with various widgets on the left. But a driver can completely customize the layout and even the size of each widget.

The Magical Panoramic Vision

Then it gets really cool. Any of the widgets can be swiped up and into the Panoramic Vision. There are a handful of widget areas so a swipe up to the left puts the widget directly into the driver’s field of view for instance. It’s an ingenious system that, while technically complex feels utterly intuitive and simple.

This interplay between the experience zones is just one aspect of the system however. BMW is also introducing a 3D HUD above the Panoramic Vision, centered on driver. It will allow for augmented reality displays of information as a 3rd layer of experience.

Designers have also signed inputs and reactions to them to light in the cabin. So there are subtle lights that responds to inputs like temperature and volume changes. It helps to emphasize the interaction and also gives the car the feeling like it’s alive and at your beckon. 

When To Expect The Production Version of the Neue Klasse X

BMW is rumored to be launching the Neue Klasse X as the electric X3 in 2025. That will be coupled with an internal combustion version of the car that is designed to mimic many of the design elements we see here. However that car will not ride on the Neue Klasse architecture (NK). Following that will be an onslaught of Neue Klasse cars (all with codenames starting with NK) that will quickly fill the ranks of the model range. In total we expect six new NK based cars and crossovers within 24 months of the first Neue Klasse being released.

Vision Neue Klasse X Photo Gallery