Bold iX3 to arrive in September and mark start of next BMW era

New electric SUV will be revealed in September as the first of the German firm's Neue Klasse models The next era of BMW will begin in September with the arrival of the first Neue Klasse electric car: the iX3 SUV. Confirmed to be revealed at the Munich motor show ahead of sales starting early next year, the SUV - which we've already driven in protoype form - marks major milestones for BMW, as it introduces advanced underpinnings and a design that will be adopted across the rest of the brand. It will go up against the forthcoming electric Mercedes-Benz GLC – a car that will also be revealed at Munich. The pair will fight for a foothold in Europe’s most hotly contested new car segment in a bid to increase EV sales in the face of tightening emissions regulations. The new iX3 will be followed soon after by an electric BMW 3 Series saloon, although a date for this unveiling has yet to be confirmed. Previewed last year by the bold Neue Klasse Vision X concept, the second-generation iX3 will be sold alongside the current, fourth-generation petrol X3 and sit on the all-new Neue Klasse architecture. As a result, the new iX3 will have slimmer batteries, more efficient motors and clever technology that BMW claims will be a “quantum leap forward” from today’s electric offerings. The size of its nickel-manganese-cobalt pack – which features new cylindrical cells – has yet to be disclosed, but BMW said the iX3 will offer a range of 497 miles – 210 miles more than the first-generation iX3. That would make the new iX3 Britain’s longest-range EV, going even farther than the new Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ saloon, which currently tops the charts at 484 miles. An 800V electrical architecture will mean the iX3's battery will also be able to charge at up to 400kW, enabling a 218-mile top-up in just 10 minutes from suitable chargers. Two powertrains will be available when the iX3 arrives in the UK early next year: a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive one and a dual-motor, four-wheel drive one that can deliver up to 402bhp. The second-generation iX3 also receives a new computing system that is 10 times faster than the network of chips in current BMWs. In addition, to maximise interior space within this set-up and to keep vehicle height as low as possible to aid aerodynamics, BMW will unusually bolt the front seats directly to the pack – another first for the firm. Visually, the new iX3 will draw on the original Neue Klasse models from the 1960s and return to small kidney grilles rather than the bolder, more expansive front ends that adorn the likes of the iX. The double-kidney grille will divide a large, gloss black panel on the iX3’s front end – similar in style to the Vizor found on Vauxhalls. The panel is likely to conceal the sensors and cameras required by the latest generation of driver assistance systems. The rest of the car will feature a boxier, more chiselled look than today’s models, with angled lights front and rear, plus a rear light bar. The reinvention continues inside the iX3, which will be the fi rst car to employ BMW’s new iDrive X system. Previewed earlier this year, this comprises a large, sloped central infotainment screen, above which a head-up display spans the entire width of the dashboard. Traditional buttons are out, with BMW claiming the new set-up allows it to offer more complex and varied options, which can be updated over the air during the car’s life. In place of buttons are toolbars and customisable widgets on the touchscreen, as well as voice control that is said to be more intuitive than today’s set-up. The steering wheel has been redeveloped as well. Its design moves from three spokes to four but it retains haptic buttons for important functions such as cruise control. Christian Bauer, BMW vice-president of user interface design, told Autocar earlier this year: “Our slogan is ‘eyes on the road and hands on the wheel’, which means everything has to be in a perfect situation."

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