The Neue Klasse creates space for new design, new experiences, and new moments of joy. Its basic principles are electric, digital, circular – and as dynamic as only a BMW can be – whether saloon or SAV (Sports Activity Vehicle). The visionary vehicles (➜ Read also: The BMW concept cars you need to know) of the Neue Klasse family are a sign of the future of the company. They also provide specific indications of the series vehicles of the Neue Klasse, which will go into production starting in 2025.
The BMW Vision Neue Klasse and BMW Vision Neue Klasse X show that their newly developed, all-electric drive architecture opens up new possibilities for vehicle design. People are at the center: Modern proportions with a long wheelbase and short overhangs usher in a new design era and provide ample space in the light-flooded interior.
The monolithic design embodies a clear design, and the flush glass surfaces and slightly shimmering exterior color add a touch of lightness to the upper area. In every detail, the vehicles suggest openness, spaciousness, and user-friendliness.
It’s about rethinking the car. That’s why BMW is leading the way to a circular economy in automotive engineering (➜ Read also: Circularity at BMW). The sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology plays a decisive role in this. A completely new generation of cells is being developed for the Neue Klasse, the production of which emits significantly less CO2.
The energy density increases by more than 20 percent and the charging speed and range (according to WLTP) by up to 30 percent. It will soon be possible to recharge 300 kilometers of range in only 10 minutes.
In its segment, the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X pushes forward into a new dimension of efficiency for battery electric vehicles. Also the driving pleasure (➜ Read also: “Sheer Driving Pleasure”: the history of the BMW slogan) will reach an entirely new level. Drive and driving dynamics management are brought together by state-of-the-art computers and harmonized software components – BMW Dynamic Performance Control is sure to deliver a unique driving experience. Efficiency, dynamics, and precision become one, thereby making the Neue Klasse more BMW than ever.
A new feeling of human interaction with the vehicle is the core idea of the digital world for the Neue Klasse from BMW. In order to optimize the focus on the driving experience, the cockpit has a clear and minimalist design, and the number of controls has been greatly reduced.
A holistic approach that includes an intelligent, human-centered operating concept (➜ Read also: A century of interior innovation) with a unique user experience. Together with the new generation of BMW iDrive, BMW Panoramic Vision, the Central Display, and the redesigned steering wheel with multifunction buttons form a revolutionary operating concept with state-of-the-art assistance systems and new digital products and services.
BMW Panoramic Vision features a completely new technology. The information is projected at an optimum height across the entire width of the windscreen. The black lower section of the windscreen thus becomes a display, the three-dimensional content of which appears to float.
The centerpiece of the BMW iDrive in the Neue Klasse is the new central display with intuitive touch function. This is elegantly integrated into the cockpit. The redesigned shape with a diagonal outline now conveys the typical BMW driver orientation through its position and no longer through a geometry that faces the driver. This gives the two front passengers optimum access to all functions such as the customized configuration and positioning of the BMW Panoramic Vision content.
The experience in the interior of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X is truly fascinating thanks to the display surfaces, light, and sound as well as the selected materials and colors. Carefully coordinated and interlocking. When you open the door, you are greeted by a light and sound show that emanates from the central display and encompasses the entire front interior thanks to the ambient lighting. The backlighting of the knitted material in the cockpit creates a new and impressive effect. In the Vision Neue Klasse X, real and digital worlds merge to create a completely new mobility experience.
A change of perspective thanks to new experiences. As a new family member of the new design era, the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X features the same clear design (➜ Read also: Car design: the DNA of BMW) as the BMW Vision Neue Klasse – but with its own unique character. A few precise lines give it a striking appearance. The voluminous surfaces create an emotional contrast.
The BMW Vision Neue Klasse X shows the future brand face of the BMW X models. The reinterpretation of the characteristic four-eyed face and the BMW kidney grille (➜ Read also: Hallmark: 16 designs of the signature BMW kidney grille) as a three-dimensional sculpture with backlit contours give the vertically aligned front end a strong presence. The black plastic parts of the front bumper and the side panel are made from recycled mono-material, which is much easier to recycle thanks to its purity of variety – another example of the circular concept of the Neue Klasse.
The rear of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X also features a minimalist design. In the upper section, spacious surfaces, clear lines, and the flat rear light design create a modern aesthetic. The 3D-printed lighting elements are distributed over several levels and are controlled in a targeted manner in order to achieve a special depth effect (➜ Read also: The future is bright). As a deliberate contrast, the lower section has a much more expressive design (similar to the front) and dynamically rounds off the rear section. The design is characterized by innovative technology.
The rear area of the side windows features the Hofmeister kink typical of the BMW brand (➜ Read also: BMW design element: a tribute to the Hofmeister kink) albeit not as a border but rather as a transparent or reflective print depending on the viewing angle. The large window areas and the full-length panoramic roof create a bright, light-flooded feeling of space that is both sheltered and open.
The BMW Vision Neue Klasse X opens up new levels of freedom in the design of the interior. The interior has been restructured by reducing the number of parts and materials. The BMW Vision Neue Klasse X is also a place for digital experiences. The vehicle becomes an extended digital ecosystem in which technology appears only when it is needed.
Experiences – the interaction between people and vehicles plays a central role in the Neue Klasse from BMW. Although the BMW Vision Neue Klasse featured an impressive light and sound staging, the immersion in the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X is even more intense. By tapping one of the BMW My Modes, you can immerse yourself in a completely new world. When you need a more relaxing environment, the display surfaces, light, and sound form a calming overall composition. The various BMW My Modes impressively demonstrate how flexibly and holistically the vehicle will be able to recognize and respond to the personal needs of its occupants.
The HypersonX Wheel allows you to generate your own customized sound in the vehicle interior. Depending on the acceleration (➜ Read also: From 0 to 60 in 9 minutes) and the speed of the vehicle, the BMW Brand Sound is playfully redesigned and modulated in real time. The characteristics range from Calm (relaxing and calming) and Free (light and open) to Expressive (powerful and diverse) and Agile (dynamic and precise).
The module introduces the new world of sound of the Neue Klasse. People become the center of the sound design – and the interior becomes a space of experience.
In order to create something truly new, you need vision and the will to change. The all-electric drive of the Neue Klasse from BMW is a central building block. However, circularity and true responsibility can be achieved only with a holistic approach. The reduced approach to geometry, material, and color emphasizes the high-quality yet sustainable details and is a crucial factor for being able to dismantle and recycle the various vehicle components (➜ Read also: Material magic: the art of accentuation).
The color scheme of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X features light-flooded elements with warm contrasts. The bright exterior paintwork in Coral Silver with its subtle red flop effect underlines the user-friendly and forward-looking appearance of the vehicle and reflects the interior color on the outside. The dark side panels and bumpers made of recycled plastic provide a subtle contrast. The tone Coral Rust is used in the interior. For example, on the knitted textile of the seats in order to create a soft feel. A closer look reveals a multi-colored yarn that gives the fabric additional depth and life.
All interior textiles are made from recycled polyester as a mono-material. In addition, certain areas in the doors and center console are covered with a completely natural, plant- or mineral-based and petroleum-free surface material. Compared with imitation leather made from PVC, this achieves a further 45 percent reduction in CO2 emissions. For the first time, recycled plastics reclaimed from discarded fishing nets (➜ Read also: Sustainable materials: consider the end from the start) are being used for injection-molded parts in the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X.
Resource-conserving production with an increased proportion of secondary raw materials, innovative materials, circular component design, and a fully electric drive collectively reduce the carbon footprint of the Neue Klasse over the entire life cycle of the vehicles. The forward-looking measures put people at the center of everything we do – just like the digital user experience and the driving pleasure itself. The Neue Klasse from BMW stands for new possibilities and solutions that extend well into the future.
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Author: Tassilo Hager; Art: Lucas Lemuth, Madita O’Sullivan, Verena Aichinger; Photos: BMW; Video: BMW
