BMW TO RENEW EVERY MODEL FOR BOLD NEW ERA

Neue Klasse cars spark revamp of existing models, starting with 5 Series

- FELIX PAGE

BMW will completely overhaul its current combustion-powered line-up, starting with a heavily updated 5 Series, to bring these models into line with a range of incoming Neue Klasse electric cars. The new-era EVs will begin with the unveiling of the iX3 at the Munich motor show in September and this will kick-start a rapid-fire refresh programme for BMW, which is working to ensure its current-generation models are not outpaced by newer siblings.

The next 3 Series will follow shortly after the iX3 and use the same EV-first architecture, which, in time, will be the base for all BMWs. Before then, though, BMW will redesign and substantially upgrade models that are not yet due for replacement, to ensure a coherent, logical line-up.

The first of these will be the 5 Series, due next year. Although the eighth-generation saloon was launched in 2023, recent spy shots reveal that it is already preparing to undergo a significant refresh. This update - which is also destined for the M5 - is centred on a striking, prominent new nose that will bring its design into line with the Neue Klasse models. While nothing has been confirmed, an interior makeover could be on the cards too, given BMW is set to roll out its new Panoramic iDrive set-up.