BMW iX3

KLASSEfied: BMW's Neue Klasse Line up

- KRANTI SAMBHAV

The situation isn’t exactly what BMW faced in the sixties, which resulted in the first Neue Klasse or the ‘New Class’.

It wasn’t a catchphrase or a model lineup, it was reinvention. An effort to pull the Bavarian brand back from the brink of collapse, establishing the sporty-luxury DNA that still defines it. Fast-forward to 2025, and BMW is going back to that playbook again. Only this time, the challenge isn’t about survival but futureproofing itself against a very complex, unknown tomorrow and equations with multiple variables. Manufacturers are not only competing with legacy and new, aggressive electric car companies, but also battling with changing buying patterns, customers, and technology. And, then there is the reliance on China for batteries, in this age of geopolitics more temperamental than my old Bullet. That is why BMW went for a ground-up rethink. And, the first product under this resurrected philosophy is the latest iX3 50 xDrive.

So, let’s start with Neue Klasse? Basically, a hard reset for BMW, that is not just about building a new SUV or sedan, but a radical shift on both hardware and software fronts. An 800-volt system with the new sixth-generation eDrive boasting cylindrical battery cells. Betting on the batteries with 20% more energy density and a 30% increase in the charging speed.