Designed from the ground-up as an EV, the Neue Klasse-era iX3 has been approved for South Africa from the third quarter of 2026.
Showcased last year as the second of its Neue Klasse range of electric vehicles, BMW officially unveiled the production version of the Vision Neue Klasse X at the IAA in Munich this past weekend as the all-new iX3.
First of the family
A complete difference from the original “converted” iX3, the Neue Klasse-derived model opens the marque’s dedicated EV portfolio up that will eventually spawn a 3 Series-type sedan, plus an electric equivalent of the M3.
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Set to be sold as an alternative to the current range of combustion products instead of replacing them, the Neue Klasse iX3 sports the same silhouette and side profile as the conventional X3, but introduces a different styling language claimed to hark back to the original Neue Klasse models of the 1960s.
The look
Sporting different headlights, a pair of ultra slim vertical, kidney grilles against a sealed panel, complete with the illuminated Iconic Glow surround, the iX3 features bulging wheel arches, flush door handles and bespoke alloy wheels up to 22-inches.
At the rear, the horizontal taillights seemingly resemble those of the discontinued Mini Clubman, but elongated and with different graphics.
Compared to the X3 further, the rear facia has a smaller window, a different bumper, an integrated bootlid spoiler and the BMW logo placed on an insert in the centre between the clusters on an otherwise badge-free tailgate.
Heart of Joy
Underneath, the Neue Klasse platform introduces BMW’s latest eDrive 800-volt electric hardware containing four “superbrains” dubbed the Heart of Joy.
A module responsible for controlling the brakes, drivetrain, energy regeneration and steering, it can, according to BMW, “process information up to ten times faster than a conventional control unit” while also providing “instantaneous power delivery, smooth power transfer, agility, stability and efficiency”.
In addition, the architecture supports charging up to 400kW and vehicle-to-load (V2L) of a disclosed output.
Dimensionally, the iX3 measures 4 782 mm long, 1 635 mm tall and 1 895 mm wide while riding on a 2 898 mm long wheelbase.
By comparison, the X3 has dimensions of 4 755 mm, wheelbase of 2 865 mm, width of 1 920 mm and a height of 1 660 mm.
Wider than its predecessor, the iX3’s biggest payoff is increased boot capacity ranging from 520-litres to 1 750-litres with the split rear seat folded down. A further 58-litres can be stored underneath the bonnet.
What’s inside?
Inside, the futuristic cabin ups the ante considerably over the controversial iX, as the iX3 not only eschews the instrument cluster, but gets seats designed specifically for it and not shared with any other BMW model.
While physical switchgear has been retained, albeit to a minimum, the biggest highlight involves the thin gauge clusters integrated into the base of the windscreen.
Taking its conventional place is what BMW calls Panoramic iDrive, which displays the various functions on the windscreen from A-pillar to A-pillar, and works in tandem with the optional Head-Up Display.
Elsewhere, the centre console has been redesigned to feature a V-angle, as the wireless smartphone charger now sits at an angle rather than being vertical as on the X1 and X3.
The removal of the cluster means the loss of the Curved Display as the only screen now comes in the form of new freestanding 17.9-inch display debuting BMW’s brand new operating system called Operation X.
A new steering wheel with haptic touch-sensitive switches completes an interior whose materials are largely made from recycled plastics.
Over 800 km of range
On the power side, the iX3 will, initially, have a single variant, the xDrive 50, whose power comes from a pair of electric motors motivated by a 108.7-kWh battery.
Combined, the setup produces 345kW/645Nm, which results in a top speed of 210 km/h, 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and a claimed range up to 805 km.
Connected to a DC charger up to the mentioned 400 kW, the claimed waiting time from 10-80% is 21 minutes, with a range of 370 km available after 10 minutes.
Coming in 2026
Reportedly, a single motor variant will be added at a later stage, while a flagship M model is also likely to happen, but for the moment, hasn’t been confirmed.
On-sale from early next year in Europe, built at the Shenyang plant in China, the iX3 has been approved for South Africa and will become a reality in the third quarter of 2026.
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