At the world premiere of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse . The Vision Neue Klasse sedan will influence the design of his future BMW sedans, and the Vision X crossover will influence the design of his future SUVs.
2 different grill styles
Last week, BMW of North America exhibited the Vision Neue Classe X at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles. Julia de Bono, head of BMW Design Works LA, reiterated that the different kidney grilles on the two concept cars serve to differentiate their design objectives. As you may recall, the Vision Neue Klasse sedan features a horizontal digital grille that broadens the front-end appearance. In contrast, the Vision Neue Klasse X crossover follows the original Neue Klasse model with a smaller vertical kidney grille.
At the time, Langer also talked about the decision to change the front fascia, with the kidneys opting for a vertical layout for the X Concept, whereas the previous concept had a horizontal grille layout. This decision was made not only to visually separate the two cars, but also because the front panel of the SUV is higher and an upright grille is more suitable. The head of BMW i design explained that the typical SUV buyer wants a vehicle with a more prominent front fascia.
Additionally, some design elements of the Neue Classe cars would eventually influence internal combustion engine cars. However, due to the use of a dedicated electric platform, certain styling features will be unique to his NCAR-based model. This bespoke EV architecture typically provides designers with more creative freedom. The lack of a transmission tunnel simplifies the design process, so purpose-built EVs often feature longer wheelbases, shorter overhangs, and flat floors.
The Neue Klasse-based BMW iX3 (NA5) is scheduled to go into series production at the new Debrecen plant in Hungary in mid-2025. A sedan will be added a year later. Production of the Neue Classe is also said to begin in the second half of 2026 at the San Luis Potosi plant in Mexico.