BMW has shown the new electric car Neue Klasse as an uncamouflaged concept. The car will replace the 3-Series and will have an angular design with a "shark nose". The prototype has 18,000 Nm.
BMW is working on its new electric car platform, the Neue Klasse. The new electric car is to be seen as an electric successor to the BMW 3 Series. A prototype of the car has been shown to the Chinese. It is said to have a torque of 18,000 Nm.
The presentation took place during the Shanghai Auto Show. Here, BMW showed the car without camouflage for the first time. The model on display had a special neon paint job.
The paint can be "charged" by sunlight. This gives the car a special look. The new images give a good impression of the car's final design.
The car shown is just a prototype. Nevertheless, BMW calls the car the most powerful prototype they have ever built. It can be seen as the electric car's answer to a BMW M3.
BMW claims that the prototype has a torque of a whopping 18,000 Nm. And even then, the Germans have subtracted the power that is lost in the drivetrain itself.
BMW New Class: design and technology
The car is also the first BMW with a central computer. BMW calls the new computer the "heart of joy." It is designed to control all the car's functions from one place.
One can hope that the system avoids the errors that other brands have experienced with similar systems. The integration of so many functions into one computer is complex. Volvo has had challenges with their central system. It is currently costing them dearly. Read more about it here.
The design of the Neue Klasse is completely new for BMW. And yet. Because the brand is re-introducing its classic "shark nose". That front was known from BMW models in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.
The car will have a significantly more angular appearance. This sets it apart from some competitors in the electric car market. Mercedes' electric cars, for example, have a more rounded and streamlined shape.
The shape of the Neue Klasse is less pronouncedly streamlined than some other electric cars. BMW is clearly opting for a more distinctive and recognizable design language. It will be interesting to see the final production version.
Production and the future of the BMW Neue Klasse
Production of the first electric cars based on the Neue Klasse will begin soon. In fact, it will already be happening at the end of 2025 at BMW's factory in Hungary.
The factory is located in the city of Debrecen. It is a newly built factory dedicated to the new platform. The Neue Klasse represents a very important future for BMW's electric strategy.
The new platform will form the basis for several upcoming electric cars from the brand. BMW is investing large sums in the transition to electrification, but at the same time refuses to put the combustion engine on the shelf.
