BMW previews radical new future at IAA

Other manufacturers may have consigned the three-box sedan to the dustbin of history, but not BMW. The storied brand from Bavaria not only sees life in the format, but envisions it as a platform for innovation.

Introduced to the media on September 2, ahead of its public unveiling this week at the 2023 IAA Mobility show, the Vision Neue Klasse sedan is a preview of BMW models for 2025 and beyond.

“The design of the Neue Klasse is typically BMW and so progressive it looks like we skipped a model generation,” explains Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design.

A sleek and aggressive electrically-powered four-door sedan, both exterior and interior design signal a sharp turn from the designs of the last few years, and is anything but conservative, despite the sedan format.

The “Neue Klasse” (New Class) in the name evokes the 1960s era of BMWs, which also carried the name “Neue Klasse”. In that era, BMW needed to reinvent itself, as its microcars and luxury saloons were diminishing in sales and a new approach was needed.

Those were the glory days of Wilhelm Hofmeister, Fritz Fieldler, Eberhard Wolf and Alex von Falkenhausen, and a talented team of engineers who brought forth the BMW 1500, 1800 and 2000 sedans and 2000C Coupe, among others. It was a decade that saw the birth of the sports sedan, BMW’s iconic stance and silhouette, and powerful two-litre engines that made the company a design and engineering leader.

Now BMW is invoking the spirit of those times to “reinvent itself” for a new generation of power, performance and circular design.

“30 percent more range, 30 percent faster charging, 25 percent more efficiency,” notes Board Member Frank Weber, who also boldly states that its design ”could not be any more futuristic.”

The first question on any enthusiast’s mind is “What about the kidney grille?”, a point of contention and debate for the last decade. Here the grille is a horizontally oriented screen with a three-dimensional animation that welcomes drivers upon their approach. The dual headlights are enclosed within the grille/screen structure. The grille and lights are contained in a forward-sloping shark nose fascia that emphasises the Vision Neue’s aggressive nature.

The rear of the car sports tail lights with the same three-dimensional treatment, integrated into the vertical panel with barely any discernible cut lines for the trunk lid.

The overall form and profile are classic three box proportions, although BMW says “two-and a half box”. With tight panel lines and surfaces that curve into sharp creases, the Vision Neue Klasse appears a carefully carved chunk of steel, sculpted to appear in motion, but also elegantly restrained in its form and aspect.

And yes, the Hofmeister Kink remains, incorporated into the rear doors.

At the interior, a laminated glass roof sweeps over the passenger compartment making it so open as to almost be considered a convertible. Four moulded seats are trimmed out with “corded fabric” (corduroy!) with matching trim panels at the doors and IP.

BMW’s signature iDrive returns with panoramic vision that projects onto the windscreen within the driver’s line of sight, a new level of heads-up display.

The centre screen, which can also project information to the heads-up display, is a parallelogram with two jaunty angled corners, a subtle nod to the classic “Hofmeister Kink”. Both driver and passenger can interact with the system using the screen.

The iDrive controls have been moved to the centre of the steering wheel, removing the infamous circular knob on the center console. This allows for precious real estate on the console, freeing it up for other functions. The steering wheel itself is a flattened, squared-off circle, a “squircle”, if you will.

With the panoramic glasshouse, crisp styling and proportions, and large 21 inch wheels, the Vision Neue Klasse has a visual lightness about it, a sense that this is a car ready for speedy touring, whether on the Autobahn or snaking through the Alps at the Stelvio Pass. How much of the concept makes it into the production car remains to be seen, but this is one concept that we hope makes it to showrooms with minimal changes. It will be a challenger to all similar marques, and a herald for a bright motoring future.

We will have more on the Vision Neue Klasse from the floor of the IAA Show, as well as complete coverage of the show, and our special IAA Mobility Design Conference. Stay tuned for what has been an eventful week.