Cascais, Portugal, mid-February 2024: At the »BMW Press & Stakeholder Days« selected media representatives are given an exclusive preview of the second vision vehicle of the BMW journey towards the launch of the »Neue Klasse«. Unlike at similar events, however, you would be forgiven for thinking that on this day you could see not only pure anticipation, but also tension on the faces of the BMW management team present. After all, the invited (and not always particularly tame) media representatives will soon be introduced to a further transformation of what has so far been understood as »classic BMW«. Because the »Neue Klasse« will be a drastic turning point; it is probably the biggest leap in design in the history of the brand.
After the limousine BMW Vision Neue Klasse , presented at the IAA 2023 (Chapter reported), had already given a first impression of the future of the brand, particularly in terms of aesthetics, design, technology and sustainability, the next outlook now follows: The BMW Vision Neue Klasse X has now been officially unveiled on March 21, 2024 and shows the new design direction for the future X Models, as the Neue Klasse will be rolled out across the brand’s entire product range.
Monolithic, with a clear design and an impressively strong, powerful presence – that was the first impression after the carefully staged unveiling of the Vision Car. A 2-box design with a lot of character, futuristic and elegant but still very robust. The long wheelbase and short overhangs naturally continue to ensure typical BMW proportions, while the generously proportioned window areas and panoramic glass roof create a new, light and airy feeling of space. Particularly exciting: the massive front section shows a new interpretation of the BMW face, in which chrome in particular has been replaced by light. At the center of the front is now the vertically designed BMW kidney grille (to be understood as a quote from the brand’s history) as a three-dimensional sculpture with vertically aligned and backlit contours. The vertical shape also emphasizes the classic upright appearance of an SUV/SAV.
The rear is also massive, yet athletic. The rear lights have been drawn far into the center and are intended to provide a horizontal interpretation of the typical BMW L-shape. Their 3D-printed elements are controlled with variable light intensities to achieve a particularly expressive depth effect. The so-called Hofmeisterknick in the rear section of the side windows, which has become part of the brand identity, is not shown as a chrome surround in the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X, but with a »Reflective Print«, which forms a transparent or reflective surface depending on the viewing angle.
As with its Vision Car predecessor, the interior is friendly, bright and spacious. In addition to the redesigned steering wheel with multifunction buttons, the generous BMW Panoramic Vision Display will clearly form the centerpiece and will be found in all future models. The display is designed to offer both passengers in the front seats optimum access to all infotainment and a wide range of individualization functions. In particular, the special light and sound staging enhances the intuitive digital user experience in the next generation of the BMW iDrive.
And to ensure that despite all the great leaps in design and digitalization, the traditional BMW »Freude am Fahren« does not fall by the wayside, the drive and chassis control system developed exclusively for the Neue Klasse and the sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology will be used. »Neue Klasse – this will take BMW driving to the next level but one,« is the self-confident prophesy.
»We see that the time has now come to take somewhat bigger steps, including in the core of the brand,« Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design, explained to us in an interview a few months ago. With the second Vision Car on the way to the Neue Klasse, the BMW team has once again underlined the brand’s innovative strength in terms of design, electrification, digitalization and circularity. The Neue Klasse will indeed define a completely new BMW generation – and unsurprisingly, probably to the displeasure of some brand traditionalists. And despite its designation as a Vision Car, the Vision Neue Klasse X seems to be very close to what we will be able to experience as a Neue Klasse X production model at the end of next year. [CS]
