The company will offer customers both electric and combustion-powered models.
BMW’s electric M3 will have four electric motors and advanced torque vectoring.
The electric model will be sold alongside the next-gen combustion-powered M3.
BMW’s all-electric M3 is just around the corner, debuting a couple of months ago as a concept and set to be sold alongside the combustion model we all know and love. While it’d be easy to assume the EV, perhaps badged the iM3, is only being built for regulatory compliance, the German brand insists that’s not the case.
The boss of BMW’s M division, Frank van Meel, says the electric M3 isn’t being built because BMW has to do it, but instead because it wants to give customers the choice of either an EV or a car using combustion power, hence why it’s still committed to its six- and eight-cylinder engines.
“We are not doing this because it has to be done, but because we are convinced you can build a fast and even better car this way,” van Meel told Motor1 while speaking about the electric M3. “The timing has to be right, though. It only works if we can do it 100 percent the way we want to do it.”
A New Platform
The key enabler for the quad-motor M3 is BMW’s Neue Klasse platform, which allows the car to be developed from the ground up rather than relying on a pre-existing architecture that might have required modifications to support a large battery pack and powerful electric motors. “We said we could only make a high-performance M with four electric motors, torque vectoring, individual control, a central control unit, and our own software,” he added, noting the car has to feel “M-like.”
It’s possible some BMW M enthusiasts may feel like they’re being force-fed a high-powered EV they don’t necessarily want. However, van Meel says the company does “not decide for our customers what they have to drive,” but rather wants to “build cars that we ourselves love” and that buyers can choose whether they want an EV or a combustion-powered car.
The new model, previewed with the M Concept Neue Klasse, draws on the design of the standard i3 but includes all the upgrades you’d expect of an M car, including flared arches, new bumpers, distinctive wheels, and a custom hood. Chances are, the production model will look very similar.
In terms of power, BMW M has revealed that the concept includes four motors, and while horsepower hasn’t been confirmed, the production car is tipped to have between 700 hp and 1,000 hp. Expect to see the first-ever electric M3 presented in its final form next year.
BMW has delivered 2 million fully electric cars around the world.
Europe’s surging EV market is giving the new iX3 real momentum.
Electric sales are falling in America though BMW sales are rising.
BMW’s electric adventure has officially passed a big milestone. Almost 13 years after the original i3 arrived, the company has handed over its two millionth fully electric vehicle. And one of the factors making that possible is that EV sales are currently going gangbusters in one specific region.
The landmark two-millionth car was an i5 M60 xDrive built in Dingolfing and delivered to a customer in Spain. Add plug-in hybrids and BMW Group says it’s shifted around 3.5 million electrified vehicles since 2013, while more than one in four of its global sales during the first half of 2026 had some form of electric propulsion.
Things are moving particularly quickly in Europe. BMW’s European BEV sales jumped 38 percent during the second quarter to 81,445 cars. Fully electric models represented roughly 28 percent of BMW’s European sales during 2026’s first half.
That’s not happening in isolation. Almost 1.5 million BEVs were registered across Europe through July, up 30 percent year over year. July alone saw electric cars grab 35 percent of the French market and 29 percent in Germany. Denmark, meanwhile, hit 80 percent, Reuters reports.
BMW’s new iX3 appears well placed to seize the opportunity. The automaker says it’s approaching 100,000 orders, and since its unveiling, one in three electric BMWs ordered in Europe has been an iX3. And half of European X3-family orders are already for the electric version, which admittedly looks miles better than its ICE brother inside and out.
Growing Family
The Neue Klasse family is expanding, too. Series production of the new electric i3 3-series began in Munich this month, with BMW reporting strong early demand ahead of its market launch. And the new X5 has an electric variant for the first time that will be in showrooms in spring 2027.
But cross the Atlantic and the EV party suddenly gets quieter. US electric sales across the industry fell more than 20 percent year over year in the second quarter following the removal of federal tax incentives, leaving EVs with around a 6 percent share of the market.
No Love For iX
BMW’s own figures show that while North American sales of PHEV vehicles grew 22.9 percent in Q2, sales of electrified (EV and hybrid) vehicles tanked to the tune of -18.1 percent, revealing just how bad demand for EVs is now that US tax credits have gone. Sales of the iX electric SUV, for example, are down almost 50 percent year-to-date, official automaker figures say, though a recent facelift and price cut might help going forward. And Cox Automotive suggests BMW’s overall EV sales in the US are down 56 percent year-to-date. Ouch.
The arrival at BMW showrooms in September of the confident Neue Klasse iX3, whose fresh design will also help improve BMW EVs sales, no doubt. As will the iX5 we mentioned previously (pictured below). But the electric story is still going to be very different from one side of the Atlantic to the other.
The BMW i3 Touring will initially hit the market with a pair of electric motors.
BMW’s sleek and practical electric estate will support 400 kW DC fast charging.
Like the sedan, the i3 Touring will have a driving range exceeding 500 miles.
It seems as though a new, all-electric crossover or SUV is unveiled every week, and although there are plenty of appealing ones on the market, they’re all a little too similar. BMW’s upcoming i3 Touring is shaping up to be the perfect antidote to them and may sway some buyers out of an iX3.
Moments after BMW unveiled the all-new i3 sedan earlier this year, it confirmed an estate version was just around the corner. While vehicles like this aren’t as popular as they once were, primarily because most shoppers would rather have a high-riding SUV, BMW has clearly decided there will be enough demand for an i3 Touring to justify its development.
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Recently, a lightly camouflaged prototype was snapped testing at the Nürburgring, and it looks like quite a tantalizing prospect. Painted in a lovely shade of silver and sporting camouflage only on the front, rear, and side mirrors, the car retains most of the same sleek styling as the sedan, albeit in a slightly lengthened form.
Dual-Motor Power
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It’s unclear which specific variant and trim level we’re looking at, but it’s likely a tester for the i3 Touring 50 xDrive, the only version BMW has confirmed at this stage. As such, it should sport a pair of electric motors with 463 hp, which is only 17 hp less than a standard BMW M3.
Underpinning the i3 Touring is BMW’s Neue Klasse platform, shared with other new models like the second-gen iX3 and the new i3 sedan. It includes the brand’s sixth-generation motors and batteries, and in the 50 xDrive configuration, should sport a 108.7 kWh battery with cylindrical cells. For a vehicle of this size, this is a sizeable pack, and should help it achieve a WLTP driving range of around 550 miles (885 km), more than enough for long European road trips where this model should prove popular.
Further adding to the practicality of the new i3 Touring will be its support for DC charging speeds of up to 400 kW, meaning the battery can be charged from 10-80 percent in roughly 21 minutes. AC charging will also be rated at 22 kW, allowing for relatively quick charging at home, too.
Clemson’s Deep Orange 17 wraps more than 1,700 solar cells around its ultra-light body.
The 1,212-pound coupe claims a surplus after a 12-mile daily urban commute.
BMW-backed research explores solar power as a part of an EV’s propulsion strategy.
Solar panels on an EV are usually the kind of feature that sounds far more useful than it turns out to be. Clemson University’s Deep Orange 17 might actually flip that on its ear. The team there worked with BMW to wrap more than 1,700 photovoltaic cells around a tiny EV coupe that looks like a homemade Cybertruck, and the result, they say, adds more energy than it uses over a normal day of urban driving. Don’t get too stoked yet, though; there’s a lot to break down.
Developed by 16 graduate students alongside BMW’s research and development team, the prototype is called the Luminetta. Clemson says it was designed around a 12-mile (20 km) daily commute. It’s unclear how many folks have just a 12-mile commute but it clearly doesn’t apply to most. That said, the car is designed to soak up sunlight both when parked and when moving.
The big issue, of course, is that this is not remotely a normal car. In the metal it’s all flat angles and improvised paneling. Deep Orange 17 weighs just 1,212 pounds (550 kg), or roughly a quarter of the mass of many similarly sized production vehicles. Its multi-material structure combines steel, aluminum, carbon fiber, and 3D-printed metal joints, while regenerative braking, torque distribution, and optimized drivetrain controls all work toward the same goal of using as little energy as possible.
Clemson and its Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE partners modeled sunlight and environmental conditions in Greenville, South Carolina; Frankfurt, Germany; Madrid, Spain; and Mumbai, India. Across those locations, the university says the solar system could generate enough surplus electricity to add an average of 31 miles (50 km) of driving range per day. That’s groundbreaking regardless of all the other caveats here.
Sure, it’ll take a bevy of other innovations to apply this sort of thing to a modern production vehicle. But rather than simply being able to power a car with the sun, this one is proving that it’s technically possible to gain more energy than one would use on a very short… commute.
The next BMW 5-Series Touring was spotted with mild styling tweaks.
The interior design will be overhauled with Neue Klasse tech.
Production of the facelifted model could begin in mid-2027.
BMW is preparing a mid-lifecycle update for the 5-Series, and fresh spy shots have caught the Touring variant in the final stages of development. The refresh brings Neue Klasse tech and styling cues to the executive model, though the wagon’s changes look more restrained than what we’ve seen on the new i3, iX3, and X5.
The current generation of the 5-Series arrived in 2023, with the Touring joining in early 2024. The first prototypes of the facelifted version were spotted in March 2025. More recent sightings in December 2025 hinted that BMW reworked the design partway through, adding a more conventional kidney grille.
This latest prototype, caught in Germany, wears a similar look, but a closer inspection suggests the grille could be a camouflage add-on rather than the real production piece. The reshaped headlights are visible too, playing up the shark-nose effect alongside a sportier front bumper.
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The profile is largely carried over from the current model, although BMW might add new colors and wheel designs. At the back, the highlight is the new LED graphics on the taillights, which retain the same outer shape. The camouflage wrap prevents us from seeing more details, but we also expect redesigned trim on the bumper.
The bigger shifts happen inside, where the cabin borrows tech from the Neue Klasse i3, iX3, and X5. The current digital cockpit makes way for the new Panoramic iDrive, paired with a large infotainment touchscreen, an optional passenger display, and a 3D head-up display.
Under the skin, the 5-Series will likely remain available with mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric powertrain options, retaining the CLAR underpinnings. The flagship M5 is also scheduled to receive the mid-cycle update and will likely be the only variant available in Touring bodystyle in the US market.
BMW remains tight-lipped on the mid-lifecycle update of the 5. However, the latest reports suggest that production might commence at the Dingolfing plant in Germany in mid-2027. A public debut is expected early next year, with a potential arrival to the US market as a 2028 model. The main rivals of the BMW 5-Series are the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Audi A6.
Initial demand for the all-new i3 electric sedan has been strong, BMW says.
i3 will be joined by several other Neue Klasse models at the Munich plant.
BMW has initially launched the i3 in 50 xDrive guise with 463 hp.
BMW has kicked off production of the all-electric i3 sedan in Germany, and the significance runs beyond the car itself. The i3 is shaping up as a legitimate rival to the Tesla Model 3, but the bigger story sits with the factory itself. From next year, BMW’s Munich plant will build nothing but EVs, ending decades of combustion-car history at the site where the company has produced vehicles since the 1950s.
Getting there took a substantial rework of the facility. BMW added a new body shop to support production of the i3 and the Neue Klasse models that follow it, along with fresh vehicle assembly and logistics areas and a new delivery hall. The company credits those changes, plus new production technologies and tighter cooperation between departments and suppliers, with cutting manufacturing costs at the plant by 10 percent.
Orders for the new i3 opened in mid-June, and BMW says the reception has been strong enough to trigger a steep production ramp-up. The company won’t say how many are rolling out each day, though it has noted that i3 demand has outpaced even the new iX3, which drew more than 50,000 orders in its first few months.
Efficient And Powerful
“The start of production of the BMW i3 heralds a new era for our main plant,” BMW board member Raymond Wittman said. “With the fully-electric BMW i3, we are bringing together what belongs together: The 3 Series embodies BMW more than almost any other model – and Plant Munich represents our brand more than almost any other production site.”
The i3 is initially available in i3 50 xDrive configuration. This model uses a 108.7 kWh battery pack and has two electric motors combining to produce 463 hp and 476 lb-ft (645 Nm) of torque, allowing it to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.7 seconds. More impressively, the car boasts a WLTP driving range of up to 563 miles (906 km). What’s more, the 800-volt architecture and 400kW DC fast charging support allow 263 miles (423 km) of range to be added in just ten minutes.
The BMW M3 EV has been spied testing on the Nürburgring.
Closely echoes the M Concept Neue Klasse and arrives next year.
Quad motor electric sport sedan could have up to 986 hp.
BMW unveiled the M Concept Neue Klasse in June and it’s quickly inching closer to production. That’s clear from the latest spy photos, which show the high-performance EV undergoing testing at the Nürburgring.
Dressed in familiar black and white camouflage, the model follows in the footsteps of the standard i3. Despite the similarities, we can see the M variant will adopt a unique front bumper with a pronounced air intake. The latter features a triangular center support as well as horizontal fins.
We can also see a pronounced front lip and familiar headlights. Bulky cladding at the outside edges suggests the production model could mimic the concept and sport stacked fog lights instead of the typical air curtains. Elsewhere, there’s a ventilated hood and a double bubble roof.
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The profile carries over virtually untouched, but the model rides on lightweight wheels that are backed up by a high-performance braking system with bronze calipers. The ride height has also been reduced and this is undoubtedly the result of a sport-tuned suspension.
Moving around back, the trunk has been equipped with a relatively subtle spoiler. They’re accompanied by a unique bumper and a sizable diffuser. The latter features air channels on the sides and center as well as small slots between it and the bumper. Speaking of the latter, the bumper appears to have four square reflectors like the concept.
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Spy photographers didn’t get a good look inside, but the cabin should closely echo the i3. This means we can expect Panoramic iDrive as well as a 17.9-inch infotainment system. We also wouldn’t be surprised to find an M steering wheel, sport seats, and special touches.
The model will slot above the i3 50 xDrive, which has a dual motor all-wheel drive system producing 463 hp (345 kW / 469 PS) and 476 lb-ft (645 Nm) of torque. They’re powered by a 108.7 kWh battery pack, which delivers an EPA-estimated range of 440 miles (708 km). The model also has an 800-volt architecture, which allows for an impressive 400 kW DC fast charging capability.
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The M3 EV will improve on those numbers thanks to a quad motor powertrain that “elevates driving experience and racetrack capability to a new level.” BMW has been coy on numbers, but rumors have suggested anywhere from around 691 hp (515 kW / 700 PS) to 986 hp (735 kW / 1,000 PS). For comparison, the Mercedes-AMG C-Class Electric is expected to have approximately 789 hp (588 kW / 800 PS).
While the final numbers are a mystery, BMW has already suggested the car won’t be called the i3 M. Instead, the model will simply be known as the ‘Electric M3’ or ‘M3 EV’ as the company wants customers to know this is a ‘real’ M3 and not just an electric pretender.
BMW has built the 50,000 second-gen iX3 in just nine months.
Company is on track to receive more than 100,000 orders.
Strong demand pushed automaker to add a second-shift early.
The second-generation BMW iX3 debuted less than a year ago, but the electric crossover is already a hit. More than 10,000 units were sold in Europe within a matter of months and the company has seen an influx of orders.
Speaking of the latter, the automaker recently announced they’re on track to hit 100,000 orders relatively soon. To meet the “high demand,” BMW has been ramping up production in Debrecen, Hungary.
Production began last fall and the influx of orders pushed BMW to add a second shift in February 2026. The company noted that was “well ahead of schedule.”
Thanks to the rapid ramp up, BMW has already built the 50,000 iX3. This came just nine months after production began and BMW’s Raymond Wittmann said, “Never before have we built so many vehicles so quickly at a new plant.”
Those sentiments were echoed by Debrecen plant president Hans-Peter Kemser, who said “The production of the 50,000th BMW iX3 reflects the dedication and expertise of our team. As the home of the first series-produced Neue Klasse model, Plant Debrecen is helping shape the future of the BMW Group’s global production network.”
BMW has a lot riding on the iX3 as 40 new or updated models will incorporate Neue Klasse designs and technologies by the end of 2027.
As a refresher, the crossover launched in iX3 50 xDrive guise, featuring a 108.7 kWh battery pack and a dual-motor all-wheel drive system with a combined output of 463 hp (345 kW / 469 PS) and 476 lb-ft (645 Nm) of torque. It enabled the model to have a WLTP range of up to 500 miles (805 km).
More recently, the automaker introduced a cheaper iX3 40. It features a smaller 82.6 kWh battery as well as a rear-mounted motor developing 316 hp (235 kW / 320 PS) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. This enables the crossover to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 5.9 seconds, hit a top speed of 124 mph (200 km/h), and have a WLTP range of up to 395 miles (636 km).
BMW’s electric i4 Convertible has made its spy debut ahead of a 2028 launch.
Neue Klasse bones could deliver over 400 EPA range miles in 463-hp i4 50 trim.
Coupe and electric M4 versions are coming too, alongside six-cylinder M models.
Electric convertibles are still about as common as affordable apartments in Monaco, but BMW wants to change that. These fresh spy shots give us our first look at the new i4 Convertible, a two-door, soft-top relative of the recently revealed i3 sedan that’s headed for showrooms around 2028.
Known internally as NA3, the i4 Convertible will be sold alongside a visually similar combustion drop-top 4-series, featuring a classic-style folding cloth soft top. BMW moved away from the retractable hardtop trend in 2020 to cut weight and improve trunk room, and a soft top makes even more sense when you’re already hauling a large battery around underneath the floor.
The prototype spotted on test in Germany is still covered in BMW’s usual wrap, which looks like the result of a seismograph trying to scribe the earth’s movements after it was T-boned by another planet. But we can see that it retains almost all of the Neue Klasse design cues already seen on the i3 sedan launched earlier this year.
Shorter Wheelbase, Bigger Questions
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What it doesn’t retain, judging by these pictures, is the sedan’s 2,898 mm (114.1 inches) wheelbase. The current 3-series sedan and 4-series coupe and convertible ride on identical wheelbases, but this i4 has noticeably less metal between the axles than the i3 sedan, making us wonder if it really is a genuine four-seater, or whether BMW has shrunk it to a 2+2 to help mask the gap in its lineup that axing the Z4 has left.
The i4 also won’t be as structurally stiff as the sedan. Convertibles normally compensate with extra reinforcement underneath. Trouble is, that’s precisely where an EV carries its battery. Keeping the body stiff without turning the i4 into a Bavarian cruise ship could be one of BMW’s trickier engineering challenges.
More Than 400 Range Miles Possible
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Powertrain details haven’t surfaced yet, but the i3 provides a useful preview. Its 50 xDrive pairs two electric motors for 463 hp (469 PS / 345 kW) and uses a 108.7 kWh battery, 800-volt architecture, and charging at up to 400 kW for 440 EPA range miles (708 km) and 559 miles (900 km) on the WLTP Euro cycle.
This prototype’s wheels and brake calipers tell us it’s an i4 50 xDrive, but a cheaper i4 40 could borrow the iX3 40’s 316 hp (235 kW / 320 PS) rear motor and smaller 82.6 kWh battery pack. BMW might not even be able to fit the 50’s full 108.7 kWh battery given how much shorter the wheelbase seems.
iDrive Goes Panoramic
Inside, expect BMW’s Panoramic iDrive setup, combining a display stretching across the base of the windshield with a huge 17.9-inch touchscreen, plus an available 3D head-up display. This infotainment setup made its debut on the iX3, but is now being rolled out to BMW’s other new and facelifted models, including the i3 sedan (shown in image above).
And the convertible won’t be lonely. A fixed-roof i4 Coupe is also coming, as well as visually similar combustion-powered i4s in both open and closed-roof forms. BMW is also developing electric M4 Coupe and Convertible models with styling influenced by the M Concept Neue Klasse. Six-cylinder M4s will survive alongside them too.
That means BMW’s future 4-series lineup should have something for almost everyone. And if you want electric power, sunshine and (just about) four seats, this i4 might have remarkably little competition.
The long-wheelbase versions of the X5 and iX5 use self-driving tech from Momenta.
BMW partnered with Momenta in mid-2025 to power its local self-driving systems.
One of the iX5’s all-electric versions will have a driving range of over 621 miles.
Less than a month after the all-new BMW X5 premiered, long-wheelbase versions of it and the electric iX5 have arrived in China, and beyond the added length you would struggle to spot anything separating them from the X5s headed to Western markets.
The stretch comes from reworked underpinnings, giving the Chinese models a wheelbase 5.1 inches (130 mm) longer and pushing the gap between the axles to 124.6 inches (3,165 mm). To put that into perspective, the larger X7 sold globally measures 122.2 inches (3,105 mm) between its wheels, so anyone who plans to spend more time in the back seat than behind the wheel might find this X5 the smarter buy.
When BMW rolled out the domestic long-wheelbase versions of the new i3 and iX3 earlier this year, it dropped the pop-out door handles used on those models globally, switching to flap-style handles to satisfy Chinese regulations. The X5 L and iX5 L needed no such fix, keeping the handle tabs built into the pillars, an approach shared with the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
Chinese Autonomy
Perhaps the biggest change related to the driver-assistance systems. It runs software from Chinese company Momenta, using locally trained end-to-end artificial intelligence and providing ‘address-to-address driver assistance.’ While it does not include a LiDAR, as many new cars from China do, it’s likely to be more advanced than the system BMW offers elsewhere.
One minor visual change made to the SUV is the presence of distinctive graphics near the Hofmeister kink and different wheel designs. As standard, the X5 L and iX5 L also feature diagonal daytime running lights, rather than the X-shaped lights of their global model. However, these units will be offered as an option. BMW’s Chinese team has also added extra light strips between the DRLs and the kidney grilles. The front bumper is also slightly less imposing.
Interior Upgrades
Several changes have been made to the cabin, making the long-wheelbase model even more luxurious than the standard model. These include new seats for the front passenger and rear occupants, and a fold-down theatre screen in the second row that supports 8K streaming and gaming. There are also different color options.
BMW has yet to publish powertrain figures for either car, but the company says the local iX5 L will cover more than 621 miles (1,000 km) between charges on the CLTC cycle.
Spy shots show prototype electric M3 with the M Concept Neue Klasse’s hood vent.
Quad-motor powertrain could deliver over 700 hp and advanced torque vectoring.
BMW will sell visually similar electric and gasoline M3 models alongside each other.
BMW‘s electric M3 is gradually stepping out of the shadows. The naming question is already settled, with M boss Frank van Meel confirming at Goodwood that the car drops the i prefix and simply carries the M3 badge. Now fresh spy shots from the Nürburgring show the high-performance EV wearing less camouflage than before, giving a clearer look at the production model BMW hopes will convince enthusiasts that an M car doesn’t need exhausts to be exhilarating.
The latest prototype appears heavily influenced by the recently revealed M Concept Neue Klasse, which BMW showcased at Le Mans as a preview of its future electric performance models. While there’s still some disguise covering key details, the overall shape and many of the styling cues now look very close to what buyers can expect when the car finally reaches showrooms.
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Compared to a regular i3 sedan, this prototype looks considerably more aggressive. The swollen wheel arches remain one of the most obvious giveaways, while the car also appears to feature a wider track, rear diffuser and trunk lid spoiler, and a hood vent that wasn’t visible on previous prototypes, but did appear on the concept.
Under the skin, BMW is expected to fit a quad-motor powertrain with one electric motor driving each wheel. While the company hasn’t confirmed output figures, reports continue to suggest the electric M3 could produce more than 700 hp (710 PS), with up to 1,000 hp (1,014 PS) possible on hardcore models later.
The real challenge, however, isn’t straight-line speed. Plenty of EVs can deliver shocking acceleration. What BMW’s engineers need to prove is that this car can deliver the balance, precision and adjustability that have defined generations of M3s. That’s where the four-motor setup could become a genuine advantage, allowing far more precise torque distribution than a conventional all-wheel-drive system.
More Power Than Its Combustion M3 Brother
Fortunately for traditionalists, the electric model won’t replace the combustion-powered M3. BMW is expected to offer both cars simultaneously, with the gasoline version continuing to fly the flag for six-cylinder performance while the EV pushes the brand into new territory. It’s unlikely that the visually similar petrol M3 will make anywhere near as much power as the electric one, though.
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With camouflage steadily disappearing and testing activity ramping up, it looks increasingly likely that we’ll see the finished product sooner rather than later. Whether diehard M fans embrace it is another matter entirely.
BMW’s electric i3 Touring wagon has been snapped for the first time.
Sleek styling disguises practical shape that preserves cargo space.
Single, dual-motor setups will mirror sedan’s; M3 EV Touring possible.
We knew it was coming, and finally BMW’s next-generation electric wagon has been caught out in the open. Fresh spy shots give us our first proper look at the i3 Touring, the longroof companion to this year’s electric 3-Series sedan, and it looks like practicality won’t come at the expense of style.
BMW briefly teased the wagon during the reveal of the i3 sedan earlier this year, but these prototype images offer a much clearer picture. Even beneath camouflage, the Touring appears sharp and modern, with crisp surfacing, flush door handles, and proportions that feel noticeably more athletic than those on today’s petrol-powered 3-Series Touring.
The shoulder line rises from around the rear door toward the D-pillar, visually shrinking the rear side windows and creating the impression of a lower, sleeker roof. In reality, the roof remains relatively flat, which should help preserve the cargo space buyers expect from a BMW wagon.
Shared Design, Split Foundations
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Like the i3 sedan, the Touring sits on BMW’s dedicated Neue Klasse electric architecture. A combustion-powered Touring is also in development, though it’ll ride on an updated version of the CLAR platform that underpins the current 3-Series. Different foundations, near-identical results, since both are expected to wear almost the same exterior styling once you set aside the proportions, and both get BMW’s new Panoramic iDrive cabin with its wide digital display running along the base of the windshield.
When it comes to powertrains, expect the wagon to again closely mirror the sedan. The only confirmed version so far is the dual-motor i3 50 xDrive, which produces 463 hp (470 PS / 345 kW), but based on what we know of the related iX3 SUV, an i3 40 with a single 316 hp (320 PS / 235 kW) electric motor driving the rear wheels should follow.
520+ Miles Of Electric Range
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BMW is sure to claim some impressive range figures thanks to its sixth-generation eDrive technology, 800-volt electrical architecture, new cylindrical battery cells and a generous 108.7 kWh battery capacity. The Touring’s extra size and weight will likely shave a few miles from the sedan’s incredible 559-mile WLTP (900 km) numbers, but it should still be the longest-legged electric wagon around by a wide margin.
And for anyone already wondering about performance versions, BMW has thought about that too. An M Performance model is inevitable, while given the cult success of the ICE-powered M3 wagon, a fully fledged four-motor electric M3 Touring borrowing heavily from the recent M Concept Neue Klasse sedan could eventually join the lineup.
Electric M3 keeps iconic name, M boss Frank van Meel revealed.
It could have been called iM3 if it followed BMW’s current EV logic.
Quad-motor M3 EV will sell alongside visually similar inline-six sedan.
BMW has finally settled one of the biggest questions surrounding its upcoming electric performance sedan. Contrary to some speculation, the brand’s first battery-powered M3 won’t wear an iM3 badge. Instead, it’ll simply be called M3.
The decision was confirmed by BMW M boss Frank van Meel during the Goodwood Festival of Speed, according to Auto Express. By keeping the legendary nameplate, BMW is signaling that its electric performance sedan isn’t being positioned as a separate branch of the family. Instead, it’ll sit alongside the next-generation combustion-powered M3 as an equal successor to the badge’s long history.
EVs often arrive with distinct names to help separate them from their combustion counterparts. And if the electric M3 adopted the naming logic applied to electric versions of the non-M 3-series, 5-series and countless other BMWs, it could have been called iM3.
BMW, however, appears confident that what defines an M3 goes beyond its power source. The electric model is expected to be the most powerful M3 ever produced. BMW’s new four-motor drivetrain architecture can in theory support outputs approaching 1,341 hp (1,360 PS / 1 MW), though production versions are expected to generate considerably less. But even a modest output like 700 hp (710 PS / 522 kW) for the base car would see it still comfortably eclipse every previous M3.
Not Just About The Power
The M engineers appear focused on more than headline figures, anyway. Christian Karg, head of vehicle dynamics for BMW Group, told Auto Express that “It’s not about the horsepower. That’s a part of the game, but the preciseness of M cars, that’s what’s unique.”
The upcoming sedan’s styling has already been previewed by the dramatic M Concept Neue Klasse (see gallery above), that debuted at Le Mans in June, and was wheeled out again this month for an appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Yellow DRLs An M Telltale?
The concept builds on the chiselled look of the stock i3 sedan revealed last year and on sale this fall. It’s lower than the i3, has much wider fenders, a hood vent that has also been spied on M3 prototypes (see below), yellow DRLs that could become an M hallmark, and a split rear trunk-lid spoiler and huge diffuser.
While production details will inevitably be toned down, the show car offers a strong indication of where BMW M3 design is heading, for both the electric and combustion cars. Because the good news for traditionalists is that a new gasoline-slurping M3 powered by a mild-hybrid six-cylinder engine is also in development. Though the ICE car will use an updated CLAR platform and the EV rides on BMW’s Neue Klasse architecture, they will look almost identical.
Euro NCAP just delivered its biggest overhaul in over a decade.
The BMW iX3 and Zeekr 7GT were the first two cars put through it.
Both earned five stars, yet only one of them came out on top.
The BMW iX3 and Zeekr 7GT are the first two vehicles to earn five-star safety ratings under Euro NCAP’s overhauled testing procedures, the biggest revamp of its scoring in more than a decade. If you expected the German machine to come out ahead, brace yourself, because the Chinese EVwas the one that edged out the BMW.
Euro NCAP now runs new vehicles through four stages, covering Safe Driving, Crash Avoidance, Crash Protection, and Post Crash Safety. In that first stage, the iX3 earned a 73 percent rating, winning praise for its abundance of physical controls, its driver-monitoring system, and its speed-limit recognition.
Across 2,000 km (1,242 miles) of real-world testing in Italy, France, Germany, and Austria, the speed limit assist function correctly identified signage changes in 86 percent of instances, equating to 97 percent of the driven distance. Euro NCAP found the iX3’s driver monitoring system less sensitive to brief visual distraction, and pointed out that while the system can classify occupants, it can’t detect an out-of-position front passenger or spot improper seatbelt use.
The Zeekr 7GT performed even better, scoring 79 percent in the category thanks to its sophisticated driver monitoring system and sensors that flag incorrect lap-only seatbelt use. Zeekr also fitted a manual front passenger airbag cut-off switch for rear-facing child seats along with a child presence detection system that can warn bystanders when a child is left behind. Its speed sign recognition proved weaker, reading limits correctly in only 79 percent of cases, and its vehicle controls cost it points because so many of them live inside the infotainment display.
Two Very Safe EVs
Photos EuroNCAP
In crash avoidance, the new iX3 earned 83 percent while the 7GT stretched ahead at 89 percent. Both cars ran strong active safety systems. Euro NCAP said the Zeekr’s autonomous emergency braking showed near-flawless execution across a range of tests, which helped it pull clear, and its dooring prevention system warned occupants before they could open a door into the path of an oncoming cyclist.
Both the BMW and Zeekr held up well in Crash Protection. The iX3 landed 86 percent and took maximum points in side-impact evaluations, though it managed only good or adequate protection in frontal offset testing. It also fell short of full marks in the full-width test thanks to a marginal driver chest score, even after both rear child dummies earned top marks.
The 7GT once again came out ahead with 93 percent and maximum points across the side mobile barrier, side pole, and far-side occupant impacts. As with the BMW, it drew only a good or adequate rating in frontal offset protection for adults, and it too scored full points for both rear child dummies.
Photos EuroNCAP
Last but not least is Post Crash Safety, with both scoring 95 percent. While both the iX3 and 7GT have electronically operated door handles, testing showed they could still be opened from both inside and outside the vehicle after all crash tests. Euro NCAP noted that the BMW’s high-voltage battery isolated correctly after impacts, while the Zeekr dropped points because its TPS eCall functionality fell short of a maximum score.
The all-electric BMW M4 could debut as soon as 2028 with up to 1,000 hp.
As with the next M3, the M4 will also be sold with a twin-turbo inline-six.
These renderings are based on BMW’s recent M Concept Neue Klasse.
The M3 is not the only member of the family lining up for a battery-powered variant. BMW is reportedly developing a sleek, two-door, electric version of the M4 as well, possibly badged the iM4, and it might look something like this.
At this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours, BMW pulled the covers off the dramatic M Concept Neue Klasse, a preview of the coming electric M3. Everything suggests the concept will map closely onto the eventual production car, which means the two-door iM4 should carry many of the same design cues.
As these renderings from Nikita Chuyko for Kolesa show, the concept’s design works quite well when morphed into a coupe. The front end has remained largely unchanged, sporting a carbon-fiber splitter, small, square DRLs, and aggressive headlights neatly integrated into the slim kidney grilles.
Whereas the M Concept Neue Klasse has odd door handles similar to the Ford Mustang Mach-E, these renderings show it with more traditional handles that sit flush with the bodywork.
The rear is also mostly the same as the four-door concept, sporting the same sleek LED taillights and square fog lights positioned on the bumper. Aerodynamics was a key focus of the show car, and the production model may have a similarly large diffuser with prominent venturi tunnels running up from the floor, sucking the rear tires into the pavement.
What About Power
The BMW M Concept Neue Klasse previews the new electric M3.
BMW isn’t expected to unveil the production-spec electric M3, rumored to wear the iM3 badge, until next year, which means the electric M4, currently codenamed ZA2, probably won’t surface before 2028. Like its sedan sibling, the coupe will run four electric motors, with output expected to land somewhere between 700 hp and 1,000 hp.
Fortunately for ICE fans, it’s not all doom and gloom. Just like the next-gen M3, which will also be sold with the familiar 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six, the next-gen M4 will be available with the same engine. It’s not yet known how similar the ICE models will look compared to the combustion ones.
The BMW iX7 has been spied with slightly less disguise.
Model will have a front end that closely echoes updated i7.
Can expect a roughly 141 kWh battery and around 570 hp.
German automakers have introduced a parade of large crossovers lately as Mercedes unveiled the facelifted GLS in March. The redesigned Audi Q7 arrived earlier this month and will be followed by the Q9 later this year.
Then it will be BMW’s turn as the redesigned X7 will debut in 2027. It will be joined by an all-new iX7, which was recently caught by spy photographers.
The model will follow in the footsteps of the new iX5, but adopt a design that closely mirrors the facelifted i7. As a result, the crossover will have a prominent twin kidney grille that is flanked by split lighting units. Minimalist daytime running lights reside up top and are joined by mid-mounted headlights.
Moving down the sides, we can see the door handles have been replaced by so-called BMW Winglets. They require the “lightest of touches to open the electrically powered doors.”
BMW i7
Elsewhere, there are sizable wheels and a gently sloping roof. Designers also gave the model long rear doors, which should aid entry and egress from the third-row.
The rear end appears to mimic the iX5, but the flagship crossover has unique taillights. The bumper is also more curvaceous and conventional.
SHProshots
The interior will embrace Panoramic iDrive and this means the model will have a nearly full-width screen at the base of the windshield. It will likely be joined by a 17.9-inch infotainment system and an available 14.6-inch front passenger display.
The latter can be used for everything from playing games to watching streaming videos. Users can also listen to music or conduct video calls using the vehicle’s interior camera.
BMW iX5
Powertrain details are more mysterious, but the iX5 60 xDrive gives us a pretty good idea about what to expect. The five-seat crossover has a 141 kWh battery pack that feeds a dual-motor all-wheel drive system developing 570 hp (425 kW / 578 PS) and 594 lb-ft (805 Nm) of torque.
This enables the model to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 4.6 seconds, hit a limited top speed of 130 mph (210 km/h), and have an estimated EPA range of 435 miles (700 km). The crossover also has a 460 kW DC fast charging capability, which can take the battery from 10-80% in as little as 23 minutes.
We can also expect more powerful electric variants as well as an assortment of engines in the regular X7.
New X5 launches this fall as a 394 hp 40 xDrive; 483 hp 50e PHEV lands in 2027.
More variants, including V8-powered M Performance and iX5 Hydrogen, come later.
Door handles replaced by little metal wings; interior gets optional real slate trim.
The first X5’s combination of sports sedan agility and SUV space and ride height blew the market wide open when it debuted in 1999. BMW’s been refining the concept ever since, but the fifth-generation model makes the biggest leap since the first, with crisp Neue Klasse design and more powertrain variety than ever. We’re talking combustion, plug-in hybrid, full electric, go-faster V8s, and eventually hydrogen. That’s a lot of ways to move one SUV.
Let’s start with the way it looks, because this is a very different-looking X5. Naturally, the smaller 2027 iX3 that dropped last fall lends plenty of Neue Klasse design cues, including the clean surfacing and visor-like face. But BMW’s designers did far more than simply punch out a 120-percent iX3. The US-built X5 brings its own ideas, like the new double X light icons that combine headlights, indicators, and daytime running lights into one element.
Round the side, and you’ll spot new door handle tabs built into the pillars, hidden window seals, and chunky wheel arches that look like they’ve been cut clean through by a salami slicer in a Munich deli. This time, those arches get 21-inch wheels as standard and can be filled with rims up to 23 inches across without requiring a trip to the aftermarket. Adaptive dampers are standard, but you’ll pay extra for air springs.
Shift to the rear end, and you’ll notice slim but wide running lights that echo that double-X theme up front. Overall, it’s a clean, confident shape that still looks unmistakably like an X5, just sharper, sportier, more car-like, and way more modern. It’s definitely going to be a major headache for Mercedes’ recently updated, but far less exciting MY27 GLE.
Inside, BMW’s gone heavy on both materials and tech. There’s genuine slate trim on the center console as part of the optional Clear and Bold package, for instance, paired with glass elements on the gear selector and volume controls. A backlit ambient light strip wraps from door to door, and a massive panoramic glass roof fitted to every model covers about 28 square feet (2.6 sqm) up top.
The iX3’s controversial vertical-spoke steering wheel is the default choice, even with the M Sport package, but upgrading to M Sport Professional gets you a more conventional-looking rim. And although all X5s come with soft-close doors, if you want to pretend you’re a Tokyo cab driver, you’ll also need to visit the option list to get the fully automatic door-closing feature.
Screens Everywhere
You’re probably familiar with the X5’s basic digital setup already, BMW having debuted BMW Panoramic iDrive in the iX3 and since rolled it out to the i3 sedan and facelifted 7-Series. The 5-Series will also inherit it soon. The core elements are a centrally mounted tablet, in this case measuring 17.9 inches, and a pillar-to-pillar digital display at the base of the windshield. Projected above that is a 3D head-up display, and you can also opt for a 14.6-inch front passenger screen for streaming movies on the move.
So that’s the design and tech covered, but what about the real hardware? Well, contrary to what the Neue Klasse design suggests, neither the X5 nor the iX5 is built on the BMW Neue Klasse platform, which is the foundation of the iX3 and i3. Both X5s use an updated version of the old model’s CLAR architecture.
The Combustion X5
Kick things off on the ICE side as before is the rear-drive X5 40 and its xDrive all-wheel-drive brother. Each SUV’s engine bay is home to a turbocharged 3.0 liter inline six making 394 hp (400 PS) and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm) of torque, helped along by a 48V mild hybrid system. Those numbers are up 19 hp (19 PS) and a chunky 45 lb-ft (61 Nm) from the MY26 X5 40, and bring the 0-60 mph (97 kmh) time down a tenth (or two in the RWD 40’s case) to 5.1 seconds.
Want a plug-in hybrid instead? The X5 50e AWD pairs that same inline six with a 194 hp (197 PS) electric motor for a combined – and unchanged vs MY26 – 483 hp (490 PS) and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm). It’ll do 0 to 60 in the same 4.6 seconds as before, but can run up to 44 miles (71 km) instead of 39 miles (63 km) on electric power alone, because the battery is upsized from 19.2 kWh to 26.5 kWh.
The Electric iX5
But the headline act is the first-ever BMW iX5, the brand’s first fully electric X5. It’s almost identical to the ICE X5, but misses out on the air intakes between the dual kidney grille and license plate.
The iX5 60 AWD uses two motors for a combined 570 hp (578 PS) and 593 lb-ft (804 Nm), sprinting to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. Not bad, but it’s how far the X5 can go, rather than how fast it gets there, that’s the real showstopper here. BMW estimates the EPA range at an impressive 435 miles (700 km) thanks to a massive 144 kWh battery built from taller versions of the same clever cylindrical cells used in the iX3. The curb weight is likely to be less clever – we’re guessing at 6000+ lbs (2,720 kg).
The 800V system supports up to 460 kW DC charging, taking the battery from 10 to 80 percent in just 22 minutes. BMW reckons you can add around 170 miles (274 km) of range in only 10 minutes flat. There’s also bidirectional charging, so the iX5 can power your house or even another EV in a pinch.
Pricing kicks off at $71,250 for the base X5 40, climbing to $73,550 for the AWD version. The plug-in hybrid 50e xDrive starts at $78,950, while the electric iX5 60 AWD will set you back $81,250. All of those prices are up $1,500 over MY26, but at least the $1,450 destination fee (included in those prices) hasn’t grown.
The combustion X5 40 xDrive arrives first in October, with the rear-drive X5 40, the 50e PHEV, and the iX5 following in early 2027. A V8-powered M Performance version and the fuel-cell-powered iX5 Hydrogen which should deliver 385 miles (750 km) of range will join the lineup later on, by which time BMW will have covered almost every base. And judging from the way it’s been racking up iX3 sales, this fifth-gen X5 looks like it’s going to be a huge hit. Drop a comment below and let us know what you think of the new X5.
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