Spy photographers recently snapped the first pictures of the Neue Klasse i3 and now we’re getting a look at the M variant. Little is known about it, but BMW M quietly dropped a handful of images on Instagram and their website.

The company isn’t saying much at this point, but noted the car is a prototype and is “on the way to set new standards.” The automaker also referred to the model as the “HP BEV,” which presumably means high-performance battery electric vehicle.

More: BMW Engineers Built An Electric M2 Prototype To Impress The Board Of Management

If those weren’t enough hints, the images were accompanied by a quote from BMW M’s head of development, Dirk Häcker, who said “Electrification opens up completely new degrees of freedom for us to create M typical dynamics.”

Moving onto the pictures themselves, we can see the model follows in the footsteps of previous prototypes as well as the Vision Neue Klasse concept. However, the M prototype is more aggressive as it appears to have a wider track as well as lightweight wheels wrapped in high-performance rubber. The car also sits low, which hints at a sportier suspension setup.

There isn’t much else to see, but the car has retractable door handles and a relatively flat roof. They’re joined by a plain rear end that unsurprisingly lacks an exhaust.

While BMW isn’t saying much, the wrap echoes the one found on the i4-based quad-motor prototype that has been undergoing testing for the past few years. Rumors have suggested the model could have more than 1,000 hp (746 kW / 1,014 PS) as well as advanced torque vectoring and even a tank turn capability.

Given that BMW M has been on an electrification teaser spree as of late, we wouldn’t be surprised if more information were to follow in the coming days.

H/T to BMW Blog

Our spy photographers caught one of the pre-production prototypes of the upcoming BMW iX3 Neue Klasse SUV, shortly after it rolled off the production line in Hungary. The fully electric model goes through the latest stages of development testing ahead of its market launch in 2025.

The BMW iX3 Neue Klasse made its spy debut in November 2023, but early prototypes were fitted with provisional lighting units. The new prototype is fitted with the production headlights and taillights, revealing a modern LED lighting signature. This was the last missing piece of the puzzle, as the bodywork of the SUV has already been uncovered in recent patent drawings.

More: 2026 BMW iX3 Neue Klasse Renders Patents Into Reality

The new prototype was also photographed with the hood open. Unlike other EVs, the BMW iX3 doesn’t appear to have a frunk, with the space being occupied by mechanical components. We can also see the iX3’s pop-out door handles, which are less futuristic than the fin-shaped solution of the Vision Neue Klasse X concept. Judging from earlier spy shots, these will likely find their way into the larger iX5.

The wheels of the prototype suggest that this is one of the lesser versions of the BMW iX3. Our spy photographers suggest that the wheel diameter of the production model will be between 18 inches and 22 inches depending on the trim. The larger size will likely be reserved for the performance-focused offering by BMW M.

The new BMW iX3 will be the first production model to adopt the Neue Klasse styling language before it gets applied to the automaker’s entire range of combustion and electric models. The iX3 will be followed by the i3 sedan, the similarly-sized 3-Series, and the new generation of the X5/iX5, which are set to debut in the coming years.

The Neue Klasse underpinnings are compatible with single and dual electric motors, rumored to produce anywhere between 300 and 600 hp. Furthermore, a new generation of batteries is expected to bring a 30% improvement in charging speed and range, taking the latter to a maximum of over 800 km (500 miles).

BMW recently stated that series production of its first Neue Klasse SUV will begin in late 2025.

SH Proshots

BMW’s Neue Klasse initiative marks a pivotal chapter for the Bavarian brand, with at least six fully electric models set to launch by 2028. Among these, the BMW i3 sedan stands out as one of the most anticipated—a fully electric counterpart to the popular 3 Series. It’s scheduled to hit showrooms in 2026, a year after the iX3 SUV. Now, for the first time, we’ve caught a proper prototype undergoing real-world testing.

Spotted on public roads in Germany, the camouflaged tester doesn’t stray far from the visual language of the Vision Neue Klasse concept presented in 2023. Predictably, however, the production model dials down the concept’s more dramatic flourishes in favor of something more road-ready, without losing its edge. BMW itself has described the styling as “clear, elegant, and timeless,” with subtle nods to the clean(er) lines of the E30, the 3.0 CSL, and even the 2002.

More: BMW’s Neue Klasse Design Is Coming To All ICE Models

At the front, the EV keeps the concept’s signature shark-nose profile but adapts it with larger, more conventional-looking LED headlights nestled into a wide, a wide yet relatively low-slung kidney grille—a welcome departure from the disproportionately oversized grilles that have plagued recent BMW designs. Another notable detail is the hood, beneath which lies a secondary trunk (or frunk), seen ajar during testing.

From the side, the prototype’s flared wheel arches could almost be mistaken for a high-performance M car if it weren’t for the no-nonsense wheels and high-profile tires clearly built for testing duties. Other production-ready elements include a more conventional greenhouse, functional mirrors, pop-out door handles, and subtly reshaped bumpers.

At the rear, provisional high-mounted taillights hint at the final design but are expected to be replaced by sleeker LED clusters as the car inches closer to production readiness.

SH Proshots

BMW Vision Neue Klasse Concept

High Tech Interior

The prototype’s interior remains under cover, but we know that production model will debut BMW’s full-width Panoramic Vision display, stretching across the base of the windshield. This will be paired with an unconventionally shaped infotainment touchscreen. While the Vision Neue Klasse concept featured colorful, avant-garde materials in its four-seat configuration, the production car is expected to tone this down in favor of a more traditional, practical five-seat layout—because, as always, function has to follow form when the rubber meets the road.

Powertrains And Range

The new i3 sedan will be the second model to leverage BMW’s Neue Klasse architecture, debuting just after the iX3 SUV. An entry-level single-motor variant is rumored to deliver around 300 hp, while dual-motor configurations will up the ante for those craving more grunt.

At the top of the lineup, a halo model from the BMW M division could redefine performance EVs entirely, with rumors swirling around a quad-motor system producing a staggering 1,341 hp. If that sounds ambitious, so too does BMW’s claim that its next-gen batteries will enable over 800 km (500 miles) of range while offering lightning-fast charging capabilities. These technological strides are essential if BMW hopes to edge out not just Tesla but a growing list of challengers from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and beyond.

More: BMW’s Next ICE M3 Is A Mild Hybrid, Not A PHEV Like The Heavyweight M5

Interestingly, the i3 sedan will coexist with the combustion-powered 3 Series for the foreseeable future, reflecting BMW’s measured approach to electrification. Its direct competitors will include the Audi A4 e-tron, the forthcoming electric successor to the Mercedes C-Class, and—inevitably—the Tesla Model 3, the world’s best selling sedan.

As development of the Neue Klasse models accelerates, expect to see more prototypes emerge on European roads in the coming months.

SH Proshots