BMW’s largest crossover is set for its biggest makeover yet, bringing a heavy redesign that leans into the Neue Klasse school of design. Codenamed G67, the next X7 is also set to spawn an all-electric iX7 variant for the very first time.

More: BMW’s New 3 Series Faces Its Most Defining Transformation In 50 Years

Our spies behind the lens have snapped the new X7 testing out in the wild, but that hasn’t stopped us from decoding the camouflage to give you a sneak peek as to what Bavaria’s next luxury SUV will look like. Read on as we break down everything we’ve uncovered so far.

Neue Klasse Curves

Controversially, the X7 retains its split-headlamp array, with the DRLs mounted high up against the hood line, whilst the main beams are repositioned into squarer units lower down. The redesigned twin kidneys remain equally as bold as before, but now feature lighting elements in place of chrome and the lower intake is more rectangular in shape.

More: Is Your BMW About To Feel Old Overnight? Neue Klasse Facelifts Say Yes

Where the Neue Klasse aesthetic really takes hold is in the side profile, where the front and rear fenders, along with the smooth, flush surfacing, draw clear parallels to the recently revealed iX3.

Baldauf

Conventional door handles are gone, replaced by subtle ‘winglets’ that rise from the beltline in a style reminiscent of the Mustang Mach-E. The rear quarter glass is a pinch larger and has more of that traditional ‘Hofmeister kink’ than other recent BMWs.

The rear will retain the split tailgate, and the taillights will be slimmer LED units. M-performance variants will sport quad tailpipes, while the all-electric iX7 will have a different lower valance to reflect its petroleum-free powertrain.

Panoramic Vision

Inside, BMW will introduce its Panoramic iDrive infotainment system in the new X7: a pillar-to-pillar display at the base of the windshield with customizable sections for both core driver information and passenger entertainment.

More: AMG’s New Electric Hyper Sedan Wants To Silence The Competition With Over 1300 Explosive Horses

This is accompanied by a 3D Head-Up Display and a large central touch display for key infotainment functions, though traditionalists ergonomics advocates alike may lament the removal of the physical iDrive rotary controller.

Other interior touches will likely follow the new iX3 in terms of cleaner surfacing and reduced clutter, but will use more glass inlays, atmospheric ambient lighting, and premium materials.

Improved driver assistance features include hands-off capabilities for motorway driving and City Assist with traffic light detection, which allows the car to stop and then resume movement automatically.

Platform and Powertrains

Underneath it all, the X7 will continue to use a heavily updated version of BMW’s CLAR architecture (Cluster Architecture). Expect adaptive air suspension with adaptive dampers, possibly including rear-axle steering and active anti-roll control.

Alongside petrol and diesel engines, there will be an electric iX7 variant for the first time. Using the iX3 as a guide, we can expect a dual-motor version pumping out 463 hp (345 kW).

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If that’s not enough, a thumping 800-horsepower M70 is on the roster, alongside an even more powerful Alpina option. As our own Chris Chilton reports, the system will use an 800-volt architecture with a 110 kWh cylindrical-cell battery pack.

Expect the B58 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six with 48-volt mild-hybrid technology to continue, alongside the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 derived from the S68. The 40d xDrive inline-six diesel will also return for markets where oil-burners remain popular.

Rivals and Reveal

Primary rivals include the Mercedes-Benz GLS, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, and Audi’s upcoming flagship, the Q9. Other competitors include the Genesis GV90, the Lexus LX, the Range Rover, the Cadillac Escalade IQ, the Infiniti QX80, and the Lincoln Navigator.

More: BMW Is About To Kill Off Three Long Running Models

An official reveal is scheduled for sometime between late 2026 and early 2027, with production set to commence shortly thereafter. Both the X7 and the iX7 will be produced at BMW’s Spartanburg assembly plant in South Carolina.

What do you think of the X7’s Neue Klasse-inspired look? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Update: A lot has happened since we last looked at the future G50 3 Series. Thanks to new renderings, fresh intel, and the latest spy shots, we now have the clearest picture yet of how Munich’s defining sports sedan is set to evolve in its next generation.

Sedans may no longer dominate sales charts in an SUV-driven world, but the3-Series still has plenty of road left ahead of it. This compact executive four-door has been a pillar of BMW’s lineup for fifty years, valued as much for its reputation as for the way it drives.

Also: BMW Is About To Kill Off Three Models

The next chapter begins in 2026, when a new generation arrives in two distinct forms: the all-electric i3, codenamed NA0, and the traditional internal-combustion 3 Series, codenamed G50. If that sounds familiar, it’s because BMW’s been work-shopping this approach with their bigger sedans, the i5/5-Series and i7/7-Series.

The 3 Series and its EV sibling are now set to follow the same playbook, giving customers a choice between conventional gasoline power and fully electric performance.

Spied And Rendered

Illustrations Kelsonik / Kolesa

Recent spy shots of prototypes have revealed both gas-powered and fully electric versions of the next-gen 3-Series. While both share the “Neue Klasse” design language, the differences in proportions are telling.

The ICE testers feature a slightly longer hood, a sharper dash-to-axle ratio, and a more upright windshield. These elements combined make it look less like a complete EV-inspired redesign and more like an extensively reworked version of the current G20-generation BMW 3-Series.

These sightings have inspired digital artists Theottle and Kelsonic from Kolesa to create their own renderings of the next 3 Series, each offering an early glimpse of how the sedan’s styling might evolve.

More: BMW Almost Launched An All-Electric Hypercar With 1,300 HP

BMW’s signature shark-nose design returns with a sharper, more athletic edge, framed by a fresh take on the kidney grilles. Slimmer and wider than on today’s models, the grilles now stretch across the front and now double as housing for sensors and tech that support advanced driver-assistance features. A deeper front bumper and lightly flared fenders complete the look, adding some muscle without drifting into excess.

Flush door handles bring the styling in line with BMW’s latest clean-surfaced aesthetic, while the greenhouse and Hofmeister kink stay intact.

The next generation of the BMW 3-Series sedan (Photos: SHProshots)

The BMW i3 Neue Klasse sedan.

Out back, heavy camouflage forces a little guesswork. Theottle’s rendering draws from the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse concept, with a full-width light bar and crisp LED signatures, while Kelsonic’s interpretation borrows slimmer light units reminiscent of the production iX3. Lower down, both envision sportier bumpers inspired by BMW’s M division, in line with prototypes wearing large alloys, upgraded brakes, and quad tailpipes.

Tech Blueprint From The iX3

While we have yet to get a glimpse of the 3-Series prototype’s interior during development testing, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect, largely thanks to the new iX3 that serves as the blueprint for BMW’s next generation of models.

At the center is the new Panoramic iDrive system that replaces the traditional instrument cluster with a wide digital display stretching across the full width of the dashboard. It places essentials like speed and electric range directly in the driver’s line of sight while allowing the rest of the information to be tailored to both driver and passenger. The screen itself is divided into three flexible sections, each configurable to suit individual preferences.

BMW will also offer an optional head-up display with animated guidance that counts down to the next turn. The setup is joined by a large, asymmetrically shaped infotainment touchscreen on the center console and a handful of physical switches for everyday functions.

Two Platforms, Two Paths

Unlike the i5/5-Series and i7/7-Series, where BMW paired EVs and ICE models on the same platform, the i3 and 3-Series are believed to head down different paths.

The all-electric i3 sedan will ride on the Neue Klasse architecture, shared with the upcoming iX3 SUV, while the combustion-powered 3-Series will reportedly stick to the CLAR platform, which also underpins the forthcoming G45 X3. This would explain the differences in proportions and styling details we see in the i3 and ICE 3-Series prototypes here.

More: BMW’s Next M350 Is Getting A Major Design Overhaul

Based on what we’ve seen with the mechanically related X3, the next-gen 3-Series will likely offer mild-hybrid upgrades of BMW’s proven 2.0-liter four-cylinder and 3.0-liter inline-six, with the latter forming the heart of the next M350. Both should see gains in efficiency and power over today’s units.

A Mild-Hybrid M3 Is In The Cards

Interestingly, even the mighty M3 isn’t immune to electrification. However, as BMW officials told us in a recent trip, the next M3 will forego the heavy plug-in hybrid setup of the M5, instead opting for a lighter mild-hybrid system. This should provide outputs in excess of the current ratings of 473 hp, 503 hp, and 523 hp, depending on whether you’re looking at the standard car, the Competition, or the Competition xDrive, not to mention the inevitable special editions.

More: 2027 BMW iM3 EV Begins Testing, Could Pack Over 700 HP

Meanwhile, for those following BMW’s EV push, a quad-motor all-electric counterpart to the M3, possibly called the iM3, is already under development. With over 700 horsepower and near instant torque, it promises tire-melting lunacy for the brave few. And there may be more to come, as BMW has hinted the setup could be pushed past 1,300 horsepower, though whether that kind of excess ever makes it to production in some form of a special edition is another story.

The downside is weight, and plenty of it, as spy shots suggest the electric M3 could be at least 465 kg (1,025 lbs) heavier than today’s car. Hardly surprising, then, if carbon-ceramic brakes show up on the options list, just as they do on the current M3 and M4.

When Will They Arrive?

The current G20-generation BMW 3-Series first graced the stage in 2018, with minor facelifts arriving in 2022 and 2024. BMW has already confirmed the electric i3 for next year, and while it hasn’t given a timeline for the ICE 3 Series, it will most likely be introduced in 2026 as a 2027 model year, with the actual market launch possibly slipping into 2027.

John Halas contributed to this story.

Illustrations by Theottle / YouTube and Kelsonic / Autoreview

We now know that combustion engines won’t completely disappear from automakers’ European lineups in 2035, as some previously feared, because some hybrids will live on. But according to one senior BMW suit, ICE hasn’t just been given a 10-year reprieve. It’s immortal.

“ICE and combustion engines will never disappear. Never!” So said Jochen Goller, BMW’s head of customer, brand and sales in a recent roundtable interview at the Munich Motor Show. This is the same show, remember, where BMW unveiled the electric iX3, the first of the Neue Klasse vehicles that will guide the brand forward for the next decade or more.

How Serious Was He?

Was Goller serious? He obviously didn’t mean that gasoline power will be around when cars can fly, but humans don’t need them because they’ve mastered teleportation (BMW’s pod will naturally deliver ultimate teleportation pleasure) and half of us are living on Mars. No one with half a brain believes that. But was he suggesting that combustion engines will still be around 40, 50, or 60 years from now?

Related: ‘We’ll Be Driving Full Speed Into The Wall’ Warns Mercedes Chief On Europe’s EV Future

BMW’s press team was quick to temper any excitement over Goller’s Braveheart-like pro-petrol stance. According to AMS magazine, a BMW spokesperson explained that the comments were made in a “humorous context. They added that the sales chief was trying to highlight that the take-up of new drive technology varies dramatically between different countries and regions.

Numbers Tell the Story

Unfortunately for those of us in Europe and the US, that take-up is happening more quickly than in some other markets, even if in some cases it’s not happening as fast as automakers like BMW once hoped. Electric cars now account for a fifth of all new car sales in Europe, and though their share in the US is smaller, mass acceptance in America (and maybe regulatory change ensuring it) is still going to happen sooner than in India or some remote part of Africa or Asia.

The good news for us Westerners not keen on moving to Chad just so we can avoid buying an EV from our BMW dealer is that BMW seems committed to a multi-energy strategy worldwide, at least for a while yet. The company’s older CLAR platform is being updated to ensure combustion and hybrid options, like the new X7 seen in the spy shot below, live on alongside the Neue Klasse EV models.

A Multi-Platform Future

Autocar India, which first reported Goller’s comments, claims BMW will eventually have three platforms: the Neue Klasse for EVs, a new multi-energy version for hybrids (and presumably hydrogen), and a basic platform for entry-level ICE machines.

So will combustion engines never die? Of course they’ll die eventually, but with hybrid help, customer demand, and maybe e-fuels, they’ve got years left in the tank.

The 2026 iX3 unveiled at this month’s Munich Motor Show is just the first of several electric models BMW will drop in the next five years. And this biggest of them all is the new iX7, which our spy photo team has snapped on test maneuvers for the first time.

We published scoop images of the regular next-generation X7 a few months back, but that model’s quad exhausts left us in no doubt that we were looking at a combustion version, almost certainly powered by a hybrid-assisted 4.4-liter V8.

No Pipes, No Noise

But the prototype in these fresh images has no tailpipes or large transverse silencer beneath the rear bumper. And our photo guys say it remained near-silent even when the driver gave it a serious bootfull of throttle right in front of them, meaning it wasn’t a PHEV.

Related: Is BMW Teasing The Next i4 With This Mysterious Sedan?

BMW has never offered electric iX versions of the X5 and X7 before, but that’s about to change. The iX5 is scheduled to arrive next year, with the iX7 arriving in 2027. Both will adopt the Neue Klasse design language already seen on the iX3 and coming to the all-new electric 3-Series within the next 12 months. But unlike those cars, the X5/iX5 and X7/iX7 will roll on updated versions of the older CLAR architecture found on the current X5 and X7 SUVs.

Shared Looks, Different Power

SH Proshots

Because petrol and electric versions of the G67-code X7 use the same platform, styling differences between the two are unlikely to be significant. And neither will fully embrace the Neue Klasse look by switching to a visor-style front end. Based on what we can see from the spy shots the next X7 retains both a large grille and the two-level lighting setup, reflecting the fact that its customer demographic is older and more conservative than the iX3’s.

But the iX7 will get some of the same clever infotainment and electrical hardware featured on its baby brother. BMW’s clever cylindrical battery cells are around 20 percent more energy-dense than conventional versions, and allow more driving range and – together with 800-volt electrics – shorter charge times. The iX3 is rated at 400 EPA miles (644 km) and it’s possible the iX7 could be equally suitable for long journeys with an even bigger battery measuring well over 110 kWh.

Horsepower with Headroom

The first iX3 to launch is the 50 xDrive, which delivers 463 hp (345 kW / 469 PS) from dual motors, but mid- and top-spec versions of the iX7 will need and get more muscle than that. We wouldn’t be surprised to see an M70 performance trim with over 800 hp (811 PS / 597 kW), while there’s also been talk about the iX7 getting an Alpina version too packing an extra 100 horsepower on top of that.

SH Proshots

Is BMW preparing a completely new four-door sedan to expand its Neue Klasse family? The upcoming all-electric i3 sedan is already confirmed to join the lineup, following the second-generation iX3, but BMW’s own website now features something unexpected: a sporty Neue Klasse-inspired model that, unless we’re mistaken, has never appeared before.

This mystery car has been added to the German page for the new iX3 and serves to showcase some of the iX3’s driving assistance systems. The short clips, which are entirely animated, preview features like the radar cruise control, automatic sign recognition, and BMW’s new autonomous lane change function. It also shows how BMW’s Parking Assistant Professional system works, allowing vehicles to be pulled in and out of parking spaces using the BMW app.

Read: The iX3 Is BMW’s Neue Klasse Future Now With A Surprising Price Tag

The vehicle created to showcase these driving and parking assistance systems carries the Neue Klasse design language, yet it looks noticeably different from the new i3, seen both in repeated concept form and more recently, in camouflaged pre-production guise.

Up front it wears stylized kidney grilles paired with slim LED headlights, while along the sides the smooth surfacing is complemented by flush door handles. At the rear, narrow taillights complete the look, and overall the car appears wider and more substantial than the i3. Another noteworthy detail is the use of production-style exterior mirrors, a feature not typically seen on more far-fetched concept cars.

Digital Stand-In or Hidden Teaser?

These vehicles are typically referred to as computer-generated concepts, although it is a little weird that it went to the trouble of designing a new concept just for this purpose, rather than using the iX3 to showcase these autonomous functions. Then again, it might stem from an earlier development sketch of the upcoming i3, whether from the concepts that preceded it or as part of the design process for the production model.

Perhaps a New i4, or Maybe Nothing at All

Could a vehicle resembling this make it to production? There’s always a chance, especially if BMW is considering a successor to the i4 Gran Coupe, as the proportions and stance suggest it could serve as a sportier counterpart to the i3. On the other hand, the company may have no intention of adding another all-electric sedan to the Neue Klasse range, choosing instead to let this computer-generated design influence smaller styling elements across future models.

We’ve reached out to BMW and will update this story if we hear back. In the meantime, what’s your verdict on this concept? Would you want to see BMW put something like it into production?

Sources: BMW, Carbuzz

Thanks to recent BMW concepts, as well as a series of detailed renderings, we have a good idea of what the next-generation 3-Series will look like. Arriving in both combustion form as the 3-Series and as a fully electric i3, the compact luxury sports sedan will be the latest to carry the brand’s Neue Klasse design language, launching with a more thoroughly updated and modernized look.

Read: The One Badge BMW Didn’t Want Us To See On The Electric M3

BMW has recently begun testing the new model with various powertrains near its base in Munich, Germany, and this particular prototype is interesting. Whereas others snapped testing in recent months have had plenty of faux body panels to throw off our prying eyes, this is the first we’ve seen with production-ready headlights.

A Sharper Face

As we expected, they are very similar in shape and size to the original Vision Neue Klasse concept and suit the new-age sedan nicely. They’re edgier than the ones used in the current 3-Series and flow neatly into a set of much smaller, narrow-style kidney grilles. The result in a classier front end, addressing one of the most controversial elements of the existing model.

Of course, it’s not just the face of the 3-Series that is due for a major overhaul. All of the exterior panels will be changed, too, with some parts, such as the door and rear quarter panels reminiscent of those on the current 5-Series. The taillights also appear neatly integrated into the tail of the four-door sedan, although it’s difficult to know if the ones on this prototype are the final production units.

Two Architectures, One Lineup

Interestingly, the new 3-Series and the all-electric i3 are expected to use different platforms. Whereas the EV will use the Neue Klasse architecture seen in the iX3 SUV, the combustion model will stick with the CLAR platform.

ICE models will be offered with several different 2.0-liter four-cylinder and 3.0-liter inline-sixes, depending on the market. Meanwhile, the next M3 will use a version of current model’s 3.0-liter twin-turbo six, albeit with the addition of a mild-hybrid system.

More: The iX3 Is BMW’s Neue Klasse Future Now With A Surprising Price Tag

BMW has not announced when the new 3-Series will hit the market, but we expect to see it unveiled sometime next year alongside the new i3, before it is introduced as a 2027 model. Until then, the camouflaged prototypes will continue roaming the streets around Munich, offering occasional glimpses of what’s to come.

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