Update: With its world debut now confirmed for this September at the Munich Motor Show, BMW is putting the finishing touches on the new iX3. The electric SUV has been in development for quite some time, and the latest images from Nurburgring testing show the prototype fitted with what appear to be the finalized headlight and taillight designs.

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One of the test vehicles caught by our spy photographers was fitted with wheels that resemble those from the Vision Neue Klasse sedan concept. It’s still unclear whether these are standard alloys or aero-style covers, but the more pronounced side skirts and bulkier front bumper point to this tester being the M Performance variant, similar to the electric iX M50 or the current gas-powered X3 M50

This sportier version of the iX3 is expected to feature a dual-motor setup and will probably retain the M50 badge. Beyond the upgraded powertrain and more aggressive exterior styling, it’s expected to feature an M-tuned chassis with a firmer, lower suspension and drive modes tailored specifically for performance.

More: 2026 BMW iX3 Neue Klasse Renders Patents Into Reality

Previously, our photographers also spotted a pre-production prototype of the upcoming BMW iX3 Neue Klasse SUV not long after it rolled off the line at the automaker’s plant in Hungary. The fully electric model is now undergoing final-stage development tests ahead of its planned market launch towards the end of 2025.

The BMW iX3 Neue Klasse made its spy debut in November 2023, but early prototypes featured 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.

What’s Up With The Frunk?

The new prototype was also spotted with its hood open. While the BMW iX3 doesn’t appear to have a frunk, as the front space is currently packed with drivetrain hardware, this setup might just be a cover in both the literal and figurative sense, acting as a placeholder for testing. The final production model will in all likelihood include front storage, similar to what’s found in other EVs.

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.

Neue Klasse, First of Many

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.

Under the skin, the Neue Klasse platform supports a new generation of lighter and more efficient electric motors. The iX3 will launch with single and dual-motor configurations, with output expected to range from around 300 to 600 horsepower. It will also feature 800V electrical architecture for faster charging and house next-generation batteries that are 20% more energy-dense, boosting range and efficiency by up to 30%. In its top configuration, the iX3 could travel as far as 800 kilometers, or about 500 miles, on a full charge.

Series production of the Neue Klasse-based iX3 is scheduled to begin later in the second half of 2025.

John Halas contributed to this story.

SH Proshots

The BMW X7 has been a popular addition to the lineup and finished 2024 as the brand’s fifth best-selling vehicle in America. While sales were up 12.5% last year, the crossover is getting old as it originally debuted in 2018.

BMW is getting ready to address this as spy photographers have snapped the first pictures of the second-generation X7. Caught undergoing testing in Europe, the model sports an evolutionary design that eschews the Neue Klasse look. This is a surprising development as the redesigned X5 has already been spotted with the retro-futuristic aesthetic.

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While changes are possible, the prototype sports an evolutionary front fascia with a familiar grille that is flanked by split lighting units. They’re joined by a new front bumper, which sports a pronounced horizontal element as well as a wide lower intake.

Moving further back, we can see an evolutionary but streamlined design. As part of this effort, there’s more curvaceous bodywork and new Ford Mustang Mach-E style door pulls. They’re joined by an upward sweeping beltline, sizable wheels, and a beefy braking system with blue calipers up front.

SHProshots

The rear end is heavily disguised, but the license plate recess has been moved from the liftgate to the bumper. Elsewhere, there’s a four-tailpipe exhaust system and what appears to be a longer spoiler.

Since the crossover is still a ways out, little is known about it. However, it’s expected to ride on the newer CLAR-WE platform and be offered with an assortment of gasoline and diesel engines. More interestingly, we can expect a fully electric iX7 variant. This promises to provide a powertrain for everyone as well as give the upcoming Genesis GV90 some electrifying competition.

Automakers take all kinds of prototypes to the Nurburgring, including SUVs and minivans, because the 12.8-mile (20.6 km) track is as useful for testing a car’s endurance and its handling balance. But some cars absolutely need to work at the Ring because their reputation depends on it, and the 2028 BMW M3 EV is one of them.

The M3 going electric is a big deal, the biggest since BMW replaced the original lightweight four-cylinder homologation special E30 for the fatter, six-cylinder E36 that seemed more like a GT car in comparison. M bosses know the M3 EV will be scrutinized like no M car before it, putting M’s credibility on the line.

Related: This Is What BMW’s First Electric M3 Sounds Like

We’ll have to wait until next year at the earliest to know for sure how good or bad the electric M3 is, but things are looking positive so far. For one, the EV rides on BMW’s Neue Klasse architecture, which debuts on the iX3 SUV later this year and will be rolled out to the 3-series in 2027 and the M3 a year later.

The M3 could also get a four-motor electric drivetrain with up to 700 hp (710 PS), an output that’s way down on both the 1,341+ hp (1,360 PS / 1,000 kW) BMW previously claimed its could squeeze from a future performance EV, never mind the 1,527 hp (1,547 hp / 1,138 kW) of Xiaomi’s record-breaking SU7 Ultra.

However, it’s probably going to feel ample just about everywhere except the looong final straight on the Ring, where you can never have too much power. A Hyundai Ioniq 5 N only has 641 hp (650 PS / 478 kW), and I never climb out of one of those feeling shortchanged.

And with torque vectoring capabilities and a new central control unit keeping the motors and chassis in sync, it might end up being one of the most fun EVs on sale, regardless of price and power. Mind you, it’s going to have some stiff competition in that regard from Alpine’s next A110 and the upcoming Porsche Cayman EV.

Disgusted that BMW is taking the M3 down the electric route? Don’t worry, the ICE M3 isn’t going anywhere, at least not for a while. Today’s CLAR-platform car will be made over with Neue Klasse styling to closely resemble the EV, and its inline six will gain mild-hybrid assistance to boost mpg and push power beyond the 543 hp (550 PS) of the current M3 daddy, the CS. Both will wear simple M3 badges, despite BMW having trademarked the iM3 name.

Images: Baldauf