After years of waiting, BMW’s Neue Klasse era is finally right around the corner. The second-generation iX3 is the first model to arrive, and soon, it’ll be followed up by the new i3, the all-electric version of the 3-Series. Not only does the Neue Klasse bring a new design language, but it also adds advanced new technologies that’ll be introduced across the rest of the BMW family.

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By the end of 2027, more than 40 new or updated BMW models will arrive, all sharing the same core computing systems as the iX3. Many will also adopt the brand’s new Panoramic iDrive setup. The company is calling the iX3’s suite of tech features a “quantum leap” in its evolution.

A Faster Digital Future

“Every technology, everything on the iX3 is all-new,” BMW Neue Klasse boss Mike Reichelt said in an interview with Autocar. “We will roll out this technology across the whole portfolio, and fast. We have never done this before, but it is necessary when you look at the technology such as the computing power and the user interface. There have been so many big jumps.”

Reichelt emphasized that these leaps are too significant to be confined to just one generation. “The quantum leaps in technology in the Neue Klasse are so big that if we don’t integrate this technology in the current portfolio, it will feel like an old portfolio. With the Neue Klasse, we’ve made so much progress it’s like we skipped a model generation, so we have to do it across the range,” he added.

Not Your Usual Facelifts

One of the biggest changes will be to BMW’s upcoming facelifted models. Ordinarily, the tech updates in a refreshed model are relatively minor, with the focus instead being on refining the aesthetics. However, Reichelt confirmed that its next generation of updated models will be much more complex than a traditional facelift.

“Traditionally we’ve had one mid-life update in a product cycle of seven to nine years, mostly design but a bit digital [too],” he said. “Today, every year we’re updating the digital side, so it’s really important to get that into the car. We won’t change the body structure [of existing models], but we will integrate the most relevant aspects of Neue Klasse: the design language, Panoramic iDrive, ADAS, all the digital things.”

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.

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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.

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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.

SH Proshots

The arrival of the new 2026 iX3 marked more than just another model launch for BMW. It signaled the beginning of the brand’s Neue Klasse era, setting the stage for 40 fresh or updated models expected by 2027. Among the most significant will be the all-electric version of the 3-Series sedan, simply called the i3, which BMW has teased in camouflaged form ahead of its official debut next year.

Closer to Reality

While BMW has already shown a similarly camouflaged prototype of the i3 earlier this year in China, the latest version appears to be a little closer to production. The electric sedan is now fitted with the final LED headlights and taillights (instead of provisional units), and rides on a new set of alloy wheels. Overall, it looks like an evolution of the Vision Neue Klasse concept from 2023 with refined details.

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Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, confirmed that the new i3 will debut in 2026, as the first model variant of the next generation 3-Series, though despite the shared design, these two cars will ride on separate platforms, as is the case with the iX3 and X3.

“The next vehicle is already waiting in the wings,” Zipse said. “The details are still hidden beneath the camouflage, but I’m sure you’ll recognize the classic proportions of a sporty sedan.”

He also highlighted the importance of the 3-Series to BMW’s identity. “For the past 50 years and over seven model generations, no other vehicle has been as closely tied to the success of the BMW brand. The 3 Series embodies everything at the very core of BMW. Innovation. Digital user experience. Comfort. Sportiness. Together, these characteristics create an incomparable driving experience,” he added.

The next iteration will double down on those virtues, benefiting from cutting-edge technology in terms of electric motors, batteries, connectivity and autonomous driving systems.

Given that the larger and less aerodynamic iX3 already carries an EPA rating of 400 miles, it’s reasonable to expect the i3’s lower, sleeker profile to stretch that impressive figure even further.

Expanding the Lineup

The i3 will not stand alone for long. Zipse confirmed that the launch will be followed by additional variants, including performance-focused models. An electric equivalent of the M3 is already in development, featuring four electric motors and technology inspired by the Vision Driving Experience concept showcased earlier this year.

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Meanwhile, the next-generation combustion-powered 3-Series will mirror much of the i3’s styling and cabin design, but it will ride on an updated version of the current platform since the Neue Klasse architecture is dedicated exclusively to EVs. Spy shots suggest some subtle differences in proportions between the two, with the ICE model carrying a longer hood and a more upright windshield.

40 New Models By 2027

Besides the new iX3 and i3 siblings, the Neue Klasse treatment will be gradually applied to the entire BMW range. Zipse said that every model from 2026 onward will be new, suggesting that over the next 12 months, they will keep us busy with numerous mid-lifecycle updates.

BMW also offered a preview of its refreshed lineup, showing the silhouettes of “40 new and facelifted” models set to arrive by 2027. The outlines appeared on a video wall during the iX3’s presentation, though the low resolution made it impossible to pick out finer details