During the new iX3’s world premiere, BMW teased its upcoming i3 sedan in camo. As expected, these are the production versions of the Vision Neue Klasse X and the Vision Neue Klasse Sedan. Based on the teasers and spy photos, this is what we think the upcoming electric i3 and next-gen 3-series will look like.
The Neue Klasse generation of BMWs marks a brand-new chapter for the German carmaker. This means the introduction of both new technology and styling direction. The Vision Neue Klasse Sedan previews the styling of the upcoming i3 and, to some extent, next 3-Series—but more on that later.
The German carmaker describes its new design language as clear, elegant, and timeless. For its ‘3’ model range, BMW is going for a low and wide kidney grille shape, reminiscent of the one on the classic 507 roadster of the late ’50s. In its modern iteration, the grille blends in with the LED headlights. The Neue Klasse design language also welcomes the return of the classic BMW shark nose profile, a prominent feature of many BMW models introduced in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s.
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Moving on to the profile, the Neue Klasse design has noticeably flatter sides with crisper creases—the complete opposite of the overly curvy ‘flame surfacing’ contours of modern Bimmers. Like the recently launched iX3, other Neue Klasse models will adopt flush pop-out door handles. Another welcome return is the more angular ‘Hofmeister kink’ in place of the curvy 2000s interpretations. At the back, Neue Klasse models get long, slim horizontal
taillights for a unique lighting signature. Since the i3 sedan rides on a dedicated EV platform, it has a much shorter dash-to-axle ratio than traditional rear-wheel-driven combustion-engined BMWs.
Unlike the i5 and the 5-series, BMW’s upcoming i3 and 3-Series won’t share platforms. The regular 3 will most likely ride on an updated version of the current model’s G20 platform, the same way the new internal-combustion G45 X3 rides on updated G01 X3 underpinnings. Based on the spy photos circulating online, the next 3-Series will blend the i3 sedan’s Neue Klasse design language with the German carmaker’s traditional cab-rearward silhouette.
Do you like the direction the German carmaker is going with its new styling? And would you consider the upcoming BMW compact sedans over their counterparts for the three-pointed star and the four rings? Let us know in the comments.
