The future of BMW's electric saloon design is being previewed by the Vision Neue Klasse concept car making its debut at the 2023 IAA Mobility international motor show in Munich this coming week. It features an evolution of the look previously shown on the BMW i Vision Dee concept at CES earlier this year.
Aside from its typical three-box saloon prolife, the Vision Neue Klasse is styled like no current BMW model with a strikingly simple shape. The bodywork is mainly flat, with sharp lines running along the lower portion of the doors. Around the front and rear bumpers and on the sills is a recycled material that clearly shows its composition with speckles of various coloured plastics.
While the Vision Neue Klasse is a concept, BMW's stylists told CompleteCar.ie that the design is very close to that of a forthcoming production car. It ushers in a new era of design language for BMW, which should be less polarising than that found on some of its current models.
LED kidney grilles
There is a fresh take on the brand's signature kidney grilles up front with the LED headlights incorporated into them and some visual trickery to give a three-dimensional effect as if you can see through the car. BMW's designers have employed the use of 'E Ink' along the base of the side windows to visually lower the glasshouse and use the area to incorporate digital door handles. A sensor area can be used to automatically open the doors and this section is highlighted by the E Ink, guiding passengers towards it.
The interior is quite a departure from the current crop of BMW models' and leans into the minimalist look. Bright yellow cord material on the seats isn't what we're used to seeing from BMW, but it makes for a refreshing change, enhancing the lounge-like experience inside. There is no chrome or leather in the cabin of the Vision Neue Klasse to support a more environmentally friendly package.
New take on digital instrumentation
A glassy drive selector and a wireless phone charging cradle are within the centre console. A single large touchscreen display is placed at the dashboard's centre and, unusually, isn't a perfect rectangle. However, that isn't the most impressive display inside the Vision Neue Klasse.
BMW's curved 'Panoramic Vision' sits where the dashboard meets the windscreen, providing a broad display for both driver and passenger. Changing what is shown there can be done through a simple gesture control, meaning the driver can pinch or swipe in mid-air to move items around. It looks like the stuff of pure fiction, but BMW intends for this to feature in upcoming production cars.
A significant part of the Vision Neue Klasse is the electrical architecture, set of use in the production model. BMW's latest battery technology, combined with a high-voltage system, will enable the production car to have "30 per cent more range, 30 per cent faster charging and 25 per cent more efficiency", says BMW. The battery will use newly developed round cells with 20 per cent higher energy density.