In the annals of automotive history, the BMW 2000 remains a heralded classic amongst enthusiasts and automotive design buffs for its elegant simplicity and engaging drive demeanor. Those cars jettisoned adornments for the visceral thrill of driving, and in the process created a defining design language many of us still associate with the three letter moniker of BMW. The compact sports sedan – one of several original Neue Klasse sedans and coupes produced by the German automaker between 1962 and 1972 credited for rebuilding BMW’s reputation – are openly acknowledged as the spiritual predecessors of automaker’s latest concept, the BMW Vision Neue Klasse, a sedan with ambitions to repeat and rewrite history.
Consider the retro-futuristic BMW Vision Neue Klasse the automotive equivalent of a teaser revealed ahead of an eagerly awaited blockbuster, a glimpse of the German automaker’s plans to steer toward an electrified future emphasizing technology, efficiency, and understated luxury with confidence rather than bravado.
The Neue Klasse is intended to represent more than a singular model, an EV platform with impressive improvements, including 30% more range, 30% faster charging, and 25% increased efficiency produced by the brand’s sixth-generation BMW eDrive.
Refreshed with a design language referencing both the brand’s storied past and their technologically-motivated aspirations, this new concept arrives as a striking departure from the divisive bold stylings that have characterized BMW over the last few years. Unveiled at the IAA Mobility auto show in BMW’s hometown of Munich, Germany, the Vision Neue Klasse’s 4-door sedan silhouette succeeds in communicating its BMW heritage while jettisoning most of extraneous detailing associated with aforementioned BMW models that have subjectively distanced some of the brand’s loyalists.
A lot of the success can be attributed to the concept’s 3D-printed, 3-dimensional front kidney grille and LED lighting assembly, a handsome winged visage paired with a flatter rear end counterpart, that shines “BMW” rather than shouts it out. The impression of a minimalist monolith on four wheels is also accentuated by the flattening effect of the pearl white exterior selected by BMW to showcase the vehicle’s exterior styling.
Sized in proportions within the ballpark of a 3 Series model, the Vision Neue Klasse has all the hallmarks of becoming the template for the German automakers’ stable of vehicles from 2025 on forward. While similar to the color-changing BMW i Vision Dee concept, the Vision Neue Klasse’s slanted shark nose front, tapered midriff, and open-air cabin is realized to an extent that it’s safe to forecast many of these details will find themselves in a newer “new class” of BMW models.
A detail which we think will (unfortunately) remain relegated to this concept is the Vision Neue Klasse’s snazzy yellow-mustard corduroy upholstered seats, a hue with a sunny disposition that accentuates the amount of natural light invited by the glass-wrapped cabin. With an industry-wide detour away from leather, we expect BMW to follow suit in some shape or form, but likely in more muted fashion.
Those devoted to physical controls may be disappointed to note the BMW Vision Neue Klasse’s cabin is primarily a digital affair, with most physical buttons limited to the steering wheel. BMW Panoramic Vision, the automaker’s new iDrive Operating System, projects relevant driving and informational graphics across the entire lower expanse of the windshield inside an otherwise austere dash dominated by a steering wheel and large touchscreen infotainment display.
Look carefully and you’ll notice a small horizontal band drawn across the driver and passenger side windows; the band is an E Ink display designed to communicate where the driver should place their hand to open the doors by placement/gesture in lieu of physical handles.
The BMW Vision Neue Klasse aspires to deliver on its “New Class” moniker powered by its minimalist lines, improved battery cell technology, new technological amenities and safety features, and a sustainable approach to the vehicle’s life cycle. And all signs communicated by the Vision concept harbors promise the German automaker can deliver.
Back in 1968 one auto writer described the then newly revealed BMW 2002 as a “neat little 2-door sedan,” a car that “does everything it’s supposed to do… with ingenuity, style, and verve.” BMW is hoping to reproduce that defining all-encompassing spirit again as it veers headlong into the age of the electric vehicle. The BMW Vision Neue Klasse concept is a promising preview of that hope coming to fruition.
