Next-gen BMW iX3 Testing Nears End in France

The 2026 BMW iX3 is currently testing in Miramas in southern France ahead of its debut later this year in Munich. 

The new iX3 – which will be officially unveiled in September at the IAA Mobility show – will be the first production model from BMW’s new “Neue Klasse” series. 

The “Neue Klasse”, or — in local dialect — “new class” vehicles bear the name of BMWs sedans and coupes of the 1960s and early-70s, which helped to bring BMW back from the brink of bankruptcy by essentially creating a “new class” of car. 

Aside from borrowing various styling-cues from their ancestors – such as in the case of the iX3 a particularly thin kidney grill, a wide front-fascia integrating the headlights and, of course, the hallmark Hoffmeister kink that debuted with the original Neue Klasse – this new generation of vehicles are also set to innovate. 

The iX3 debuts BMW’s latest “Gen6” electric powertrain, which is based on an 800V architecture and is capable of 440kW maximum charging. 

BMW says owners will be able to add over 350km to their range in 10 minutes, trackable live through the My BMW App, with the iX3 capable of 800km of range on the WLTP cycle.

It also supports vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-grid functionality as well as bi-drectional charging. 

Software has been a key focus for the iX3; the “Heart of Joy” control unit and BMW’s “Dynamic Performance Control” software process data from the powertrain, brakes, energy recuperation systems and steering inputs 10 times faster than older BMW software, improving driving dynamics. 

The iX3 also comes with advanced driver aids, allowing for assisted lane changes on the highway, automatic responses at traffic lights, including braking for red lights and green light takeoff, as well as AI-integrated parking assistance functions. 

The iX3 introduces “Panoramic i-Drive”, an all-new version of BMW’s infotainment system, that will now run along the lower portion of the windscreen, integrating with the 3D heads-up display as well as a conventional touchscreen infotainment system. 

As the iX3 nears the end of its development and testing lifecycle, it is set to begin production by the end of 2025. 

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