BMW don’t make SUVs. No, sir, they make “SAVs”, or Sports Activity Vehicles—that’s what BMW have called their SUVs ever since the E53 BMW X5 (the first generation) made its debut back in 1999. And now, BMW have clothed the Vision Neue Klasse thematic concept in SAV architecture. The Vision Neue Klasse concept offers a glimpse of the future of the Bavarian badge, as previewed by the sedan version showcased September last year at IAA Mobility 2023 International Motor Show in Munich.
We love the minimalist design language of the BMW Vision Neue Klasse cars and one of the best things about the new design is that the hydronephrosis plaguing almost every modern BMW vehicle seems to have been reversed. The double-kidney grille looks well-proportioned, in a subtle nod to the clean and simple lines of BMW cars from the 1970s and ‘80s. The interplay of the black surfaces and the grey bodywork adds a certain depth to the car which is only accentuated by the huge sunroof. The trademark kink aft the C-pillar makes the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X instantly identifiable as a product out of Bavaria.
The interior doesn’t disappoint either with the minimalist theme carried forward to the point where there is no instrument console. This may not be to everyone’s taste but, just like oddly-shaped steering wheels, somehow scream “futuristic”, apparently so does a clean dashboard to the point where there is not even a driver’s display. Anyway, that doesn’t mean the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X does away with information completely as BMW Panoramic Vision, positioned across the bottom of the windscreen, relates information to the driver. The central display is integrated into the instrument panel, providing both the driver and the front passengers with access to all infotainment functions.
The BMW Vision Neue Klasse also features new, round lithium-ion battery cells, with a 20 per cent higher volumetric energy density more than 20 per cent higher than the older prismatic cells. It also switches over to an 800-volt system, which should improve charging speed by up to 30 per cent—allowing vehicles to recuperate 300 kilometres of driving range in just 10 minutes. The BMW Vision Neue Klasse X also manages to reduce the drag by 20 per cent to a comparable model in the current line-up (most likely the BMW iX).
While the BMW Vision Neue Klasse X along with its sedan counterpart is obviously electric, there’s one time detail that offers hope that BMW engineers have not forgotten their core customers—the accelerator pedal is floor-hinged instead of hanging. Most people may not care about such a tiny detail particularly in an EV, but that tells us, the enthusiasts, that there may yet still be hope for our continued existence in this brave new world.
