BMW’s latest concept is production bound, potentially with little change.

AND so BMW’s styling adventure continues …. the Vision Neue Klasse concept Munich has rolled out reveals the next look of its sedan models.

Impressed? Unsure? Incensed? 

The internet is already running hot with comment reflecting the full range of sentiment about the production repercussions from this concept, a star of the 2023 IAA Mobility international motor show in Munich this week. 

What’s revealed here is an evolution of the look previously shown on the BMW i Vision Dee concept at CES earlier this year, and perhaps what’s striking is the simplicity of its three-box 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 car is labelled as a styling exercise, BMW has made clear that this design is very close to that of a forthcoming production car.

BMW is still playing around with its signature kidney grille. This one has LED headlights incorporated into them and some visual trickery to give a three-dimensional effect. 

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 leans into the minimalist look and bright yellow cord material on the seats is a ambitious twist. Chrome and leather absents from the cabin to enforce that this is a more environmentally friendly package.

A glassy drive selector and a wireless phone charging cradle are within the centre console. 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. Stuff of pure fiction? No way. BMW intends for this to feature in upcoming production cars.

Engines? There’s no place for internal combustion. We’re fully in the age of electric motors. This is purely an EV exercise.

A significant part of the Vision Neue Klasse is the electrical architecture, also set for use in the production model. BMW has yet to relate the full story about its latest battery technology, combined with a high-voltage system, but says it will enable the production car to have “30 percent more range, 30 percent faster charging and 25 percent more efficiency”. The battery uses newly developed round cells with 20 percent higher energy density.