BMW's Attack with the Neue Klasse: iX3 M60, iX4, and i3 M60

BMW is spreading the Neue Klasse platform step by step into all segments: with the iX3 M60 xDrive, a stacked performance layer, with the iX4 the SUV coupé body, and with the iX3 the compact luxury sedan. These three pieces, unveiled back to back in October 2026, show that Munich's electrification strategy is actually the slices of a single plan. On this page, we examine all three models at a glance, with their power and range figures, their relationship to the current X5/iX lineup, and the path leading to the four-motor electric M3. Highlights

The Neue Klasse Offensive: How Is BMW Expanding Its Electric Family?

For many years, the phrase "electric BMW" brought to mind models launched with a single impulse and with controversial character. Neue Klasse is deliberately closing that era. The platform made its first public appearance at the 2024 Paris Motor Show, its production premiere was held in Munich in 2025, and series production began in Debrecen in October. Now the stage goes beyond introducing a single model: within the same week, BMW held the official premiere of the iX3 M60 and introduced the iX4 to the world.

This speed is no coincidence. BMW conceives Neue Klasse not as a car but as a skeleton: an 800-volt electrical architecture, Gen6 batteries with cylindrical cells, bidirectional charging capability, and a central computer called "Heart of Joy" that runs ten times faster than previous generations. The same base takes on different personalities depending on the body placed on top. The SUV, SUV coupé, sedan, and ultimately the performance cars of the M division all stand on the same ground. In the past, each model carried its own platform and engineering costs were covered by a single model; now, an infrastructure designed once feeds a four-to-five-year product plan.

iX3 M60 xDrive: Neue Klasse's First True M Model

The most powerful version of the iX3 delivers 450 kW with official figures, that is, 612 hp of power. One motor is placed on each of the front and rear axles; the rear axle uses the new-generation EESM, that is, an electrically excited synchronous motor, while the front has an induction motor. Peak torque is 875 Nm. 0-100 km/h takes 3.9 seconds, with a top speed of 240 km/h. This is a balance we are not quite accustomed to in the M division's classic combustion-engined gradations: the M60 is both a performance variant and the family's showcase product.

The real story is not power, but being able to put power and range in the same bowl. With the 108.7 kWh usable battery, the WLTP range goes up to 754 km. With 400 kW DC charging support, it can add 340 km of range in 10 minutes at an 800-volt station; 22 kW AC charging is also standard with AC Charging Professional. The calculation of fitting an intercity journey into a coffee break is no longer mathematics, it has become a habit.

Chassis and Equipment: The Electric Vocabulary of M Dynamics

Underneath the M60 are adaptive M suspension, variable-ratio sport steering, and the M Sport differential. Working together with Heart of Joy, M Dynamic Performance Control can balance torque distribution at a speed the driver cannot perceive; BMW states that this computer is ten times faster than previous systems. The headlight icons called M Yellow Lights are inspired by the M Hybrid V8 race car that left its mark on Le Mans. Inside, there is a panoramic iDrive, Panoramic Vision, a 17.9-inch central display, an optional 3D Head-Up Display, 10-way power-adjustable M Sport seats with massage, and a 430-watt Harman Kardon sound system with 13 speakers and Dolby Atmos support. The Motorway Assistant allows hands-free SAE Level 2 driving on the highway up to 130 km/h.

Consumption figures range between 20.5-17.6 kWh/100 km, with CO2 class A. Orders will open at the end of January 2027, and production will begin in Debrecen in spring 2027. The entry-level iX3 50 xDrive goes on sale in the US market in fall 2026; the starting price is $61,500, with an EPA range of 383-434 miles.

iX4: The Range Champion SUV Coupé

The iX4 is the second body of the Neue Klasse family and BMW's fully electric SUV coupé that replaces the X4. It is about €5,000 more expensive than the iX3, which shares the same platform, but it is ambitious on the range front: up to 828 km / 514 miles on the WLTP cycle. According to US measurement, the EPA range is 428 miles. Coming with a 112.2 kWh battery and Gen6 eDrive, the iX4 50 xDrive offers 469 hp, 0-62 mph in 4.9 seconds. It is expected to launch in March 2027, with a US starting price of around $66,000.

The most striking point in this picture is that the difference between the iX3 and iX4 does not go beyond the body. The underpinnings are almost exactly the same: 108.7 kWh usable battery, 469 hp, 645 Nm of torque, one motor on each axle. BMW sells the same platform to two different customer profiles with two different bodies; the coupé roofline works so well for aerodynamics that the more expensive model is also the longer-range model. A 603 hp M60 xDrive version is planned to be added later; that is, as with the iX3, the performance layer will arrive with a slight delay here as well.

i3 and i3 M60: The Sedan Front Opens in 2027

The third piece is the i3, a four-door sedan based on the Neue Klasse platform. The entry-level i3 50 xDrive offers 463 hp and completes 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds. A striking detail is that the car will be sold alongside the traditional gasoline-powered 3 Series: BMW is anchoring the electric sedan not in a separate size class, but in the name at the heart of the brand. This also summarizes the difference between the current picture and the unconventional, carbon-bodied little car that once carried the i3 name.

The performance side has not yet reached the official press release stage, but a 603-hp i3 M60 is expected in early 2027. This figure should not be confused with the iX3 M60's official 612 hp; the two models' M60s are being announced at different stages of production, and the sedan version's final power will become clear with official documentation. Given the shared platform's nature, it is an expected scenario that the technical package in the iX3 M60 will largely carry over here as well.

Comparison in Numbers: Three Models, One Platform

The table below puts the known key data of the three models side by side. There is one nuance to note: WLTP and EPA range measurements use different cycles; the kilometer values announced for Europe systematically come out longer than the US mile values.

There is no difference on the charging side: all support 400 kW DC speeds and an 800-volt architecture. The iX3 50 xDrive promises approximately 230 miles of range from a 10-minute charge, and with a 4,400 lbs towing capacity, it also enters the radar of tradespeople.

X5, iX5, and the Electric M3: The Two Ends of the Expansion

The Neue Klasse offensive's map is not limited to three new models. The fifth-generation X5 was introduced in its updated form with Neue Klasse technologies, and production began in August 2026 at the Spartanburg factory in the US. The 2027 X5 lineup includes BMW Panoramic iDrive, the first fully electric iX5, and a long-range plug-in hybrid; the base gasoline version also gets a 19 hp increase. In other words, BMW aims to keep the entire ladder standing at once, from the classic framed SUV to the electric compact CUV.

At the top of the ladder is the electric M3. The BMW M Concept Neue Klasse was introduced at Le Mans and previewed the brand's first fully electric M3. The setup is based on four electric motors; the target is over 1,000 hp and a launch around 2027. BMW has officially stated that the Neue Klasse platform is suitable for four motors and allows configurations in the 268-1,341 hp range. An iX3 M60 purchased today is the first step of this roadmap; the four-motor M3 is its summit. While the iX3 M60 has front and rear motors, the M3 will move to an architecture that sends independent torque to each wheel; torque vectoring will carry the software balance that M Dynamic Performance Control establishes today to the physical level.

Where Does This Attack Fit in the Second Half of 2026?

The premium electric market is competing on three fronts in the final quarter of 2026: range, charging speed, and performance. The iX3's direct rivals are listed as the Audi Q6 e-tron, Polestar 4, Porsche Macan Electric, and Tesla Model Y. There are notes that the Porsche Macan EV 4S completed 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds in independent tests, potentially showing better performance than the iX3 M60's official figures; the Polestar 4, meanwhile, offers similar power and range from a lower starting price with a more aerodynamic body.

In response, the iX3 holds two trump cards: class-leading range and a road-holding assessment of "worthy of being a BMW." The criticism side is not empty either - climate control being trapped on the touchscreen, the squircle-shaped steering wheel, and the small 2 ft3 front trunk are among the cited cons. On the pricing front, an interesting side effect has emerged: the iX3 being significantly cheaper than the old iX seems to have put the purchase rationale for the previous flagship up for debate. The iX4's positioning as €5,000 more expensive than the iX3 but with a longer range is also part of the same strategy: at every thousand-dollar increment, offering the customer a vehicle that comes from this platform.

In conclusion, BMW's plan is clear: to manage Neue Klasse not as a launch but as a gradual occupation. In the fall of 2026, the first piece enters the fray, coupé and sedan layers are added throughout 2027, and in the same year the four-motor M3 takes its place at the summit. For a brand that has had to keep performance and electrification in two separate reports for many years, this is an equation solved on a single page.

Sources

• The new BMW iX3 M60 xDrive
• The new BMW iX4
• The New BMW X5 and iX5
• BMW iX3: Model overview, features, and specs
• BMW i3 Sedan: Model overview, features, and specs
• BMW iX3 M60 xDrive
• BMW M Concept Neue Klasse
• 2027 BMW iX3 Review, Pricing, and Specs
• 2027 BMW i3: What We Know So Far
• 2027 BMW X5 Enters a Neue Era and Introduces the iX5 EV
• BMW's new iX4 has 428 miles of range, but it starts at north of $66,000
• BMW iX4 costs €5000 more than the iX3
• Here's your first official look at the quad-motor electric BMW M3
• 2027 BMW i3: Everything We Know
• BMW iX3
• Future BMW Cars: 2026 BMW iX3 Neue Klasse