New Class, BMW’s Troubling Vision of the Future

BMW took advantage of the latest Paris Motor Show to bring together its Vision Neue Klasse and Vision Neue Klasse X concepts on the same stage.

The Paris Motor Show 2024 was undoubtedly the perfect place to build excitement around the launch of the BMW Neue Klasse, which will begin series production in 2025. Currently only a concept, it foreshadows a high-end electric sports sedan that is expected to complement the brand’s multi-energy offerings.

The BMW Vision Neue Klasse X, on the other hand, transfers the philosophy and technology to the very trendy segment of SUVs, or rather SAVs (Sports Activity Vehicle) according to BMW. It’s a smart move because the “U” in SUV stands for Utility, and it’s unclear what benefit there is in merely giving a car a higher stance. It is nothing less than a new variation of what Tesla has done with the Model 3 and Model Y, namely developing a sedan and an SUV on the same technical platform to appeal to a broader audience. Incidentally, this also helps to limit development and production costs since both models share a majority of components. However, while Tesla opted to produce two vehicles whose lineage is immediately clear at first glance, it seems that BMW is still searching for its stylistic path for the future. It’s simply impossible to tell that these two models share the same philosophy!

A Neue Klasse must remain a BMW!

Both cars feature a modern and sleek design, but their front faces could very well belong to two different manufacturers. The famous kidney grille emblematic of the brand dominates the front of the sedan, while the X reduces it to its simplest form right in the middle of the grille. At some point, a choice will have to be made. Our hearts and reasoning lean more towards the choices made for the Neue Klasse X, which is unmistakably a BMW at first glance. This makes sense as it is the latest model revealed and therefore the one closest to a high-production version.

BMW will need to make strong choices to assert its identity as its clientele must be gently guided towards electric mobility and certainly not forced into it.

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