BMW’s new iX3 – its Neue Klasse electric SUV – heralds the start of a bold new direction for the luxury car maker with key improvements in design, performance and technology.
The iX3 range has been built from the ground up on a dedicated Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) architecture.
We got a chance to drive the iX3 50 M Sport around Byron Bay and the surrounding hinterland to admire not only its driving performance but the impressive technology upgrades and innovations as well.
The “sheer driving pleasure” – BMW’s slogan – is there with the iX3 50.
The car is very responsive with superb road handling – it’s a driver’s car. You feel connected to the vehicle and connected to the road.
When you get inside the first thing your eye is drawn toward is a Panoramic Vision which is a heads up display that runs pillar to pillar on the bottom of the windscreen.
It contains information pertinent to your drive and can be updated and personalised to show precisely the right information for your journey.
This is one of the new features of the new X operating system and from the cabin it looks like the information is wedged just below the line of the bonnet.
This is also complemented by a 3D head up display (HUD) engineered to remain legible through polarized sunglasses.
The M Sport steering wheel puts the major functions at your fingertips.
On the left cluster you can manage ADAS operations and automated parking functions (scan and confirm via thumb toggle).
On the right are controls for media, navigation and the Panoramic Vision displays.
Inside multifunction heated, electric and massaging seats come standard.
The iX30 also has a panoramic glass roof that has multi-layer reflective coatings that filter 100 per cent of UVA/UVB rays and reflect more than 90 per cent of thermal radiation, eliminating the need for a mechanical shade.
The floor-mounted battery packs provide a low centre of gravity and a balanced 49/51 front-to-rear weight distribution.
On the suspension side, the iX3 50 features a newly engineered, passive frequency-selective shock absorber system—intentionally omitting complex adaptive dampening or air suspension to optimize tactile road feel and longevity.
Naturally the new Neue Klasse retains classic proportional cues including the signature kidney grille that is now illuminated.
Also onboard is a Smart Charging Flap which has proximity sensors to detect approaching charging cables and automatically open the motorized port flap and forming a protective overhang above the connection.
The vehicle transitions to an 800 V high-voltage architecture utilizing Gen 6 cylindrical lithium-ion cells with NMC chemistry.
Active cooling plates are placed between individual cells to maintain peak operating temperatures (25°C–35°C).
The central Energy Master module handles dynamic switching between 400 V and 800 V charging setups.
Standard 800 V connections allow peak charging speeds up to 400 kW (iX350) or 300 kW (iX340 RWD) which means you can add up to 400 km of range in 10 minutes.
The vehicle now includes 22 kW three-phase AC capability as standard and is supported by the optional BMW Gen 4 Wallbox (priced at $1,429 + installation), capable of single- and three-phase output up to 22 kW.
BMW’s proprietary central control unit consolidates powertrain, chassis, and braking inputs into a single processor, executing adjustments in milliseconds.
Power delivery favours the rear axle on corner exit. During deceleration, initial regenerative braking starts at the rear axle to counteract nose-dive and balance vehicle pitch.
Low-speed urban braking relies on the rear electric motor for soft-stop damping. This system also pulses rear brake drag to settle vehicle oscillation over speed bumps.
The BMW iX3 50 M Sport is priced at $126,885 driveway.
