BMW teases electric M3 with Concept M Neue Klasse
What's the story
BMW has unveiled the Concept M Neue Klasse at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, hinting at its upcoming electric M3. The concept car features a striking red exterior with bulging wheel arches and an aggressive front-end design. Inside, it offers four bucket seats upholstered in red and blue leather, along with a screen setup similar to that of the production i3 model.
Looks
The concept is heavily based on the i3 sedan
The Concept M Neue Klasse is heavily based on the i3 sedan, which will go on sale later this year. It features a pointed front end with crisp body lines and bulging rear fenders that give it an aggressive look. The headlights and kidney grille are merged into two horizontal elements separated by a body-colored spine, with the BMW badge sitting atop.
Illumination innovation
It gets 'Track lights' running lights and CS-style headlights
The headlights of the Concept M Neue Klasse feature two yellow slashes, mimicking the lighting setup of the M Hybrid V8 race car that competes at Le Mans. These yellow lights were previously exclusive to CS variants of M cars but will now be standard on future M performance vehicles. The front bumper has large air intakes inspired by high-speed multihull sailing boats and a pair of square running lights called "Track Lights."
Design elements
The rear end features a large ducktail spoiler
The rear end of the Concept M Neue Klasse mirrors the front with a similar bumper design featuring deep cutouts above the rear diffuser. It also sports a large ducktail spoiler and the BMW badge sits in a notch between the taillights. The front splitter, hood air outlet, and diffuser are made from natural fiber components while the car is finished in a new color called Monza Red.
Interior features
It has a center touchscreen that tilts toward driver
The cabin of the Concept M Neue Klasse features the same Neue Klasse infotainment system as seen on iX3, i3, and refreshed 2027 7-series. It has a narrow screen at the base of the windshield that runs across the width of dashboard and a center touchscreen with a parallelogram shape tilted toward driver. The four bucket seats are upholstered in Bathurst Blue and Berry Red leather with five-point belts (likely to be replaced by regular seatbelts in production version).
Material use
The car uses black nubuck leather
For the first time on an M vehicle, BMW has used black nubuck leather, a type of leather that has been sanded or buffed on the outside to create a velvet-like feel. The material can be seen on steering wheel, door panels and roll bar while dashboard features a black knit material with hexagonal backlighting. Center console has also been revamped with thinner setup and gear selector finished in red.
Performance specs
The iM3 will get 4 motors and over 100kWh battery
The iM3 will have four electric motors, one for each wheel. The BMW M Dynamic Performance Control software will help distribute power between each wheel. The car will also have an 800V architecture for fast recharging and a battery with more than 100kWh capacity for long range. The cylindrical cells are optimized for use in M performance cars with battery housing structurally integrated with both front and rear axles.