Spied! 2026 BMW i3 Sedan (NA0 / NA1, Neue Klasse) - Successor to G20 3-Series

[adc]

I like it, the shark nose is back. Y'all need to relax.

I want bold, but not controversial bold - goodbye bucktooth/pignose whatever styling without function excesses and ugly transgressions BMW has been guilty of in the past years.

My X2 is going to my son in a year or two, so we will need new family transportation soon. And since I won't buy a Tesla (too many reasons to list), I would absolutely rock an i3 sedan or even better a touring. As long as it doesn't disappoint on the dynamic side and has Android Auto.

For those who say BMW cannot compete on cheap EVs and there is no distinguishing quality on the more upscale ones, I have news for you. For many years, BMW's low-end and middle-of-the-road ICE offerings have basically been white goods, unremarkable in a space where the Hyundai's and Kia's and etc.'s of the world offer similar goods, with similar technology, power & features but at substantially lower cost. How is a 330i different than a Kia K5? Or an X1 special in a literal sea of similar crossovers? It is only when you move into the M and M-light offerings that BMW makes a dent and begins to offer something different or more.

And now the M cars are on an ever-increasing spiral of fat (and some of them look stupid, sorry guys, just my opinion). But it seems at least the new class is an attempt to build a future-facing, technologically advanced, bespoke platform. To bring a little ahem class in a world of appliances.

Do you honestly think BMW will survive selling only ICE cars to a minority of enthusiasts? Till when? And then what? What is the plan? Grumble all you want, but the path forward is basically set, bumps in the road or not. There truly is no going back - just delaying, detouring, objecting, and hesitating until we eventually all accept it. ICE banning deadlines may be premature or ill-advised, but even without a government ban, people will eventually switch to EVs. Can you really imagine a 6-cylinder turbo M3 for the 2050 model year? I mean, really.


For me personally, as an enthusiast who tracks my car and have very specific demands currently unmet by EVs, I found another way. I just bought a mint, 1-owner, manual, enthusiast-spec 991.2 Carrera T, to try a different experience before my hands and feet fall off.

[resbmw443]

It is difficult to see anything under the camouflage. Hope they add some change in design compared to few last models. Especially to 1-series.

[Mg.]

Nose seems to be tilted ever so slightly forward, a bit like American muscle cars. I like that. Color me intrigued!

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by lizardx

The golden age of automotive world is concluding. F90 M5 is superior to G90 M5 (not just lookswise but being 600 kg lighter), this new 3 series seems to be going in the same design detoriating direction as new 5 series. Or look at MB, their new AMG GT is no longer mid-front engine, and gearbox is no longer transaxle, while at the same time weighing over 2000 kg. Even C63S AMG with its 2100+ kg is a phat whale instead of proper sportsaloon.

People who care about these things are dying off. Car companies must adapt to survive.

[EnI]

Originally Posted by LakeTahoeMatt

Looks narrow. I also didn’t realize an ‘i3’ is replacing my beloved 3 series. I have bought every gen since I was 16. I guess my story stops in 2026. What happens if Trump lifts the EV mandate? Do we get our cars back or the EU isn’t going to change anything? Sad really. I don’t understand who buys these cars? Without purists like us the company dies. Who buys this pos? This literally ruined my day, thanks.

Don't worry ... New generation ICE & PHEV 3-series (G50) based on CLAR platform - yet featuring Neue Klasse i3 styling elements - IS coming in Summer/ Fall 2027:

[Efthreeoh]

The greenhouse looks pretty "old" klasse

[hb]

Originally Posted by bimmerbenz65

Has been discussed at length that the next ICE 3 series (G50) will continue on the CLAR architecture and the EV (NA0/1) will be NK platform. Bodies will be different, as is the case with the new X3 and iX3.

They are a bit closer than X3 and iX3. That particular model was somewhat stuck in between cycles. In the future, those cars will not be that different.

But the G50 and NA0 have a lot in common in styling

[KoenG]

Originally Posted by Cortexiphan

This comes across as condescending and strange. I don’t need your lectures, especially considering the serious judgment issues you’re demonstrating.

If you can’t see the problem with every new model thread devolving into a “who can hate more” or “who can insult more” contest, transforming them into toxic wastelands devoid of any productive discussion—even before any of us have seen or driven the cars—I don’t know what else to say. In this very thread, there’s a post that reads, “Design, quality, driving dynamics—all crap,” directly referring to a car that no one has even seen or driven yet. And there are many other similar posts. Is this the kind of forum environment you want to foster? Do you understand that? And this doesn’t deserve any criticism? An accomplished person doesn’t come to a forum every day just to insult everything, day and night. I didn’t open this thread intending to get angry at all, but they did. Got it?

Calm down man, BMW is just another car manufacturer that's super opportunistic when it concerns generating EBITDA. BMW already has proven recently multiple times that they don't give a shit about "fans", "traditional car enthousiasts", "brand identity". They just follow the money. When forum members express their doubt, let them. That's one of the main reasons this exists.

[Chas8283]

Originally Posted by EnI

Don't worry ... New generation ICE & PHEV 3-series (G50) based on CLAR platform - yet featuring Neue Klasse i3 styling elements - IS coming in Summer/ Fall 2027:

I think this has real potential. Been a while since I’ve said that!

[AshwinLB]

Originally Posted by / / / M3

Considering that ICE and EV versions of the 5 and 7-series share the same bodies, I see no reason why the same wouldn't be true of the next 3-series.

They’re gonna do what they did with the new Mini Cooper. The ev is a new chassis (J01) and the ice is the old chassis (F56) that’s had a heavy refresh (F66) to look almost exactly the same as the J01 EV chassis

The NA01 will be the new 3er ev chassis and the g20 chassis is gonna have a heavy refresh done (and renamed g50) to make it look almost exactly like the NA01

Kinda makes sense to go with this approach so the EV version doesn’t have to have limitations due to sharing a chassis and has a better chance with compete to that price category. Since 5er and 7er are lower production than the 3er so it’s cheaper and makes more sense to design 1 new shared chassis rather than 1 new chassis and 1 refreshed old chassis. I think i5 and i7 buyers are people who want to buy a 5 or 7 series that happens to be electric while i3/i4 buyers are people who are just looking to buy an EV sedan, not necessarily a bmw. So these i5/i7 buyers don’t care if it’s the best EV it could be. Eventually the 5 and 7 will get a neue klasse chassis but doesn’t make sense to right now

[monkeyman8]

What’s the M60 va the 350? Two six cylinder variants?

[AshwinLB]

Originally Posted by monkeyman8

What’s the M60 va the 350? Two six cylinder variants?

i3 M60 is highest non-m EV and M350 is gonna be the highest non-m ice with inline-6. There’s no 60 variant for the ICE

[solstice]

Originally Posted by EnI

Don't worry ... New generation ICE & PHEV 3-series (G50) based on CLAR platform - yet featuring Neue Klasse i3 styling elements - IS coming in Summer/ Fall 2027:

This will be good, if it retain the I6.

[BMW-ALPINA]

So BMW is doing a Mercedes by making the Neue Klasse a soap bar equivalent to the Mercedes EQE/EQS, while the ICE cars will have classic BMW proportions. Congratulations on screwing up!

[Cortexiphan]

Originally Posted by BMW-ALPINA

So BMW is doing a Mercedes by making the Neue Klasse a soap bar equivalent to the Mercedes EQE/EQS, while the ICE cars will have classic BMW proportions. Congratulations on screwing up!

This is the neue Klass. The proportions on the concept matches the spied prototype. It has BMW proportions, and doesn't look like a soap bar.

[AshwinLB]

Originally Posted by solstice

This will be good, if it retain the I6.

It is in the M350 variant and M3

[ubercruise]

I noticed we have the patent 3D images of the iX3 that give a pretty good idea of what it should look like, and it does appear to be dang close to the concept shown. Wonder if there's something similar out there for the i3.

I will say complaining about a revealed car design is one thing, but the fact that people are predisposed to be upset and disappointed before we even know what the car actually looks like is pretty telling...

7-10 years ago has always seemingly been 'the glory days' for car enthusiasts as long as cars have been around (except maybe the late 70s, that kinda sucked).

[JMD]

What! No Frunk!!!! C'mon BMW!!!!!!

[B58-M340iX]

Originally Posted by Hassan1490

I no longer have any faith in this company. I'm seriously considering ditching BMW and move to another brand after 22 years of loyalty.

Everything is getting worse.
The design.
The performance.
the materials.
The character.

It is a free fall ride.

I realize there are several areas to measure performance, but I'd argue that BMW performance is currently best in (ICE) like-for-like class. The B58 is slapping around a lot of other like-class and above-class models, both in stock and tuned form.

[sahajesh]

Originally Posted by BMW-ALPINA

So BMW is doing a Mercedes by making the Neue Klasse a soap bar equivalent to the Mercedes EQE/EQS, while the ICE cars will have classic BMW proportions. Congratulations on screwing up!

Did you look at the pictures?

[B///MWGuy]

Originally Posted by Cortexiphan

BMW is not in trouble.
And it’s cool to have Superman in the forum, as it seems you have X-Ray vision.

BMW's Q3 2024 financial statement shows decrease of around -6% of worldwide sale compared to Q3 2023. Sure not as bad as other 2 Germans but that is not a good trend.

They also had a restructuring of executives, which is usually not a good sign if you align things with lower sales and such.

If you've been seeing spyshots of BMWs in the past 20 years, you can make out how similar the car will be to the cues of concept cars. Sure, there are different levels of camo but this one clearly shows cues of the Neuve Klasse concept.

[BMW-ALPINA]

Originally Posted by sahajesh

Did you look at the pictures?

Yes, off course - did you?

In my opinion; short hood and boot for the NA1 i3 make the car look like a soap bar, a Chinese car or something else. It has nothing do to with classic BMW proportions like the G50 3-series spy shots showing.

I like how the G26 4-series Gran Coupe and the G26 i4 are the same car. This will clearly come to an end and BMW will "do a Mercedes" by making "two different" 3-series.