Tag Archives: BMW

NEW CARS

BMW i3: The Rebirth of a Legend, Rewired for the Future

Forget everything you knew about the old BMW i3 — that quirky carbon-bodied city pod that looked like it came from a Scandinavian furniture catalogue. Munich has gone back to the drawing board, binned the recycled plastics and skinny tyres, and rebooted the i3 nameplate for something entirely new: a proper, full-fat electric 3 Series. And it’s coming to take back the crown.

Yes, ladies and gents, the BMW i3 is back — but this time it’s a sleek, 500-mile saloon that promises sheer driving pleasure, in the words of BMW boss Oliver Zipse. This isn’t a retro badge revival. This is BMW signalling that the EV era has finally grown up.

The Neue Klasse Awakens

The new i3 is the first saloon from BMW’s ambitious Neue Klasse family — a lineup that will redefine the brand by 2027 with 40 new EVs and next-gen combustion cars sharing a futuristic design DNA.

If you caught the Vision Neue Klasse concept back in 2023, you’ve already seen the clues: those chiselled lines, the minimalist surfaces, and that reimagined kidney grille that looks like it’s been designed by Tony Stark. The production i3 tones down the sci-fi just enough to look boardroom-ready — yet futuristic enough to make the old 3 Series look like a flip phone.

Underneath, it rides on BMW’s new Gen6 EV platform, shared with the upcoming iX3 SUV. It’s a bespoke setup built for speed, efficiency, and—dare we say it—soul.

The Heart of Joy

BMW has poured its engineering essence into something it calls the Heart of Joy — a centralised computing brain that unites every aspect of the driving experience. Steering, throttle, suspension, braking, even energy recuperation — all choreographed in real time by one digital maestro.

In plain English? The i3 promises to drive like a real BMW, not just another overgrown laptop on wheels. BMW’s engineers have spent countless nights trying to make this EV feel like a petrol 3 Series: sharp, responsive, balanced. The regen and braking systems now work together so seamlessly that 98% of stopping is handled by the motors themselves.

Zipse says it’ll deliver “sheer driving pleasure.” For once, that might not be marketing fluff.

Power to the People (Who Can Afford One)

The launch model, likely badged i3 50 xDrive, will use a dual-motor setup with 464bhp and 479lb ft of torque drawn from a 108kWh NMC battery. That’s good for a range of more than 500 miles — potentially the longest of any EV sold in the UK.

Charging? Thanks to an 800V architecture, the i3 will gulp electrons at up to 400kW, meaning you can add serious range in less time than it takes to drink your flat white.

The rivals are obvious: a Mercedes C-Class EV, an Audi A4 e-tron, and of course Tesla and the ever-aggressive Chinese upstarts from BYD and Xpeng. But if BMW nails the dynamics, none of them will stand a chance.

Inside the Electric Business Class

Inside, the i3 is pure Neue Klasse: minimalist yet unmistakably BMW. The Panoramic iDrive system merges a sweeping, angled touchscreen with a futuristic AR-style head-up display that stretches the entire width of the windscreen. All the data you need sits right in your eyeline, so you can keep your eyes on the next corner rather than the next menu.

It’s clean, it’s modern, and it feels like someone finally made a digital interface that doesn’t require a PhD in menu navigation.

A New M3 Is Coming… and It’s Electric

And just when you think BMW’s gone soft, there’s this bombshell: an electric M3 is coming in 2028. Yes, really. Expect quad motors, torque vectoring wizardry, and a power output that’ll make the current M3 CS look like it’s running on AA batteries. M boss Frank van Meel says it’ll be the most powerful M car ever built — and if you’ve seen early prototypes, it’s not bluff.

BMW’s EV transformation isn’t about blending in. It’s about taking the fight to Tesla — with grip, grunt, and German precision.

From City Car to Corner Carver

The original i3 was an eco-experiment — brilliant in its own weird way but never a true 3 Series. This new one? It’s a 3 Series first, electric second. And that’s the biggest statement BMW could make right now.

With a 500-mile range, sports-saloon poise, and a design language that finally looks confident in the EV era, the i3 is shaping up to be the most important BMW since the original E21 3 Series in 1975.

The name might be recycled, but the mission is brand new: to prove that driving joy and electricity can finally coexist.

Source: BMW

NEW CARS

2026 BMW M2 Turbo Design Edition: The 2002 Turbo Is Back—With a Manual and a Wink

BMW is closing out 2025 with a heavy dose of nostalgia and just a sprinkle of madness. Following South Africa’s 325iS and 333i Homage Editions, America now gets its own slice of retro heaven: the 2026 BMW M2 Turbo Design Edition. Think of it as BMW’s way of saying, “Remember when our cars were small, loud, and slightly unhinged?”

A blast from Bavaria’s past

Painted exclusively in Alpine White, this limited-edition M2 channels the legendary 1973 BMW 2002 turbo, Europe’s first turbocharged production car. The resemblance isn’t subtle — and that’s the point.

Hand-painted M stripes wrap around the hood and trunk lid, finished in that classic blue, purple, and red trio. Even the carbon fiber roof gets a splash of color. The hood bulge, proudly wearing a mirrored “turbo” script, is a direct nod to the original’s famously cheeky decal (which, back in the day, read “turbo” in reverse so you’d know exactly what just overtook you).

Out back, another “turbo” badge sits beneath the M2 logo, while the side sills and cupholder lid get the same retro treatment. Subtle? Absolutely not. Brilliant? Definitely.

Old-school soul, new-school muscle

Under the bonnet, there’s no 2.0-liter four-pot huffing through a single snail like in 1973. Instead, you get BMW’s modern masterpiece — the 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six from the standard M2, pumping out 473 horsepower. That’s about 2.8 times what the 2002 turbo offered, which means this homage can comfortably outrun its ancestor before you’ve finished saying “boost lag.”

Most importantly, this edition sticks to the enthusiast’s script: six-speed manual gearbox only. No paddles. No dual-clutch trickery. Just you, a clutch pedal, and the kind of connection BMW’s been trying to convince us still exists.

Spec sheet flex

As standard, the Turbo Design Edition gets BMW’s carbon fiber roof, adaptive full-LED lights, carbon rear spoiler, heated Alcantara steering wheel, carbon interior trim, and wireless charging. The seats? Proper M Sport thrones in black Vernasca leather with M-colored highlights.

Tick a few boxes, though, and things get spicy — and pricey.

  • M Carbon bucket seats: $4,500
  • M Driver’s Package (unlocks a higher top speed): $2,500
  • Matte Gold Bronze wheels: $6,266

Add it all up and you’re staring at $97,341, which puts it uncomfortably close to the upcoming M2 CS at $99,775. Still, this one gives you heritage, and that’s priceless — at least that’s what BMW’s marketing team will tell you.

Retro done right

Production kicks off in early 2026, with deliveries set for the following quarter. Each car will be built in tiny numbers — BMW hasn’t said how many, but expect it to sell out faster than a Cars & Coffee meet runs out of flat whites.

So, what’s the verdict? The M2 Turbo Design Edition isn’t just another trim-level gimmick. It’s a proper celebration of BMW’s turbocharged roots, dressed in nostalgia and powered by the best M2 yet. A manual gearbox, hand-painted stripes, and that iconic mirrored “turbo” script — it’s everything the brand does best, distilled into one punchy, rear-driven tribute.

Source: BMW

News

BMW X4 Bows Out: The Coupe-SUV Takes a Breather Before Its Electric Comeback

BMW’s sleek-roofed sibling to the X3 is officially driving off into the sunset—at least in its current, gas-powered form. The Bavarian automaker has confirmed that production of the second-generation X4 is ending, closing the chapter on one of Munich’s more polarizing SUV designs as the brand pivots toward its all-electric future.

No More Gasoline X4s

Customers browsing BMW’s online configurator in Europe may have already noticed something missing. The gasoline-powered X4s have quietly vanished, replaced by a note redirecting buyers to “a similar model.” Translation: the X4 xDrive30i and M40i are no longer part of the European lineup.

According to BMW, production of gasoline variants ended on September 30, 2025, while diesel versions—20d, 30d, and M40d—will stick around until the end of November before they too call it quits.

Interestingly, the U.S. configurator still lists the X4 xDrive30i and M40i—for now. But their days are numbered too. Once the final units roll off the line, the X4 nameplate will go on hiatus until its electric successor arrives.

The End of the G02 Era

The outgoing X4, internally coded G02, has been around since 2018 and shares its bones with the previous-generation G01 X3. Even the high-performance X4 M (F97) rides on the same platform, which makes the model feel increasingly dated next to BMW’s recently launched G45 X3, a completely new vehicle built for both ICE and EV powertrains.

While the X3 gets a new generation, the X4 won’t. Not yet. BMW hasn’t issued any official statement on a direct replacement, but industry chatter has already filled in the blanks.

Enter the iX4: A Neue Klasse Reboot

The next act for the coupe-SUV will reportedly be the all-electric BMW iX4, internally known as NA7, set to debut in 2027. The model will ride on BMW’s Neue Klasse platform—an architecture designed from the ground up for electric propulsion, improved efficiency, and the kind of digital cockpit tech that’ll make iDrive 9 look ancient.

Production is expected to begin in November 2026 at BMW’s brand-new Debrecen plant in Hungary, which will serve as the launch site for several Neue Klasse models.

If rumors are right, the iX4 lineup will mirror that of the iX3, offering 40 sDrive, 40 xDrive, and 50 xDrive versions, with an M Performance iX4 M60 potentially joining the range in spring 2027. A full-blown iX4 M (ZA7) could follow later, providing a proper electric successor to today’s X4 M.

A Pause Before the Plug

For now, the X4 joins a growing list of BMW models taking a break as the company realigns its portfolio around its electric future. In typical BMW fashion, the shift isn’t abrupt—it’s strategic. The brand is pruning older ICE products while letting its new generation of EVs take shape.

So, while you can still snag an X4 in the U.S. if you hurry, the writing’s on the wall: the coupe-SUV era is going electric. Expect the next X4 to ditch the exhaust pipes, add some sharp new edges, and carry the iX4 badge into BMW’s next decade.

Until then, the G02 X4 exits the stage with a quiet fade-out rather than a loud sendoff—a fitting end for one of BMW’s more stylish niche players.

Source: AMS