BMW’s lineup is already busy, but the product portfolio expansion is far from over. The Neue Klasse platform, pioneered by the iX3, paves the way for a multitude of fresh products. An i3 sedan will be launched next year, with reports suggesting an i3 Touring and an iX4 will follow. Separately, the next-generation X5, X6, and X7 are all set to receive fully electric derivatives while remaining on the CLAR platform.
On top of that, the long-rumored Rugged project is expected to materialize into a production model around 2029. Oh, and ALPINA launching its own models, each carrying a different chassis code than the BMW donor car.
Is BMW worried it might struggle to juggle so many cars? Not at all. The company’s sales boss told Automotive News Europe that “complexity should not be the reason for reducing your product portfolio.” Jochen Goller argued that successfully managing the lineup helps attract customers from rival brands: “Managing complexity can also be a competitive advantage.”
But not everything BMW is working on involves addition; some models are being cut. The axe is about to fall on the combustion-powered X4. The Z4 is widely believed to retire in 2026, though not before a limited-run Final Edition. Munich will also bid adieu to all three 8 Series models next year, while the 2 Series Active Tourer is rumored to bow out near the end of 2027.
We’re also likely to lose the iX in mid-2028, which would hardly come as a surprise. With iX5 and iX7 models on the way, renewing the polarizing electric SUV for a second generation would create product overlap.
Around the same time the iX bows out, BMW is believed to pull the plug on the 4 Series and XM. Bernd Koerber, Senior Vice President of BMW Brand and Product Management, recently told us that a decision about future two-door cars hasn’t been made. In other words, successors to the 4er and 8er have yet to be signed off. Should another coupe/convertible pair get the green light, it wouldn’t arrive until the end of the decade or early 2030s.
It’s also unclear whether the combustion-powered 3 Series Touring will be renewed. Although there have been reports of a “G51” wagon, it’s uncertain if that project is actually happening. Although we’ve seen numerous spy shots of the “G50” sedan, there are none that portray the more practical body style. BMW might instead choose to exclusively sell a long-roof i3.
As you can see, the lineup is incredibly complex, and we haven’t even mentioned the hydrogen production model coming in 2028. Well, we just did. BMW has good reason to be confident about managing such a vast portfolio. After all, it didn’t become the best-selling luxury brand by offering only a handful of models…
Source: Automotive News Europe
