In our relentless effort to dig up every juicy detail about the new iX3, we stumbled upon something unexpected. This isn’t the first modern Neue Klasse model, nor is it an early look at the i3 due in 2026. So what exactly are we looking at? A sleek sedan that quietly shows up on official BMW websites, though not as a physical concept. Instead, this four-door EV exists only virtually, featured in animations demonstrating the iX3’s driver assistance systems.
The design itself is intriguing. It doesn’t resemble the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse concept or the radical VDX that followed. Judging by its fully enclosed grille, the unnamed sedan is likely electric. Its kidney design is closer to the 3 Series than to any of the concepts. However, the extended, angular windshield does echo the Vision Neue Klasse.
It raises the question of whether this design predates both the Vision Neue Klasse and the earlier i Vision Dee. To be fair, BMW does describe it as a “computer-generated concept vehicle,” so perhaps it’s unwise to read too much into it. The car was designed specifically for animations showcasing the iX3’s autonomous driving features and appears in multiple clips highlighting hands-free driving scenarios.
Still, it’s cool to see that BMW created a unique design rather than using an existing model like the 3 Series. Alternatively, it could have teased the 2026 i3 with a camouflaged prototype. While the sedan shown here has nothing to do with the upcoming production EV, it remains a fascinating glimpse nonetheless. I’d describe this hypothetical car as an evolution of the 2020 Concept i4, infused with some Neue Klasse design DNA.
Chances are it will only ever exist on BMW’s websites, and maybe that’s for the best. After all, spy photos suggest the actual i3 “NA0” will be a real head-turner. By extension, the next-generation 3 Series “G50” should also be a striking car, carrying forward all the hallmarks of the Neue Klasse. The company’s design boss, Adrian van Hooydonk, even told us earlier this year that it’ll be difficult to tell them apart:
“I think you will be hard-pressed [from a distance] to tell which one is the electric one and which one is the combustion engine. It’s going to be that close.” [Photos: BMW]
