Articles by Tim Nicholson

BMW has finally revealed initial details of its first fully electric M car and it will be a full-on performance sedan with simulated gear shifts and powertrain sound, brutal straight-line performance and decent driving range.Based on the BMW i3 sedan that’s expected to be revealed in the coming months, the new electric M3 will be sold alongside a new-generation version of the internal combustion engine (ICE) M3.The next-gen ICE 3 Series is yet to be unveiled but it is expected to have a closer relationship design wise with the i3 than the new iX3 has with the regular X3.BMW has not yet uttered the name of the electric performance sedan, but expect something along the lines of ‘i3 M’. For now BMW is calling it the M Neue Klasse and it’s will hit showrooms from 2027.Head of Project BMW M Neue Klasse, Philipp Brunn, talked up the significance of the new electric M models.“So in a nutshell, the next generation of fully electric BMW M models will lead the way into the new era for high-performance cars. We will set a new benchmark regarding driving dynamics, performance and overall driving experience,” he said.Based on BMW's multi-billion-dollar Neue Klasse architecture, the new electric M3 benefits from some of the innovations of the iX3 and coming i3, including a reduction in the complexity of the car’s electronic systems, making for “faster data transfer between the control units, leading to clear performance gains”, according to Brunn.The ‘Heart of Joy’ - which is Neue Klasse’s central computing system that integrates the drivetrain and driving dynamics into one, rather than having separate algorithms for accelerating and braking - has been tailored for the specific needs of M customers, said Brunn.“First, our fully electric models will feature four electric motors allowing fully independent and fast wheel control. Every wheel we can do whatever we like at very, very fast speed.“Second, the car's overall output, horsepower, torque, acceleration will reach new heights, and therefore needs to be managed accordingly with such important system. And finally, the overall system management will prioritise sustainable peak performance over efficiency and range, supporting driving excitement and track focus typical for BMW M models.”That means the M version of the i3 will have a slightly lower electric driving range to the regular i3. That figure is yet to be confirmed but expect the regular i3 sedan to have EV range a little beyond the quoted figure for the iX3 50xDrive SUV, which is 805km.“We have a precise control of torque and power of each wheel, so we can fully utilise the performance potential of our tyres. And this can be done on all friction surfaces, so from low friction to high friction, snow, rain and so on," Brunn continued.“We can blend the torque between electro-hydraulic brakes and the e-motors. So we can, again, do whatever is necessary from braking or energy recovery. The energy recovery is possible to the limit of tyre friction, so we can, if we like or not, use recovery, or we can shift between brain and the motors, and the design is very compact, so we have high efficiency and also high power density, which also helps integrating the powerful motors into the car.”Brunn added that M engineers had to “push the limits of the battery” used in the base Neue Klasse (a 108kWh lithium-ion battery pack housed under the floor with cylindrical cells).Additional cooling, a different cell layout and slightly altered cells ensure “higher sustainable power, and faster charging compared to the other Neue Klasse models”, Brunn said.Additional connections from the battery to the vehicle and the suspension system helps stiffen the vehicle in a bid to enhance vehicle dynamics.The new M car will use a number of sustainable and lightweight materials, including a less carbon intensive version of carbon fibre.To help keep the BMW M DNA alive, the M car will feature performance driving modes, synthetic gear shifting and BMW M specific sounds that also relate to the gear shifting.The synthetic driving sound was revealed at the end of a BMW M Electrified Youtube video, from about 7:40.The audio in the video reveals subtle burbling, and what sounds like a cross between a high-powered four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and a jet engine.The significant investment into electric M opens the door to more models, with a full fat iX3 M expected to be the next candidate.BMW is yet to officially announce that but Head of BMW Neue Klasse, Mike Reichelt, previously hinted it was on the cards.“When we go on the M side in such a big step, and we have such a high number of common parts communality, it has a logic to say we have the technology, we have the cars, we combine it. But I can't… confirm it today, but it has a logic way,” he said at the iX3 reveal in September.

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BMW’s 'Neue Klasse' program includes a complete overhaul of its line-up, led by tech-laden EVs like the new iX3 and coming electric 3 Series, the i3.Every model from here on will incorporate elements of Neue Klasse like design or cabin tech, but the iX3 gets the full overhaul. It is an all-new car. Not many carmakers can legitimately claim that these days.To ram home how critical this new model philosophy is to BMW, the company has spent a total of €10 billion (A$17b) on Neue Klasse. No pressure on the iX3 then…We spent some quality time with the new electric mid-size SUV in southern Spain at the international first drive to see if the investment has paid off. Spoiler alert: it has.Underpinning the iX3 is new architecture designed for electric powertrains and a sophisticated software set-up with four ‘superbrains’, or computers, handling driving dynamics, automated driving and advanced driver assist, multimedia and in-car tech.For now BMW has only revealed details of one grade, the highly specified iX3 50 xDrive. This is a dual-motor set-up (one motor on each axle) ensuring all-wheel-drive traction and the specs on paper are impressive.Total outputs are 345kW of power and 645Nm of torque, allowing for a quick 0-100km/h time of 4.9sec. It has a 108kWh lithium-ion battery pack, housed under the floor with cylindrical cells.The maximum charging rate is 400kW, which, using an 800-volt DC charging station, would theoretically allow you to add 350km of charge in just 10 minutes, or to recharge from 10 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes. It’s also capable of vehicle-to-load functionality for bi-directional charging.BMW won’t release pricing until the new year, but given this is a sub-M flagship grade, it won’t be cheap. Considering its European pricing and how much rivals like the Porsche Macan 4 ($137,600) and Audi Q6 e-tron quattro ($122,500) cost in Australia, the 50 xDrive could slot somewhere between $120,000 and $130,000.More grades will be revealed and confirmed, likely including more affordable single-motor grades, while a high-powered M version of iX3 is also expected.But for now it’s all about the 50 xDrive. In the metal it’s a beautifully designed SUV. There’s a clear connection to the Neue Klasse X concept that came before it. The iX3 has few lines, with BMW designers instead opting for a cleaner approach.Gone are circular headlights, replaced instead by quad vertical LED lights and (rather unsustainable) chrome is replaced by illumination for the toothy kidney grille. If you’re not a fan of BMW’s large vertical grilles, this version is much more subtle and works beautifully with the front-end styling.The signature of the long, wide tail-lights looks brilliant and will stand out in the segment. The tailgate spoiler adds a sporty touch and the glasshouse is large without looking awkward.It also bears no resemblance to the current internal combustion X3, which only went on sale in Australia early this year. That model was well into development when Neue Klasse was floated but expect it to gain design cues from iX3 when it gets its first major makeover in a couple of years.Inside, the iX3 is like no BMW before it. Sustainable materials are found throughout, including leather, and there’s an absence of buttons with most functions housed in the central screen.A key feature is the 'Panoramic iDrive' which includes a new version of an instrument cluster. Instead of a small screen immediately behind the steering wheel, the iX3 has a projection at the bottom of the windscreen stretching from A-pillar to A-pillar.In practice, it’s hard to fault. The display is the right size and all the information you need is in your eye line. If the additional widgets on the passenger side are distracting you can simply remove them. I found no such distractions. This is a game-changing system and feels safer than having the speed and other key information in a central screen like many other EVs.There’s loads of functionality in the central multimedia screen but once you spend some time getting to know it, it’s intuitive, fast and visually appealing.BMW’s polarising four-spoke steering wheel (the fourth spoke is at 12 o'clock) is not to my taste visually (the M Sport two-spoke is nicer), but the functionality is cool. BMW’s ‘shy tech’ philosophy means certain functions on the wheel are only visible when they are available to use, like driver assist functions.BMW has worked hard to improve its 'Intelligent Personal Assistant' voice command, but it was glitchy in the late production cars we drove. At one point I asked it to open the rear passenger window and it opened the front one instead. It’s also super sensitive. It activated every time I said ‘BMW’, which was a lot.We used the sat-nav on our extensive drive and it's the most capable in-house system I’ve experienced.Aside from the tech, the front seats are superb in regular spec and M Sport guise. Not as tight as some M Sport seats, and plush, with beautiful materials. The rear seats are flatter but there's plenty of leg and head room, as well as amenities like USB-C ports, air vents and climate controls.The boot is long and can take 520 litres of cargo with all seats in place. There’s a 58L front trunk, too.So far the iX3 impresses. But the on-road experience takes this car to another level.Of course it’s quick, it’s an EV so that’s not hard. It’s the way it does everything else that elevates it.The steering is phenomenal and a genuine highlight of the drive experience. There’s feeling behind it and the size and shape of the wheel adds to the engagement. It’s sharp (2.8 turns lock to lock), yet silky smooth.That’s a word I used a lot driving this car - ‘smooth’. The iX3 does virtually everything smoothly. It’s effortless, but still a driver’s car.The way this 2.3-tonne EV carves up corners is something to behold. It takes corners so confidently you’ll forget you’re driving a family SUV. BMW has engineered this car for fun. It bodes well for the coming i3 sedan.It’s never floaty or bouncy. But it’s also not so pinned to the road that it’s unpleasant or firm. It’s flat, chuckable and nimble, but also a comfortable cruiser on the open road.The ride quality is excellent even on 21-inch alloy wheels. In saying that, these were typically perfect European roads, so let's see how it goes on Australia's notoriously terrible surfaces.The advanced driver assistance tech is also impressive and doesn’t intrude. BMW engineers worked hard to ensure the ADAS works with the driver, not against it. The 'Highway Assist' semi-self driving on the freeway worked without fault, changing lanes autonomously when safe to do so.The iX3 even has a pleasant EV sound. There’s almost a hint of a six-cylinder petrol engine to the synthetic sound.BMW says it is capable of energy efficiency of around 15.1kWh/100km. We saw figures around 18kWh. There was 715km of range (or 75 per cent capacity) left after 145km of driving.

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