BMW Hints Electric Supercar Could Happen On Neue Klasse Platform
motor1.com
1/25/2022
The company's chief technical officer says a "highly emotional" EV is being considered.
The 600-horsepower BMW Vision M hybrid supercar featured here sadly never came to fruition as it only remained at the concept stage. Dubbed XM, a dedicated M model will arrive towards the end of the year, but it will be a plug-in hybrid SUV rather than a low-slung sports coupe with two seats. Enthusiasts mustn't lose all hope since the introduction of the Neue Klasse platform in 2025 could (eventually) lead to a fully fledged performance machine.
Australian magazine WhichCar sat down and had a chat with BMW's chief technical officer Frank Weber. When the journos Down Under said Bavaria’s lineup is missing a halo car in the same vein as the iconic M1, the CTO was quick to reply: "Wrong. We have no trouble at all picturing a highly emotional model based on the New Class matrix." While that isn't a direct confirmation of a bona fide supercar, it's still better than nothing.
A low-volume sports car with an exorbitant price tag might not be the best business decision what with BMW investing heavily to decarbonize its lineup. However, it would give the German luxury brand a boost in image, which some would argue is needed given some of the questionable design choices taken in recent years.
Video: BMW unveils its electric SUV, the IX (CNBC)
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WhichCar cites "those in the know" who are claiming a flagship car based on the Neue Klasse could have four in-wheel electric motors and take just five minutes to recharge. That latter seems like a pipe dream for the time being, but it could happen one day.
But The ICE Is Far From Dead:
- BMW Isn't Done With Internal Combustion, New Engines In Development
- 2023 BMW M3 Touring Teased On Frozen Lake With Orange Seats, iDrive 8
While a supercar is a definite maybe, Weber said a city car molded after the i Vision Circular concept, possibly as an i3 replacement, is not on the agenda:
"A new megacity vehicle is currently nowhere in sight.” He did say the small EV is a window into BMW’s future: “The full-circle CO2-neutral material cycle from cradle to grave, the pending demise of the controversial upright rodent fangs grille in favor of a butterfly kidney, and the new brand strategy, which is set to shape future products more from the inside out."
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