(Editor’s Note: Our foreign correspondent Jay Kew gets an advanced drive of BMW’s latest fully-electric cross-over well-ahead of its introduction in the Philippines later in the year. Exciting times indeed!)
We probably can’t emphasize this enough, but with the first of its revolutionary Neue Klasse models, the iX3 50 xDrive, BMW has redefined our expectations for the electric vehicle (EV) offerings from legacy automakers.
It shifts the goalposts and sets new dynamic and operating benchmarks for EVs. With the new iX3, it’s not just about throwing loads of tech at the wall to see what sticks, but how the driver (and the car’s occupants) interact with the car seamlessly and intuitively, as well as how the car reacts to the environment!
“Another day, another EV,” you’re probably thinking. With the sheer number of models and brands that have surfaced in recent years, it’s very easy to develop EV fatigue, especially given they have become largely homogeneous products.
I mean, cover the badge on any one of the current crop of top-selling electric crossovers and the average man in the street will be hard-pressed to tell you what brand it’s from. On the flip side, this is great if laggard brands within one of the giant umbrella automotive corporations need to be rationalized and subsumed within another… because it probably won’t be missed one way or the other.
Why? Well, unlike legacy car brands, there’s little continuity (at present) when it comes to naming and design conventions for the new wave of EV brands, which means every model seems to have been designed in isolation.
If you’re a car enthusiast like this author, an automobile is far more than just another A-to-B appliance. Don’t get us wrong, we do like EVs, especially when we’re zipping around in the tight, and crowded confines of the concrete jungle, but it’s just a tool of transportation for us – no more, no less.
While the same ingredients are used for the new iX3, the flavor, taste, and experience of BMW’s “sheer driving pleasure” are very different from the average EV. After all, no two people will create the same dish, even with identical ingredients, because it all boils down to vision, creativity and legacy.
In its infancy, Chinese EVs wowed the masses by democratizing performance, features and equipment levels, especially with many legacy car brands caught wrong-footed. They may boast loads of fancy technology, but with the new iX3, thoroughbred car brands like BMW have managed to inject elements of legacy and heritage into its electric offerings. This effectively endows the cars with a personality consistent with the brand’s identity that its fans have come to love and expect.
In fact, we’re slowly hearing of some car enthusiasts slowly gravitating back to legacy brands as the latter begin elevating their EV offerings – in other words, they’re looking for EVs that retain the soul and spirit of the respective brands.
The defiantly stanced new iX3 Sport Activity Vehicle features reduced surface treatment, large glazed areas and distinct lines, but is infused with a lot of aesthetic elements familiar to BMW fans.
For instance, the vertical kidney grilles are reminiscent of the original Neue Klasse from the 1960s. These flow into characteristic twin headlights that have been executed to create a horizontal light signature, a design cue that is echoed at the rear.
The new iX3 is the first of BMW’s fresh range of models and serves as an introduction to the brand’s Neue Klasse design and technology. Some key elements mixing it up in the new iX3’s recipe are the BMW Panoramic iDrive, Heart of Joy and BMW Symbiotic Drive to create a dish that is sugar, spice and all things nice.
Slide into the commodious and comfortable cabin and the first big wow is the immersive BMW Panoramic iDrive, which is underpinned by the BMW Operating System X. It’s a wonderful fusion of analogue, digital, and vocal, where important features have physical touch points, but secondary controls can be relegated to within the touchscreen or activated by voice.
More crucially, information is projected onto the driver’s field of vision via BMW Panoramic Vision (the display is customizable on the passenger’s side), which takes the form of a strip that runs from A-pillar to A-pillar at the base of the windscreen. Also working in tandem with this is the optional BMW 3D Heads-Up Display, which is positioned above the BMW Panoramic Vision.
Complicated and hard-to-use tech isn’t a testament to how advanced a car is, but instead, highlights the deficiencies in user experience (UX). The human-friendly user interface is exactly where BMW gets it so right with the new iX3. Best of all, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant doesn’t just let you engage it in a natural conversational manner, it is also contextual to take into account real-time driving conditions and operating environment to offer proactive suggestions.
The final two elements of the four BMW Panoramic iDrive pillars are a 17.9-inch Central Display in free-cut design, which is positioned within easy reach of the driver, as well as the multi-function steering wheel, which features “shy tech” controls that only illuminate when the respective functions are available.
However, the more things seem to change, the more they stay the same. BMW cabins have long been driver-oriented to achieve the “hands on the wheel, eyes on the road” principle, and the latest iX3 takes us to new levels of driver focus.
And gosh, you’ll want to have all your wits about you when you’re driving the new iX3, because the levels of engagement are par for the course for BMW’s “ultimate driving machine” tagline!
Already, the Ascari Race Resort location for the iX3 50 xDrive’s track session is a big green flag that throws the spotlight on the brand’s confidence. It is one of our favorite tracks, and we have driven numerous punchy, power-packed sports cars at this same location.
As we would discover at the day’s end, the new iX3 doesn’t sell itself short as we put it through its paces. Short of the performance-oriented Taycan variants and Ioniq 5 N, most regular EVs tend to leave you feeling meh after a drive – you get in, you drive, you arrive, you get out.
In the head of the new iX3 resides four supercomputers, which boast processing speeds that are 20 times faster than before. In particular, one of these superbrains is dubbed “Heart of Joy”, which works with BMW Dynamic Performance Control to regulate drivetrain and driving dynamics.
This control unit is responsible for the drivetrain, brakes, energy recuperation and steering, all of which cooperate with the driver during both cruising, as well as fast-track driving situations to deliver natural, organic and fluid responses.
Needless to say, the iX3 50 xDrive blows us away at the very first corner. The “Heart of Joy” manages to provide coherent feel and responses for a delightfully evocative driving experience. It is tuned to amplify rather than desensitise the driver during the task of pedal-to-metal driving, so you always feel exactly what the car is doing. There’s no second-guessing its reactions, and thanks to its feelsome, confidence-inspiring responses, the driver is able to attack every corner with gusto.
From ICE to hybrid and all-electric, BMW continues to offer its customers a plethora of powertrain solutions, which already points to a highly-developed sense of self. Instead of going all-in as far as the electric bandwagon is concerned, BMW continues to explore the different powertrain alternatives in the journey towards sustainable mobility.
At the same time, it also ensures that all its vehicles retain that unmistakable BMW flavour in terms of design and dynamics and the Neue Klasse is no exception.
BMW iX3 50 xDrive
Battery: 108.7kWh, 800V, AWD
Power: 345kW
Torque: 645Nm
0-100km/h: 4.9 seconds
Top Speed: 210km/h
WLTP range: 805km (combined)
Kerbweight: 2285kg
