Named after the New Class sedans and coupes of the 1960s and 1970s, today’s New Class is a chassis designed solely for battery-electric vehicles. BMW plans to introduce the all-new iX3 next year as the first vehicle built on the aforementioned architecture.
Since the second-generation BMW iX3 is so different from the departing model, the all-new part is literal rather than metaphorical. Located on the CLAR platform and sharing similarities with the combustion-engined X3, the first-generation iX3 is a Chinese-made vehicle with a limited driving range, no trunk, rear-wheel drive rather than all-wheel drive, and a fairly high starting price in China and Europe. Why BMW hasn’t offered it in the United States is understandable.
Starting with the NA0 i3 sedan and the NA1 i3 Touring, the Bavarian carmaker will unveil at least five more electric vehicles in the 24-month period following the debut of the first New Classe model. While the iX3 M, or whatever it will be called, is rumored to be codenamed ZA5, the NA7 iX4 is scheduled to be released in 2026.
The first electric M3 Touring (ZA1), the first electric M3 sedan (ZA0), and the iX4 M (ZA7) will all use the Z prefix. BMW revealed that the New Classe’s quad-motor drivetrain is capable of producing a full megawatt. Compared to the current-generation M3 Competition xDrive and M5 PHEV, that’s 1,000 kilowatts or 1,341 horsepower, which is truly ridiculous.
Pixel art master Ascaris Design imagined a convertible based on this BEV-centric architecture, while BMW hadn’t revealed anything about it. It goes without saying that the inspiration for his design came from the Vision New Classe Concept.
Starting with the doors, the pixel artist made quite a few changes to BMW’s concept vehicle, which is shaped like a 3 Series. To make room for the two huge doors, he also moved the front windshield and the A-pillar slightly forward. Along with the standard mirrors replacing the cameras, some modifications to the front and rear end also need to be noted.
Overall, this is an interesting “what if” that BMW could eventually take inspiration from. Unfortunately, we don’t yet know if the New Classe platform will ever see a production Cabriolet. That being said, there is one rumor that no one can dismiss. According to Brigadier General Yanguldin of BimmerPost, the i4 is expected to go into series production in the second half of 2028 under the codenames NA2 for the Coupe and NA3 for the Cabriolet.
There’s a four-year gap in the second half of 2028, so it’s possible that BMW scraps the i4 Convertible before it goes into production. Fortunately, it looks like the G23 won’t be discontinued until 2028. This means that those considering buying a 4 Series Convertible still have four years to choose a new vehicle, whether it’s an M4, a diesel, a four-cylinder turbo or a single-turbo sixer.