There is no better stage for an unveiling than the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and that is where BMW M has put on display its new BMW M Concept Neue Klasse. The striking concept gives us the most definitive view to date of what is in store for the brand’s high-performance electric vehicles, specifically the electric M3.
The M Concept Neue Klasse is setting a bold tone for the models that will follow. You are left in no doubt that this is a high-performance BMW thanks to its muscular build, wide fender flares and a shoulder line that is hard to miss.
Up front the fascia is all business, with a shark-nose profile that unites the kidney grille and headlights as one. BMW has also made room for some new M Yellow Lights – a nod to the GT racers and the BMW M Hybrid V8 – and they expect this yellow signature to be something you come to associate with future M cars.
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Aerodynamics have been given due consideration. The front bumper has a trimaran-like structure to hold up the splitter, and there is a large air outlet in the hood to keep the electric powertrain cool. Round the back you will find a ducktail spoiler and floating diffuser working in concert with new 3D Track Lights to put downforce where it counts. And then there is the matter of sustainability; natural fiber composites make an appearance on the exterior, from the hood vent to the diffuser, in keeping with the company’s move toward lighter, more responsible performance machines.
Step inside and the M Concept is all about the driver. It is a minimalist space with four lightweight bucket seats for when you want to put the pedal down. The Bathurst Blue and Berry Red leather trim is a clear homage to BMW M’s time on the track, while black nubuck leather makes its debut on an M vehicle on the steering wheel and door panels.
But what lies beneath is just as compelling as the looks. The Neue Klasse is running on a new BMW M eDrive system with four electric motors and Dynamic Performance Control. In tandem with the “Heart of Joy” control computer, it handles everything from torque distribution to braking with exactitude. BMW claims you will see better agility and traction than before, along with gains in efficiency and energy recuperation.
All of this is made possible by the sixth-generation electric architecture and an 800-volt system feeding a battery pack of over 100 kWh. The cylindrical cells of the next-gen battery are tuned for quick charging and hard driving, and the pack itself adds to the rigidity of the chassis for sharper handling.
You could call the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse a design study, but it is really a foretelling of the EVs to come. BMW has been at pains to point out that going electric does not mean giving up on the drive, and the concept’s emphasis on sophisticated dynamics and light materials bears that out.
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