BMW | The Verge

BMW’s flagship 7 Series gets its ‘Neue Klasse’ upgrade

2026-04-22T08:19:30-04:00

Ever since BMW first announced its "Neue Klasse" next-generation electric vehicle architecture and design language way back in 2021, the question on many fans' minds was when the new technology would reach the automaker's flagship 7 Series.

Well, that moment has finally arrived. Today, at events in New York City and Beijing, BMW unveiled its new 7 Series on the Neue Klasse platform. And while some of the styling choices remain polarizing, the power and technology riding under the surface is sure to give these $100,000-plus machines a strong selling point. Simply put, BMW wants to transform its decades-old advertising slogan as "the Ultimate …

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BMW brings back the i3 as a funky four-door EV

2026-03-17T12:37:30-04:00

BMW's new class of EVs begins with the iX3 SUV, but you had to know it wouldn't end there. The company's engineers didn't spend all that time working up a completely redesigned and substantially more efficient EV platform just for one crossover, and now it's time for the second wave.

Meet the new i3, which takes the same basic motor, battery, and electronics package that powers the iX3, plus the Neue Klasse's controversial styling cues, and applies it to a more familiar sedan shape, the sort of silhouette that BMW's reputation was largely built upon.

It definitely looks a lot like the iX3, but with a slightly different intent. Sebastian K …

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BMW says electric M3 will be a ‘new level’ of performance

2026-01-14T15:52:09-05:00

BMW teased its forthcoming all-electric M-series performance sedan today, promising that the quad-motor M3 sports car would feature specs that are truly next level when it arrives in 2027.

The M3 will have four electric motors and simulated gear shifting, a feature that is quickly becoming a must-have for electrified sports cars. BMW says the setup unlocks the benefits of both rear and all-wheel drive, with the ability to decouple the front axle.

Four motors, though, is a bit of an outlier in the performance world. Tri-motors, sure, you can find plenty, like Tesla Model S Plaid and Lucid Air Sapphire. But four motors are bit a rarer: the …

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BMW iX3 first drive: a ‘New Class’ is in session

2025-12-28T12:02:00-05:00

BMW has been peppering us with teasers and bits and pieces about its next-gen EV platform, Neue Klasse, for so long - fully two years now - that I confess I've become a bit numb to the hype. I'd seen the dashboard-filling displays, talked to engineers endlessly about the completely retooled active safety suite, and even got a go behind the wheel of a prototype machine.

All this for the launch of a crossover SUV, typically the most milquetoast of all the automotive classifications. But after spending the better part of a day wheeling around the final version of the iX3, I'm surprised to say it was all worth it. This little(ish) SUV really is …

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Qualcomm teams up with BMW for hands-free driving

2025-09-08T09:26:46-04:00

Qualcomm is joining forces with BMW on a new driver-assist system that will allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel on approved roads.

Qualcomm, which supplies infotainment, driver-assist, and telematics systems to a variety of automakers, is looking to raise its portfolio in the auto industry, as more car companies turn to advanced processors and chips to power high-tech features. The San Diego-based chipmaker says it currently has $45 billion in future revenue in its automotive pipeline right now.

Now it's teaming up with BMW to bring hands-free driving and more advanced autonomous features to more vehicles. The two companies joi …

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BMW’s iX3 is a ‘new class’ of EV that packs a lot of range and computing power

2025-09-05T09:37:48-04:00

For years, BMW has been teasing its forthcoming next-generation "Neue Klasse" electric vehicle platform, complete with better batteries, better range, and an all-new "superbrain" with enhanced computing power. Today, the German automaker finally revealed the first Neue Klasse vehicle: the iX3. And at first glance, it has a lot to take in.

The iX3, which made its debut today at the Munich auto show, represents the 109-year-old company's attempt at reinventing itself as a future-focused automaker that understands the growing importance of software in the automotive world. It's also the tip of the spear in BMW's effort to challenge the growing …

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BMW M5 review: a PHEV worth its weight

2025-06-24T17:13:46-04:00

After 40 years and six generations, 2025 marks the beginning of a new generation of the BMW M5: the G90 chassis. Featuring a ground-up redesign and a new plug-in hybrid powertrain, the specs are impressive. It's not just its horsepower and torque numbers but its curb weight of 5,390 pounds, too. That's no small figure, but the German brand's never held back in this department, and it has never greatly impeded the badge.

Well, until now. There's a lot to like about the newest M5, especially in its corner-carving competence and how it acts around town solely propelled by electrons. But in other areas, this $123,275 super sedan lacks some nece …

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BMW iX3 prototype drive: your next-gen EV is nearly here

2025-06-11T09:35:10-04:00

There's a fight for control going on inside the cockpits of many modern cars. Enable all the active safety systems in a Tesla, and it'll do most of the steering for you. But if it makes an errant turn or meanders a little too far this way or that in the lane (and trust me, it will), you're left wrestling the wheel out of Autopilot's virtual hands.

Assistance systems from other manufacturers do better at ceding control whenever you feel like taking over, but BMW is about to take that to a new level with the first car built on its upcoming Neue Klasse platform. It includes an advanced driver assist system that the company says is a proper sym …

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The 2026 BMW iX is a best-case-scenario EV

2025-05-14T08:18:41-04:00

The 2026 BMW iX is now more accessible than ever. | Image: BMW

BMW has been on a roll lately, selling more EVs in North America than most of its competitors, including fellow luxury brands like Mercedes and Audi. But while most of the automaker's lineup is soaring, its flagship iX SUV has been struggling to find an audience. BMW only sold 15,383 iX vehicles in 2024, down 11 percent year over year. Sales numbers ticked up slightly in the first quarter, but after being on the market since 2022, the iX is in need of an upgrade.

With those struggles in mind, BMW announced the refreshed 2026 iX earlier this year, which takes a lot of the best parts of the electric SUV and dials them up a notch. The battery …

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Lyft gets a toehold in Europe with FreeNow acquisition

2025-04-16T12:21:28-04:00

Lyft said it is acquiring mobility platform FreeNow, giving the ridehailing company its first major presence in Europe after years of operating exclusively in the US and Canada.

FreeNow aggregates taxis alongside private vehicles, including luxury rides. The acquisition of FreeNow nearly doubles Lyft's potential market and will aide the company as it seeks to compete with the dominant player in ridehailing, Uber. While Lyft oversees several bikeshare brands in Europe, including Santander Cycles in London, it has yet to expand its ridehailing operation beyond North American borders.

"We're on an ambitious path to build the best, most custo …

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