BMW states that its new concept provides a preview of the design direction for upcoming M models.
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At this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, amidst the noise and intensity of its race cars speeding down the Mulsanne straight, BMW is unveiling its latest concept vehicle, named the M Concept Neue Klasse. Officially, BMW describes this car as a harbinger of the future design language for its M brand vehicles. Unofficially, you’re likely looking at a prototype M version of the all-new, fully electric i3. And based on its appearance, the BMW Ms of the future are heading in an exciting—and almost certainly polarizing—direction.
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One of the initial things you’ll notice about the M Concept Neue Klasse, besides its striking Monza Red paint, is its distinctive forward yellow lighting integrated into the car’s kidney grille elements. The colors were partially borrowed from BMW’s GT race cars and the BMW M Hybrid V8 hypercar, which use a similar glow while racing at night. This new lighting signature will be one of several key differentiators between BMW road cars and its next M vehicles.
A Front Nose Borrowed From Sailing Boats
BMW M’s designers also took inspiration from another type of racing for the car’s bumper apron. The three-part design, enhanced by a shark nose style feature, draws from trimarans and high-speed multihull sailing boats, and it provides structural support for the front splitter. This new apron and bumper design is flanked by two pairs of Track Lights, another new three-dimensional feature that will appear on future BMW M vehicles.
Air from the openings in the front bumper is channeled upward through a distinct V-shaped vent in the hood, serving as a functional air outlet. While you might not think cooling is as crucial for an EV like the presumed i3 M (or iM3, the name is still unconfirmed), it still matters during hard driving, especially on track days.
Quad-Motor Powertrain
And the concept will require that extra cooling. Rather than using a single motor per axle, BMW says the M Concept Neue Klasse utilizes the automaker’s new quad-motor BMW M eDrive setup based on its Gen6 technology, designed for its upcoming fully electric BMW M vehicles. The motors will work with the BMW M Dynamic Performance Control, which manages not just each motor but also each brake caliper. In theory, this would help a driver navigate each corner with a level of precision and speed unlike any M before it.
It’s all powered by an 800-volt system with an estimated 100-kWh capacity battery pack, ensuring they’ll get the power they need during hard driving. The pack itself is structurally integrated with the front and rear axles, adding rigidity to the chassis and further enhancing driving dynamics.
In true motorsports fashion, the M Concept Neue Klasse uses a set of center-lock wheels that extend all the way to the edges of its bulging fender flares. Although BMW doesn’t state it directly, the wheels appear to be inspired by the iconic basket-weave design of the E30 M3. The center-lock nuts are finished in red and blue to match BMW’s motorsport and M colors.
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You’ll also find “reinterpreted” M aero exterior mirrors that come straight from the motorsports world as well. The new design is more aerodynamic while still allowing the mirrors to function as intended, one of many elements designed to enhance overall airflow. They also feature the BMW M tricolor on the ends, which might remind you of a race car wing endplate.