Rattling on one’s own account is known to be part of the craft. BMW has not been one of the loudest in this regard, but everything is different with the planned iNext electric SUV. For some time now, informal snacks in the form of technical details and studies have been served to provide a foretaste of the production model. Now the cloth is pulled from the final BMW iX – and yet the brand remains cautious. There are tactical reasons for this.

The most important is obvious. Although the final design of the production model is being shown today, the car is not expected to hit the market for around a year. That is, at least by BMW standards, an unusually long period. We don’t know why the BMW people preferred the static premiere so far. What is certain, however, is that the technical development is far from over. That would also be surprising, because there is currently rapid progress in the areas of batteries and autonomous driving. What is currently up-to-date would not seem so fresh by the planned market launch of the BMW iX.

Autonomous at level 3: Prepared, not available BMW gives a very specific example of this. As with the Mercedes S-Class, the highly automated level three driving, loudly proclaimed by the former development director Klaus Fröhlich, is initially left out. “Technically, the BMW iX has all the options for level three,” explains Fröhlich’s successor Frank Weber. But for the market launch in autumn 2021 there will probably only be what currently most Vehicles can.

Manufacturers are generally more cautious with their predictions on this topic than they were a few years ago. The effort increases enormously with each stage of autonomous driving, and not everyone is sure whether they can recoup their investments in the market. This technology will not be a sure-fire success.

Heavyweight BMW is much more explorers in the areas of material mix and design. The body structure of the iX is made of carbon, which is visibly displayed when the doors are opened. There is also an aluminum space frame in the front of the car and the frame of the battery pack for maximum occupant protection. In view of the effort Bayern are making in this regard, one can ask oneself what the iX would have brought with a conventional mix of materials. Because despite the costly composition, an empty weight of 2.5 tonnes remains.

The use of resources is enormous and with one pull it wipes the idea off the table that this could be an effective contribution from private transport, to harm the environment as little as possible. BMW can be sure, however, that this point only plays a subordinate role for the targeted customers. Otherwise she would probably not have considered buying a five-meter SUV.

Polarized design In terms of design, BMW has recently followed the path of polarization. Timeless, delicate or even restrained forms do not have a majority in the brand, the huge nostrils on the 7s and 4s prove that, well, impressively. The iX is also not one that will spontaneously gather majorities behind it. The front with its narrow headlights looks aggressive, which of course is no coincidence. Soft edges on the wheel arches are only noticeable at second glance, which is very different from the new Hyundai Tucson. The iX is the first BMW to have no conventional door handles. If you are looking for something conciliatory: the rear has significantly fewer folds than many other current BMW models.

BMW iX body (8 pictures) After many studies, BMW is now revealing the final design of the iX.

BMW once praised the benefits of a driver-oriented dashboard, but that is long gone. The angular, cool interior of the iX shows where the journey is headed. BMW puts a wide display board on the Alcantara-covered carrier. What were round instruments a few years ago are now arrows pointing outwards. The two-spoke steering wheel is no longer just flattened at the bottom, but also at the top. In front of the center armrest there is a floating control unit with virtual buttons in open-pored wood – very similar to what Honda has also shown in the small car e.

BMW iX interior ( 7 pictures) The typical BMW driver-oriented dashboard has long been history. The iX is designed to be cool inside.

The designers have separated from the freely assignable favorite keys, with which the paths to frequently used functions can be shortened so wonderfully. Like other brands, BMW also insists that customers fight their way through everyday life with voice control. Since steady progress can also be reported in this area, the loss may be less painful in perspective than it currently seems.

Technical data BMW is still quite covered when it comes to the technical details of the drive, which is probably due to the long lead-up to the start of sales. Only a few key data are certain, and even with those, BMW remains in the approximate range. The drive power should be 370 kW, all-wheel drive is standard. The battery should offer a little more than 100 kWh, the maximum charging power is more than 200 kW. BMW expects a standard consumption of around 20 kWh / 100 km, the range is more than 600 km promised. As a reminder: Consumption in the WLTP cannot simply be extrapolated to the range of electric cars – why, Christoph M. Schwarzer explained in detail in the following article:

Delimitation BMW is of course not targeting the mass market with the iX. The car is a bit more voluminous than a certainly not delicate BMW X5, it should come close to the BMW X7. Solvent buyers in Asia and America will see the size as an advantage. In Germany, a starting price of around 100. 000 euros. This means that the iX keeps a good distance to the iX3, which is currently from just under 65. 000 Euro is available. But they will not get into the enclosure apart from financial issues. Because the iX3 is a current car in every respect – and not one that tries to look like it was from the future.

(mfz)