All board members were present, BMW launched a major counterattack.
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Author | Zhou Zhiyu
The slowdown of traditional luxury brands in China has lasted for many years. The market share of German brands in the Chinese passenger car market has dropped from nearly 25% five years ago to about 14%. Meanwhile, models like AITO M9 and Li Auto L series have fully penetrated the 300,000 to 500,000 CNY price range, reversing the offensive-defensive situation.
BBA's ammunition depot is not empty, but they haven't acted. BMW's Neue Klasse, Mercedes' MMA, and Audi's PPE have all been in an "upcoming" state for the past several years. The Chinese market waits for no one.
On the evening of April 22, at Beijing Workers' Stadium, BMW made its move. Chairman Zipse led the way, accompanied by board member for global sales Jochen Goller and other global board members, an assembly of senior executives not seen at past auto shows. Additionally, the global debut of three Neue Klasse models was held in Beijing instead of Munich, a statement in itself.
Two months ago Zipse had just visited China with German Chancellor Scholz and toured Unitree Robotics' humanoid robots in Hangzhou. This time, on stage at Workers' Stadium, the products launched were deeply embedded with technologies from Alibaba, Huawei, Momenta, and DeepSeek.
Goller revealed that by the end of 2027, 40 new or significantly upgraded models will all feature Neue Klasse design and technology. According to Wallstreetcn, all future models will benefit from Neue Klasse's design, technology, and digital experience, and China-exclusive Neue Klasse features will be installed on all future models released in China.
BMW wants to use this offensive to answer a question that has hovered for two years: After Chinese brands have defined intelligence and reshaped the luxury market, can a century-old car company regain its voice?
A "China Friend Circle" Inside a BMW
In the past, BMW was most criticized in China on two fronts: pure electric performance and intelligence. These two shortcomings are addressed at once with the Neue Klasse, but the approach is completely different from before.
Previously, BMW’s localization meant Munich provided the solutions, China did the adaptation—added local navigation, connected local apps, but the core architecture remained unchanged.
This time it's the other way around. 70% of the source code of the new operating system X was developed and optimized in China; behind voice interaction is the deep reasoning power of Alibaba Tongyi large model and DeepSeek; the intelligent driving solution is tied to leading Chinese company Momenta. After experiencing the cockpit, Unitree's founder Wang Xingxing said: deeply integrated with China's current tech trends, the result is greater than just the sum of parts.
This is not just politeness.
Looking closely at the cockpit, Neue Klasse is equipped with a system called Panoramic iDrive. The core concept is the "visual cone", concentrating driving information within the 30-degree field of view directly ahead. 3D head-up display, panoramic eye-level display, and three screens focused around the driver form an information arc. A customized Gaode (AutoNavi) map for the first time enables lane-level navigation in the HUD. Huawei HiCar and HarmonyOS ecosystems are fully integrated. The AI personal assistant is not just a voice assistant but integrates several intelligent agents; vehicle control and navigation can be done through conversation.
Changes in intelligent driving are even more noteworthy. BMW previously relied on global suppliers for ADAS, but this is the first time deeply engaging with a Chinese intelligent driving company, co-developing L2-level pilot assist with Momenta, covering city, highway, and parking scenarios. The system is developed holistically from the start, integrating interaction, driving feel, and smart driving, rather than splitting into three separate teams.
In electrification, the specs are at the top tier in China’s EV market. iX3 long wheelbase version has a 900 km range, i3 long wheelbase breaks 1000 km, uses an 800V architecture, and a 10-minute charge gives 400 km. Underpinning these figures is the mass production of large cylindrical batteries—BMW has overcome this industry-recognized technical challenge, controlling battery safety from the cell material, with over a thousand test items beyond national standards.
But specs are just the ticket to entry.
The real differentiator is BMW’s self-developed driving control super-brain, Heart of Joy. Previously, power, brakes, and steering were handled by codes from different suppliers. Now, they are integrated under unified software scheduling.
A BMW engineer told Wallstreetcn that in this era, making electric cars fast isn’t hard; making controllable speed is the barrier. In 98% of driving scenarios, Neue Klasse brakes purely with energy recovery, mechanical brake discs do not engage, meaning braking is smooth with no head-tossing or jerking, so commuters can almost say goodbye to carsickness.
Zipse repeatedly emphasized: In China, for China, together with China. And it’s not just for show. This generation’s cockpit has more nameable Chinese partners than any BMW before. In the past, China features were added to global cars; now, Chinese technology defines the core experience of global BMWs.
A 40-Model Race Against Time
The three cars debuted at Brand Night are just the prologue.
Goller was clear: by the end of 2027, 40 new or significantly upgraded models, covering all drive types and all market segments.
Zipse followed up: China-exclusive Neue Klasse functions will be extended to all future models sold in China.
Not just EVs, but fuel and hybrid upgrades will also feature Neue Klasse’s design language and digital cockpit.
Neue Klasse is not a model code. It is the underlying architecture for BMW’s next product cycle.
The scale of investment matches this positioning. At the event, Zipse revealed that investment in the global production network and Neue Klasse technology exceeds 30 billion RMB. Focused on China: Tiexi plant in Shenyang will have 20 billion RMB added for Neue Klasse localization, 10 billion for the sixth-generation power battery project—now completed and going online this year. EVE Energy’s Shenyang large cylindrical battery base was piloting production last year, and CATL will supply 46-series large cylindrical cells starting this year. Since 2010, BMW’s total investment in Shenyang exceeds 100 billion RMB, with annual capacity at 830,000 units. In the second half of this year, the 7 millionth BMW will roll off the line in Shenyang.
The production preparation is in place.
On schedule, the iX3 long wheelbase will come first, launching in China in the second half of this year. Next will be the i3 long wheelbase and the all-new 7 Series.
The 7 Series deserves special mention. As the flagship, this generation not only adopts the new design language but for the first time features the Neue Klasse digital cockpit and AI driving assist. The pure electric i7 has a range close to 800 km.
Goller put it this way about the 7 Series: drive a BMW, ride in a BMW. For the first time, driving pleasure and comfortable riding are unified in the Neue Klasse 7 Series.
But pressure in the window period is real. BMW’s sales in China are under pressure; dealers have endured over two years of inverted pricing, and consumer confidence at the retail end needs real new cars to bring it back.
Goller specifically mentioned BMW’s 8 million car owner base in China. This customer base is BMW’s most important asset and the cornerstone of its counteroffensive.
With the global debut held in Beijing, the entire board backing the event, and 40 models locked into a two-year offensive rhythm, this is the strongest bet BBA has made on the Chinese market in the past decade. Starting in the second half of this year, Neue Klasse’s answer sheet will be laid out.
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