BMW’s Neue Klasse i3 Will Deliver Rear-Wheel Drive And 300 HP

BMW’s bringing the i3 name back—but forget that funky little hatchback from 2013. The new BMW i3 will be a completely new vehicle: a sleek, all-electric sedan that will launch the brand's next-generation "Neue Klasse" lineup.  And for the wagon lovers out there?

Good news—there’s going to be a Touring version too. Yep, the long roof is making a comeback. They’re rolling things out with the second-gen iX3 SUV first, and then the i3 will follow right behind.

Adrian van Hooydonk, the design boss, recently stated that the unexpected success of the M3 and M5 Touring demonstrated the continued popularity of wagons, even in countries where they are typically overlooked. BMW’s clearly feeling that momentum and plans to keep giving sedans, wagons, and coupes the love they deserve, right alongside the ever-dominant SUVs.

As for the name, they’re sticking with the “i” badge for all their EVs. Product head Bernd Körber explained that “i” used to mean a bunch of things, but now it’s mostly their way of saying, “Hey, this one’s electric.” So they’re dropping it in front of model names instead of spinning off a separate sub-brand.

When it drops, the new BMW i3 will start off with a rear-wheel-drive setup making around 300 horsepower, and later on, there’ll be an all-wheel-drive version for folks who want a little more grip. Overall, it appears that BMW is developing an impressive vehicle.