BMW Group Malaysia is gearing up towards the next step of its electrification journey, as the brand is about to welcome its first-ever Neue Klasse model into our market this year.
This was revealed by BMW Group Malaysia managing director Benjamin Nagel at the brand’s recent Dealer Awards Night, who said, “2026 will be a transformative year for BMW Group Malaysia with the introduction of the Neue Klasse—a new era of electric mobility.”
iX3 or iX3 L?
While the BMW boss didn’t confirm either the model or the exact timeline for its first Neue Klasse model, it is widely expected to be either the new iX3 or its long-wheelbase twin, the iX3 L, which was globally unveiled at the Auto China 2026 motor show late last month.
Starting with the former, the second-gen iX3 recently made its regional debut in Thailand, featuring a single 50 xDrive M Sport variant priced at THB 3.599 million (RM432,022) in said market.
The recipient of the 2026 World Car of the Year award is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel-drive (AWD) powertrain setup delivering a combined output of 469 PS and 645 Nm—good enough to propel the two-tonne EV SUV from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.
What’s more impressive is the new 800-volt Neue Klasse electrical architecture it underpins, enabling a super-fast 400 kW DC charging that sees the iX3’s large 108.7 kWh NMC battery charged from 10% to 80% in just 21 minutes.
When fully charged, BMW claims the new iX3 is good for up to 805 km of WLTP range, almost doubling the maximum range figure of its predecessor.
As for the iX3 L, this long-wheel-based variant of the iX3 Neue Klasse was originally developed for the Chinese market, although it is also expected to be sold in several other Asian markets such as India, Thailand, and Malaysia.
Mechanically, the new iX3 L is more or less similar to the standard iX3 Neue Klasse, with the most obvious difference being its extended wheelbase measuring 3,005 mm, making it 108 mm longer than its standard twin.
And just like many other long-wheelbase editions of BMWs in China, the main benefit for this added length is improved rear passenger space and overall cabin comfort for this midsize EV SUV.
Dealers’ Excellence Celebrated
Back to the BMW Group Malaysia’s Dealer Awards Night, this annual event brought together over 200 guests comprising dealer principals, management teams, and representatives from BMW, MINI, and BMW Motorrad dealerships nationwide.
Celebrating dealers’ performance across sales, aftersales, customer service, and financial services, some notable award recipients include Millennium Welt KL North for the Most Supportive BMW Dealership award, while Auto Bavaria and Millennium Welt dealerships also secured multiple accolades across various categories.
