BMW gives the iX3 a rear wheel drive entry model, cuts the price and keeps the technology
BMW has expanded the new iX3 range with the rear wheel drive iX3 40, a version that lowers the price without stripping out the technology that matters. With a single motor on the rear axle, 320bhp and 500Nm, the new model offers up to 635 kilometres of WLTP range and charges at up to 300kW on an 800 volt architecture. In simple terms, BMW has found a way to put the Neue Klasse package in front of a broader audience without surrendering its main selling points.
The company kept the same body, cabin and digital experience offered by the pricier iX3 50 xDrive, but swapped in one rear motor and a battery with 82.6kWh of usable capacity instead of the twin motor setup and larger pack. The result is a car that reaches 100km/h in about 5.9 seconds, tops out at roughly 200km/h and can add up to 300 kilometres of range in 10 minutes. That places the iX3 40 firmly at the lower end of the premium class, while preserving the technical image BMW wants the entire Neue Klasse family to carry.
The clearest message sits in the pricing. In the UK, the iX3 50 xDrive starts at £58,755 (€67,688), while the new iX3 40 opens at £53,250 (€61,346). That is a drop of £5,505 (€6,342), or about 9.4 per cent. At the same time, maximum WLTP range falls from roughly 805 kilometres to 636 kilometres, a reduction of about 21 per cent. It is an interesting balance. BMW is not trying to play the cheap electric car game here. It is trying to open up a bigger volume niche for the iX3 without giving away too much margin, which means the price comes down just enough while the headline tech still looks strong on paper.
The iX3 40 uses the same sixth generation eDrive technology, the same 800 volt architecture, the same Panoramic iDrive and Operating System X software base, and the same new electronic and control computer layout that BMW links to its Heart of Joy control logic. Standard equipment includes 11kW AC charging, with 22kW available as an option, and the model also supports bidirectional charging.
That is what makes this version more significant than a simple cheaper trim level. BMW is not treating the entry model as a cut price compromise. It is treating it as the volume version, the car meant to pull Neue Klasse core technology into a wider price band without diluting the idea behind it. That is a much smarter move, and a much more BMW one, than simply knocking out a bargain spec and hoping nobody notices what went missing.
