The BMW Group at Auto Shanghai 2025

On the road to Neue Klasse, the BMW Group will be showcasing the outstanding innovations of future vehicle generations at Auto Shanghai 2025. “Innovative strength, a pioneering spirit and sheer driving pleasure – these characteristics are deeply rooted in BMW’s DNA,” says Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “In the Neue Klasse, they can be experienced by our customers on a whole new level: the user interface is even more intuitive, the design even more progressive and the driving experience even more precise and dynamic. By the end of this year, we will be putting the mobility of the future on the road”.

The smart display and operating concept BMW Panoramic iDrive and the lightning-fast Heart of Joy central computer take centre stage at the auto show.

The BMW Group presents the BMW Panoramic iDrive in a version specially developed for the Chinese market. Together with local technology partners, the BMW Operating System X has been tailored to the needs of Chinese users and offers exclusive digital functions that are only available in China.

The Heart of Joy centrally calculates all driving dynamics functions and raises the hallmark BMW driving pleasure to a new level with ten times faster information processing. BMW presents the Heart of Joy in the specially developed high-performance test vehicle BMW Vision Driving Experience, which shines in a spectacular, luminescent paint finish.

By the end of the year, the iX3 will be the first Neue Klasse model to roll off the production line at the new plant in Debrecen (Hungary). There will be a separate version for China in 2026, following the “At Home in China” strategy: The Shanghai design team is responsible for all China-specific models of the NEUE KLASSE, which will be produced at the Shenyang plant.

Heart of Joy: Central computer for lightning-fast calculation of driving dynamics.

The BMW Vision Driving Experience is presented to the public for the first time in Shanghai: It is a high-performance test vehicle with no connection to series production, which BMW has designed as a rolling laboratory for optimising the Heart of Joy drive and driving dynamics control system. “The BMW Vision Driving Experience is equipped with the “Heart of Joy” – one of four super brains specifically developed for our software-defined Neue Klasse models,” says Jochen Goller, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Customers, Brands and Sales. “The Heart of Joy takes every aspect of sheer driving pleasure to the next level. Starting with the launch of the first Neue Klasse model, the “Heart of Joy” will beat in every all-electric BMW model”.

The four super brains combine the computing power for the most important customer functions: infotainment, automated driving, basic functions and driving dynamics. In this new, zonal electronics architecture, the Heart of Joy is responsible for drive, braking, charging, recuperation and partial steering functions. In conjunction with the BMW Dynamic Performance Control software, the system, which was developed entirely in-house, calculates all driving dynamics functions. It processes information ten times faster than previous systems and achieves latencies in the millisecond range. There will be control units with comparable functions for combustion engines and hybrids.

High-performance test vehicle in innovative luminescent paintwork.

As the “world’s fastest test rig”, the BMW Vision Driving Experience takes the Heart of Joy and BMW Dynamic Performance Control to their absolute limits. With a maximum torque of 18,000 Newton metres and active aerodynamics, it generates 1.2 tonnes of downforce and lateral forces of up to 3G – a dimension on  par with Formula 1 and far beyond the requirements of conventional vehicles in road traffic. The logic behind this: If the hardware and software can tame the brute forces of this test rig, they can easily cope with the demands of everyday use.

In Shanghai, the BMW Vision Driving Experience shines in an innovative, fluorescent paint finish. The paint’s special light-sensitive pigments recharge in daylight, with even the smallest amount of ambient light sufficient. In the dark, the colour varies from a whitish yellow to an expressive neon yellow, depending on the state of charge. In addition, the rear of the car has been fitted with a “magic film” which, when stimulated by UV light, creates an expressive gradient from yellow to orange to pink from the rear to the front of the car. These special looks underline the uniqueness and innovative power of the car. Like the vision vehicle, they are not intended for series production.

Visionary display and control concept BMW Panoramic iDrive on show as China version.

The BMW Panoramic iDrive display and operating concept will revolutionise interaction with the vehicle in all new BMW series models from the launch of the Neue Klasse. In Shanghai, it can be seen in a stand-alone version that will be available in BMW models on the Chinese market from mid-2026. The core elements of the innovative concept are the new BMW Panoramic Vision – a head-up display that projects content across the entire width of the windscreen – and the BMW Operating System X. Around 70% of the software in the Chinese version consists of locally developed and adapted source code.

The system offers a wide range of exclusive digital functions, including the AI-based BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant for China. For example, the Large Language Model (LLM), which is integrated in the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, is the result of a collaboration with Chinese technology pioneer Alibaba. Over the course of the year, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant* will gradually be enhanced with “AI Reasoning by Deepseek” for a seamless connection between the vehicle and the outside world.

China is of outstanding importance for innovation, including in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). This is why the BMW Group is strengthening its partnerships with Chinese technology leaders as part of its 360° AI strategy. For BMW, “China for China” also means independent software development in the country where the BMW Group has its largest research and development centre outside Germany.

MINI John Cooper Works: From the racetrack to the road.

The MINI brand is showcasing the new John Cooper Works** model generation at the motor show. At the same time, MINI is paying tribute to the brand’s racing history. On display in the highlight area, for example, is a classic Mini that competed in the legendary Monte Carlo Rally, as well as the MINI John Cooper Works Pro, which won the legendary 24-hour race at the Nürburgring last year. The other models of the new MINI family** complete the picture: The MINI Cooper Convertible, which celebrates its market launch in China at Auto Shanghai, as well as the MINI Cooper 3 door, MINI Cooper 5 door and MINI Aceman.

Experience BMW and MINI on 5,000 square metres.

The Auto Shanghai at the National Exhibition and Convention Center has become the largest auto show in the world. More than one million visitors are expected from April 23 to May 2, 2025. Across almost 5,000 square meters, the BMW Group presents the latest products of the BMW and MINI brands. An oversized installation of the complete BMW Panoramic iDrive display and control system is the focus of the exhibition space. The road to Neue Klasse leads guests along a “road” across the exhibition. On display will be a BMW 1500, the historical model of the Neue Klasse from the 1960s, as well as the visionary vehicles BMW Vision Neue Klasse and BMW Vision Neue Klasse X. The BMW Group will showcase a total of 42 vehicles at its largest exhibition booth in the world.

China premiere of the BMW 3 Series 50 Years Edition**: Five decades of driving pleasure – the world’s most successful premium car in a special anniversary edition. To mark the occasion in China, BMW is launching an exclusive special edition – the BMW 3 Series 50 Years Edition, limited to 2,500 units. Highlights include new paintwork, high-quality seat upholstery, specially designed 19-inch light-alloy wheels, carbon-fibre interior trim and a sports steering wheel with Alcantara trim and red 12 o’clock marker. These features combine to create a dynamic, stylish and personalised version of the iconic BMW 3 Series – offering customers in China an impressive combination of tradition and innovation.

World premiere BMW M4 Edition Nürburgring**: BMW M celebrates more than 25 years of cooperation with the Nürburgring with the exclusive special edition BMW M4 Edition Nürburgring. This special edition vehicle, which is only available in China, is limited to just 53 units to mark the 53rd anniversary of BMW M. Specific design elements make reference to the world’s most famous racetrack. The BMW Individual Frozen Deep Green metallic paint finish is a nod to the “Green Hell”. The red Nürburgring Nordschleife logo is embroidered on the headrests and the frameless radiator grille is also framed in this striking red. The uniform “nürburgring 1/53” lettering in the door sills symbolises that the vehicle is part of an exclusive special edition. The edition based on the BMW M4 Competition with M xDrive has the familiar in-line six-cylinder engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology and generates 390 kW/530 hp. This not only enables acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (60 mph) in 3.5 seconds or 3.2 seconds according to the “1-foot rollout” method***, but also highly dynamic driving on the racetrack – tried and tested on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, of course.

BMW M235L Gran Coupé**: Luxury and sportiness are standard in the BMW M235L Gran Coupé, the second M Performance model to be produced in China and the first Gran Coupé from the plant in Shenyang. The vehicle has BMW’s most powerful 2.0T four-cylinder engine, which was tuned by BMW M and delivers a peak output of 221 kW. In combination with a 7-speed DCT transmission, it accelerates the vehicle from 0 to 100 km/h (60 mph) in five seconds. M exclusive digital functions and design elements enhance the driving pleasure and sporty atmosphere. The new model’s wheelbase has been extended by 110 millimetres for more rear legroom and the perfect combination of sporty driving pleasure and comfort.

Sensational designs: In Shanghai, BMW presents Art Car #20, designed by US artist Julie Mehretu and based on the BMW M Hybrid V8 racing car. Magical colour changes: The BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA combines the technology of changing exterior colours developed by BMW with the artistic language of South African artist Esther Mahlangu. BMW is also presenting the design study BMW Concept Skytop Roadster.