It doesn’t happen very often for BMW to issue a press release specifically to debunk a rumor. The Dutch arm of the company is now addressing speculation that surfaced in local media and spread across Europe, claiming the iX3 is completely sold out on the continent for 2026. BMW Group Netherlands CEO Anne Brons makes things crystal clear:
“If the customer orders an iX3 now, we can build it in July. Then he or she can still get it this summer.”
While this may appear to contradict earlier statements made by BMW officials, the situation has since changed. A second shift will be added at the Debrecen plant sooner than initially scheduled, unlocking additional production capacity at the Hungarian site. The company’s top brass in the Netherlands confirms that “production at the Debrecen plant is scaling up considerably faster than originally planned.”
Deliveries recently kicked off at BMW Welt during a special handover event for a select group of customers. The rest of the early adopters will have to wait until early March, when iX3s will begin shipping across Europe. Meanwhile, Anne Brons confirmed that every third electric BMW ordered on the continent is still an iX3.
The strong order intake could continue now that new customization options are available. However, pricing in Germany has already increased by €2,000, which may be a consequence of the iX3’s early success. Some buyers are likely holding out for more affordable versions to join the lineup, namely the 40 and 40 xDrive. These will cost less than the €70,900 BMW currently charges for the 50 xDrive. The rear-wheel-drive variant will arrive in Europe before the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, prospective buyers in the United States are waiting for BMW to finalize pricing. For now, all we know is that the iX3 50 xDrive will cost around $60,000. It’s reasonable to expect the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive iX3 40 to start at roughly $55,000. However, only the 50 xDrive will be available at launch this summer, with cheaper variants arriving in early 2027.
The iX3’s launch in China later this year won’t put additional pressure on the Debrecen plant, as the long-wheelbase model (NA6) will be produced locally. Looking further ahead, San Luis Potosí will become the third factory to assemble the iX3 starting in the second half of 2027. The Mexican plant is expected to build the standard-wheelbase model (NA5), helping to ease the load on the Hungarian facility.
