BMW kicked off series production of the Neue Klasse iX3 at its new Debrecen plant in Hungary in late October. However, customer deliveries won’t begin until early March, with Europe being the first market to receive the electric SUV. That said, a small number of early adopters were already invited by the luxury automaker to take delivery. The handover event took place over the weekend at BMW Welt in Munich.
BMW says an “exclusive group of customers” had the privilege of grabbing the keys ahead of the broader rollout. We’re counting at least five iX3s in these images, four in Ocean Wave Blue and a fifth in Space Silver. The M Sport Package seems to be a common feature across the fleet, while wheel choices vary. The silver example rides on 22-inch Individual aero wheels (1053), whereas one of the blue vehicles is fitted with 21-inch alloys (1051 M) without Individual branding.
That said, the exact specifications of these iX3 50 xDrive models aren’t necessarily the key takeaway. The handover event itself is what matters, as it effectively signals the start of deliveries, even if only for a handful of customers. The rest of us will have to wait until March 7, when the European market launch is scheduled. From that day on, the “NA5” will be available across dealerships on the continent.
BMW has already confirmed that production in Debrecen is ramping up. A second shift will be added sooner than initially planned to keep pace with rising demand. The iX3 is already nearly sold out in Europe for this year, even before a cheaper version reaches the market. The rear-wheel-drive, single-motor iX3 configuration is slated to go on sale before the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, the BMW Welt handover effectively underscores the return of Neue Klasse, with the iX3 serving as the first of around 40 new models arriving by late 2027. This year alone, we’re set to see the next 3 Series (G50), i3 sedan (NA0), long-wheelbase iX3 (NA6), next-generation X5 (G65), and the 7 Series facelift (G70). The iX4 (NA7) hasn’t been officially confirmed for 2026, but it’s likely to arrive this year as well.
In 2027, BMW will push electrification even further with its first fully fledged M model. The already teased M3 (ZA0) is expected to be joined before the end of that year by an X3 M (ZA5).
