BMW's design turnaround: Electric Series 1 that will regain its distinctive feature, and a larger "monster" than the current X7
01/10/2026 14:00
Updated to
01/10/2026 14:00
BMW continues to expand its electrification plans and is already preparing a new model that will be particularly important for the European market. At its latest Capital Markets Day, the German manufacturer confirmed the launch of a compact electric car for 2028, developed on the Neue Klasse platform and aimed at strengthening its presence in high-volume segments.
Although the company has not yet officially revealed its name or all its specifications, Autocar suggests it is the next generation of the BMW Series 1, with its fully electric version potentially being marketed as the 'i1'. This launch will follow the strategy recently adopted by the new Series 3 and its electric counterpart, the i3, featuring two cars that look almost identical but are built on different platforms.
The BMW i1 will return to rear-wheel drive
As of now, the specifications for the future i1 are unknown, so BMW still needs to confirm its engines, batteries, and range figures. What is clear is that its launch in 2028 will be part of a regionalized strategy, through which the manufacturer aims to tailor its lineup to the preferences of buyers in each market. Europe will play a particularly important role in the development of these new compact electric vehicles.
BMW is also exploring a massive SUV above the X7
This new strategy will not be limited to small cars. While Europe will focus a significant portion of its efforts on compact vehicles, BMW aims to shift a larger share of its SUV production to the United States, where it is exploring the development of a model even larger than the current X7. According to Autocar, it could be named the X8 and is intended to compete in the U.S. market for large SUVs.
China will also receive a differentiated approach. BMW will expand local production of vehicles based on the Neue Klasse there and reserve imports mainly for those models that offer higher profit margins. Additionally, it will increase the use of domestically manufactured components, especially in technological areas.
The reorganization will also have consequences for some current models. BMW aims to reduce the number of available variants and eliminate those vehicles that are less profitable. In fact, it has already confirmed that the Series 2 Active Tourer will not have a successor. Meanwhile, Alpina will operate as an independent brand within the group, positioned between BMW and Rolls-Royce.
A transformation that will also affect BMW itself
The changes announced during Capital Markets Day go beyond future product launches. BMW aims to restore an EBIT operating margin of 8% to 10% by early 2027, and to achieve this, it is preparing a restructuring effort to improve efficiency in its development, production, and marketing processes.
Among the planned measures is increased use of artificial intelligence tools to accelerate the development of new vehicles and optimize their manufacturing. The company will also introduce a new agency-based business model and reduce the number of divisions and associated management positions by 20% by mid-2027.
