BMW Vision Driving Experience: the most powerful BMW prototype in history
BMW has unveiled the Vision Driving Experience concept, a test car based on the BMW Vision Neue Klasse platform, making it the most powerful prototype in the brand's history. The public premiere will take place tomorrow at Auto Shanghai 2025.
Here's What We Know
Last week, BMW already showed the VDX covered in black and white camouflage. Now the concept has been shown in all its glory, without protective film.
Despite the fact that the VDX is not intended for mass production and serves only as a platform for development, its appearance demonstrates the stylistic direction of future Neue Klasse models. The monolithic bodywork, powerful wheel arches, recessed glazing and the signature "shark nose" all reflect the minimalist design that will underpin the next generation of BMW vehicles.
For its premiere in Shanghai, the concept received innovative luminous paint. Pigments in the paint accumulate energy during the day, and in the dark the body glows in shades from white-yellow to neon yellow - depending on the level of charge. In addition, the rear of the car is covered with a special "magic film", which, when exposed to UV light, creates a gradient from yellow to orange and pink, visually stretching from the stern to the front.
Beneath the streamlined bodywork lies a four-motor electric powertrain with a variable output of 1,300 to 1,700 hp and up to 18,000 N-m of torque - making the VDX the most powerful BMW prototype of all time.
Active aerodynamics allows downforce of up to 1.2 tonnes and lateral acceleration of up to 3 g - a level comparable to Formula 1 cars and far beyond that of conventional road cars. This extreme potential is used as a platform for testing the control systems: if the electronics and software can cope under maximum loads, then even more so with everyday tasks.
The control centre is the new Heart of Joy supercomputer, which coordinates driving, braking, regeneration and part of the steering. High-speed data processing and direct control of the electric motors ensure increased stability, minimal interference from stabilisation systems and more precise handling. Up to 98 per cent of all braking actions are now performed by regeneration, which is 25 per cent more efficient than current architectures. In addition, braking has become noticeably smoother.
Source: BMW