BMW unveils 7 Series Nero Lusso Edition at Busan Mobility Show

Korean debut at 2026 Busan Mobility Show

iX3 pre-orders top 4,500; deliveries to begin next month

World's first MINI JCW Garage to open in Korea in July

Han Sang-yoon, president and CEO of BMW Group Korea, delivers a welcoming address at the 2026 Busan Mobility Show press conference held at BEXCO in Busan on Friday. [BMW Group Korea]

BMW Group Korea gave the BMW 7 Series Nero Lusso Edition its Korean debut at the 2026 Busan Mobility Show on Friday, unveiling a future strategy built around the next-generation electrification platform Neue Klasse.

Han Sang-yoon, president and CEO of BMW Group Korea, said at the press conference at BEXCO in Busan that Neue Klasse is "an important vision that goes beyond a mere product lineup to show the direction BMW will move forward." He added that the company plans to apply core Neue Klasse technology to about 40 models by 2027.

The next-generation all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle, the new BMW iX3. [BMW Group Korea]

The model embodying BMW's future strategy is the next-generation all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV), the new BMW iX3. The first mass-production model built on the Neue Klasse platform, it features BMW Panoramic iDrive, sixth-generation eDrive, a vehicle control system called Heart of Joy, and a high-performance computing system called Superbrain comprising four units.

The iX3 also introduces BMW's first cylindrical battery cells and an 800-volt high-voltage architecture. The shift from prismatic to cylindrical cells raises energy density by 20 percent while improving both charging speed and driving range by 30 percent each.

Battery capacity stands at 113.4 kWh, with a maximum range of 611 kilometers under the Korean certification standard and up to 805 kilometers under the European WLTP standard on a single charge. Combined energy efficiency is rated at 4.8 to 4.9 km/kWh under the Korean certification standard.

Seok Jae-woo, head of BMW Korea's brand division, said pre-orders for the new BMW iX3 have surpassed 4,500 units and that customer deliveries are set to begin next month. He added that the company plans to introduce Korea's first 400-kilowatt ultra-fast chargers and build a nationwide charging network of 4,000 units by year-end to further strengthen the electric vehicle customer experience.

Visitors at the BMW booth of the 2026 Busan Mobility Show at BEXCO in Busan on Friday look at, from right, the BMW 7 Series Nero Lusso Edition, the new BMW iX3 50 xDrive and the all-electric MINI JCW Aceman. [BMW Group Korea]

BMW also gave the 7 Series Nero Lusso Edition its Korean debut at the show. The vehicle adds edition-exclusive specifications to the flagship 7 Series sedan, with only 135 units produced worldwide and just 29 allocated for the Korean market.

MINI put its high-performance John Cooper Works (JCW) brand front and center. Jung Su-won, head of MINI Korea, said the MINI JCW claimed a 52.5 percent market share last year to rank first in Korea's imported compact high-performance car segment, and announced plans to open the world's first MINI JCW Garage in Korea in July to expand the brand experience.

BMW Motorrad showcased the new BMW M1000RR, an ultra-high-performance superbike. Jo Hyeon-uk, head of BMW Motorrad Korea, said the brand holds about 90 percent of the domestic premium superbike market and that the company has prepared experiential programs such as "Motorrad on Track" to let customers enjoy high performance safely.

Jung Su-won, head of MINI Korea, introduces the all-electric MINI JCW Aceman. [BMW Group Korea]

eyre@heraldcorp.com