You had been most likely just a little disenchanted to see BMW’s restricted coloration palette for the iX3. Except for mundane shades of black, white, gray, and silver, there are solely a handful of correct colours. This Ocean Wave Blue positive appears good, as do Hearth Pink/Vegas Pink and Eucalyptus Inexperienced, however the all-new electrical SUV actually deserves an even bigger splash of coloration. Fortunately, a greater diversity of hues is on the best way.
We did a little bit of digging and located that the brand new iX3 will certainly obtain the Particular person therapy beginning in the course of subsequent yr. BMW hasn’t revealed which shades it can supply, however we not less than know they’re coming. Within the meantime, Frozen Area Silver will probably be obtainable at launch, adopted shortly by Frozen Ocean Wave Blue. It’s price clarifying that these matte finishes should not a part of the Particular person catalog.
The longer term availability of particular colours confirms BMW designed its Debrecen Manufacturing unit with Particular person hues in thoughts from the outset. The Hungarian plant incorporates a paint store able to spraying 30 automobile our bodies per hour in a totally automated course of. If the iX3 proves in style, the store has extra capability to deal with extra automobiles.
Spanning 33,000 sq. meters throughout three tales, the paint store is the primary within the BMW Group to run completely with out fossil fuels. The iX3 gained’t enter collection manufacturing till November, however the facility has been operational for over a yr. Initially, BMW examined it with iX1 our bodies earlier than shifting on to iX3 “NA5” prototypes.
Debrecen’s paint store abandons the outdated wet-scrubbing methodology in favor of eco-friendly dry separation. Overspray is captured with limestone powder, decreasing water consumption and power demand by operating the sales space on 90% recirculated air. Solely 10% requires heating and humidifying, as a substitute of all of it. Even the used powder will get a second life within the cement trade quite than ending up as contaminated wastewater.
Following an funding of greater than €2 billion, the brand new Hungarian plant can have an annual manufacturing capability of 150,000 items. For now, solely the iX3 will probably be constructed there. It’s price noting that the electrical SUV for the US market will nonetheless come from Debrecen, even after BMW begins manufacturing of the mannequin on the San Luis Potosí Manufacturing unit in Mexico from 2027.