Aurelia Butler

The BMW Vision Driving Experience is the latest concept to preview the upcoming Neue Klasse EVs, one of which will be an electric variant of the next-generation 3-series sedan. The concept’s bodywork and interior are an evolution of the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse concept, with sharp lighting and a full-width screen on the dashboard beneath the windshield.The concept features the “Heart of Joy,” a so-called “superbrain” that will control the driving dynamics functions in the Neue Klasse vehicles.A new BMW 3-series is imminent. Previewed by the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse concept, the new iteration of BMW’s long-running sports sedan will come in both traditional gas-powered and electric forms, with the latter expected to adopt the i3 moniker. Now, BMW has revealed a new concept, the Vision Driving Experience, to hint at some of the systems that will be found beneath the sheetmetal of the electric Neue Klasse model and which promise to preserve BMW’s famed driving dynamics. BMW insists that the Vision Driving Experience itself is not bound for production, although the body looks like an evolution of the Vision Neue Klasse concept and is not too far off from the spy photos of the next-generation 3-series. There are a few differences, however. The integrated headlight and grille element is thinner than the concept and there’s a large opening in the lower front bumper, presumably to cool the batteries.A New Breed of ComputerDespite the similarities, BMW instead calls the concept a “rolling test rig for drivetrain and driving dynamics management technology.” The concept houses what BMW calls the “Heart of Joy,” an over-the-top nickname for the control unit that handles the drivetrain, braking, charging, regeneration, and steering functions. The Heart of Joy will be found in every electric Neue Klasse model, BMW says, which presumably includes the upcoming iX3 electric SUV as well. The Heart of Joy is one of four central units in the car’s electronics architecture and marks the first time that drivetrain and driving dynamics functions have been combined into a singular unit. Not only does BMW claim that the system will make driving more enjoyable, but the automaker also says it will lead to better efficiency and range. Developed entirely by BMW, the Heart of Joy works in conjunction with the brand’s Dynamic Performance Control software to manage driving functions. The control unit reportedly processes information 10 times faster than the company’s previous units, with BMW claiming that the response is nearly immediate, with latencies in the milliseconds. The integrated braking and energy recuperation control allow drivers to avoid applying the conventional friction brakes in most scenarios, BMW says, instead relying on regeneration. This is claimed to increase efficiency by up to 25 percent. The company also says that stopping and restarting is seamless, regardless of whether the car is in D or B drive modes, using active cruise control, or using the Auto Hold function.Color-Changing Wheels and a Quirky CabinBMW is using the concept to experiment with color-changing wheels to demonstrate how the Heart of Joy system is working, showing green for acceleration, blue for energy recuperation, and orange for friction braking. Although BMW didn’t specify how this illumination occurs, the company has experimented in the past with color-changing body panels. The color-shifting i Vision Dee concept used “E Ink,” the same technology found on the screens of e-readers, for a chameleon-like effect.The Heart of Joy will be one of four “superbrains” that will control future BMWs. It will be accompanied by three other computer systems that control things such as automated driving, climate control, vehicle access, and interior and exterior lighting.BMW also showed photos of the Vision Driving Experience’s interior, previewing what to expect from the 3-series EV. A large, unusually shaped hexagonal screen sits in the center of the dashboard. A thin display stretches across the width of the car, providing info such as time and speed. A similar setup was showcased in the Vision Neue Klasse, Vision Neue Klasse X concept, and the Panoramic iDrive system shown at CES 2025.BMW has confirmed the first Neue Klasse model will start production later this year at the company’s plant in Debrecen, Hungary. The new 3-series—which will utilize this Neue Klasse platform and pack the Heart of Joy control unit—should debut sometime in the next several months.More on the Electric 3-SeriesCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

This pint-sized Honda hatchback had the best accessory ever: a folding scooter.The City Turbo was a small but roomy hatchback that was sold in Japan and featured a scrappy turbocharged engine.The Motocompo folds up and fits in the back, so you never have to leave it behind.In the argument over the greatest optional extra ever fitted to a car, Honda’s 1980s mobility solution knocks any would-be competition on its ear. When ticking the boxes on a then-new Honda City hatchback, buyers had the ability to add on a tiny folding scooter that tucked right into the trunk. It was called the Motocompo, and a 1983 Honda City Turbo with this fantastic accessory has turned up on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos).A City Turbo is great fun all by itself, a scrappy little Japan-market urban runabout from Honda’s golden age. If you remember the Civic Wagovan, you can probably see a little of that Star Trek shuttle design here, making the most of a small footprint with a boxy outline. At the time of its launch in 1981, it was the smallest Japanese car outside of the Lilliputian kei class of cars, yet you could still fit four people in it.Bring a TrailerBeing a Turbo model, this example gets a turbocharged 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine that made just shy of 100 horsepower when new. Given that a Honda City only weighs around 1600 pounds, that’s plenty of scoot for a subcompact car. Think a high-roofed Mk 1 Volkswagen GTI: easy to park, very practical, thrifty on fuel, capital-F Fun. Bring a TrailerAdding frosting to this little Honda cupcake is the presence of the 49cc Motocompo, which can be folded up to fit in the rear. Like all small-displacement scooters, the Motocompo manages to provide an outsize hilarity despite not being all that quick. The fact that you can fold it up like a Transformers cassette tape just makes it that much cooler.Bring a TrailerThis pairing is such an iconic design combo that if you pick up the Hot Wheels model of the Honda City, you can see a couple of Motocompos molded in plastic in the back hatch. It wasn’t actually all that successful in the period, but Honda fans have long shown this little scooter love, to the point that Honda brought out a modern battery-powered version in 2023: the Motocompacto.Car and bike are located in Washington State, and both appear to be clean examples with a little wear. The City Turbo has the equivalent of 45,000 miles on the odometer and has had its paint refreshed at some point. Everything looks nice and tidy, especially that simple, all-business 1980s Honda interior.Bring a TrailerIt’s nearly impossible to think of a more fun pairing. Honda should think of letting its hair down a little and doing this again: a Civic Type R hatchback paired with a built-in, more powerful Motocompacto? The best optional extras ever. The no-reserve auction ends on Wednesday, February 19.Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More

San Francisco’s Academy of Art is auctioning off its vast collection of classic cars.Many of the cars are examples of prewar coachbuilding—beautiful, but perhaps not particularly relevant to modern car design.Not everything from the collection is priced out of reach, with over 100 lots meaning plenty of variety.The only constant in art is change. After all, style, design, and technique are constantly evolving, being destroyed, and rebuilt from basic elements. It’s the same thing in car design, where ideas and elements can be brought forward from the past and reimagined or break from tradition entirely. Thus, while no one would classify a 1933 Chrysler Custom Imperial Dual-Windshield Phaeton as anything other than a hand-built rolling piece of art, it’s perhaps not the best teaching tool for training car designers in 2025.Broad Arrow AuctionsThis Phaeton, along with over 1o0 other vintage cars, goes up for sale this weekend, part of the San Francisco Academy of Art collection being auctioned by Broad Arrow. There are plenty of significant cars going under the hammer, including a 1934 Packard Twelve said to have been owned by Cesar Romero, a V-16-powered 1932 Marmon convertible sedan, and a fabulous 1937 Squire Corsica Drophead coupe.Broad Arrow AuctionsMany of these cars are Pebble Beach Concours veterans, their hand-shaped bodies crafted the traditional way. But there are also plenty of more modern cars in the auction listing mix, including fare that doesn’t require deep pockets. Yes, you’ll probably have to pony up well over $1 million for the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing that’s on offer, but there’s also a perfectly restored MGB GT Special in a fetching shade of green or a ’67 Volvo 1800 S with just 10,000 miles on it. Neither is expected to fetch more than what a new CR-V would cost.The Academy of Art’s car collection was amassed by the late university president Richard A. Stephens, son of the academy’s founder. Together with his daughter Elisa Stephens and the current president, he built a large and varied collection that was open to the public. Elisa Stephens has said the auction’s intent is to rebuild the collection around more modern cars, those from 1960 and after.Broad Arrow AuctionsBroad Arrow AuctionsAll the classics you might expect are here, from a Jaguar E-type to a split-window Corvette Sting Ray. There are also some fun oddballs too, such as an aquatic Amphicar, a Messerschmitt Kabinenroller, and a very early ripple-bonnet Citroën 2CV. One of the coolest no-reserve cars is perhaps an unrestored 1963 Buck Riviera in Regal Black with the 340-hp 425-cubic-inch engine and hideaway headlamps. It’s a close match for the car driven by Leonard Nimoy when he was playing Spock in the original Star Trek series.Broad Arrow AuctionsAs for the cars that will take the place of these mostly early classics, the academy has only vaguely indicated that there will be more muscle-era cars and more Japanese cars. However, it’s easy to make an educated guess as to two museum-quality Mazdas that might be showing up.After all, the head of the Academy of Art’s auto design program is run by none other than Tom Matano, who had his hands on both the NA-chassis Miata and the third-generation RX-7 twin-turbo. Both those cars have stood the test of time long enough to go from mass-produced sports cars to works of art in their own right. And it can only be a good thing if tomorrow’s car designers find inspiration in the pop-up-headlamp-friendly face of a happy little Mazda.Related StoriesBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More