US Manufacturer of the Year goes to a European stalwart that’s rediscovered its mojo

“Adapt or die” leaves so much unsaid. The reality is far more nuanced and in truth, flexibility is just the half of it. Sticking around long enough to achieve legacy status requires standing firm on the core attributes that make you distinct from the rest.

BMW has a storied, tumultuous history (as most automakers who have survived the past century do) and it has found comfort in change. Throughout it all, though - even when the styling department dropped the ball spectacularly - building “the ultimate driving machine” has been at the heart of its thinking.

The past year alone has multiple examples of its ‘firm yet flexible’ ethos, starting with the launch of the iX3 that kicked off the latest Neue Klasse era. The previous “New Class” established BMW as we know it today, both in terms of design, packaging, handling and its place in the industry. This neue-neue klasse is doing the same.

Photography: Mark Riccioni

Beyond design, the iX3, i3, iX5 and the wave of other new vehicles currently in the pipeline are making the most of what technology can offer – namely delivering massive range figures and Bimmer-style driving behavior and balance regardless of whether it’s in an SUV or sports car. The electrified architecture and a clean-sheet start have also led to unconventional interior choices, such as projecting the driver display along the base of the windshield. Not a new idea, though here it’s more refined and functional than ever before.

That’s not to say all the old tech gets thrown out now that we’ve got BMWs with big batteries. Not only will a ‘regular’ 3 Series share the spotlight with the EV i3, a new X5 SUV will hit the streets powered by… well, everything that currently powers a car. From 4, 6, or 8 cylinders, to plug-ins to a full EV. Overseas, it’ll even be propelled by diesel or hydrogen. Talk about diversifying your portfolio. And then there’s the quad-motor M3 Electric lying in wait to scramble our perceptions of performance EVs.

Beyond the core models, Alpina has been such a close part of the BMW ecosystem, you’d be forgiven if you didn’t realize it wasn’t fully owned by BMW until just this year. If the M division is BMW’s anvil upon which it hammers out blunt, jarring performance, Alpina is the whetstone upon which it is honed to precision. Now a full-on sub-brand, the future of Alpina looks bright, as does the road ahead for BMW.