Germany’s largest marathon takes place in Berlin this weekend, drawing more than 80,000 participants across handbike, wheelchair, amateur and elite fields, with BMW serving as title partner for the 15th time and supporting the event with an all-electric on-course fleet.
The new BMW i3 makes one of its first public appearances as the lead car for the men’s elite field — a notable moment given the car’s status as the second model built on BMW’s Neue Klasse platform, manufactured at BMW’s Munich plant with deliveries starting later this year.
An Icon Pacing an Icon
Tim Beltermann, Head of BMW Germany, said he’s looking forward to the i3’s first “competitive appearance,” drawing a parallel between the BMW 3 Series’ five decades as a symbol of sporty driving pleasure and design and the marathon’s own status as an icon of German sport.
He also pointed to the car’s range as a fitting endurance credential: with up to 906 kilometers of all-electric range, the i3 could theoretically complete all seven World Marathon Majors within a two-and-a-half-year span without needing to recharge.
What Makes the New i3 Different
As the second Neue Klasse model, the i3 represents a significant technical step for BMW, combining sixth-generation eDrive technology with the new BMW Panoramic iDrive display and the Heart of Joy central computer to push driving feel further than previous 3 Series generations, while BMW Symbiotic Drive brings a new approach to assisted driving.
The car keeps the sportiness long associated with the 3 Series nameplate while reinterpreting the sedan’s signature design cues for the electric era. Heart of Joy, which BMW says responds roughly ten times faster than previous systems, anchors the car’s handling alongside three additional high-performance computers that together form the backbone of the i3’s new software and electronics architecture.
A Fleet of 60 Support Vehicles
Beyond the new i3, BMW is deploying 60 course and organizational vehicles for the Berlin Marathon, including the all-electric iX, i5, i4, iX2 and iX1 alongside the iX3, plus 14 BMW motorcycles and two e-scooters — a fitting contribution given that BMW motorcycles have been built at BMW’s Berlin plant since 1969.
Specific roles are assigned across the fleet: the iX serves as the event’s official safety car, the new i3 leads the men’s elite race, the iX3 leads the women’s elite race, and the i5 and i4 lead the national elite men’s and women’s fields respectively.