Auto Shanghai 2025: BMW Vision Driving Experience Stuns With Wall-Climb Feat

One of the more interesting showcase came from BMW and its Vision Driving Experience concept demonstrator pictured.

Not one to be drowned out by the sea of new metal shown by local Chinese automakers, German premium marque BMW stood out at Auto Shanghai 2025 earlier this week with its BMW Vision Driving Experience concept showcase.

Designed for developmental efforts and not intended for production, the Vision Driving Experience sees BMW debut its new ‘Heart of Joy’ control unit here. Notably, said tech will be primed across all production-bound versions of the Vision Neue Klasse concepts - namely this and this.

This concept demonstrator performed several 'stunts', including this feat climbing a steep 13-metre ramp - effecively a 'wall'.

The high-performance test vehicle pictured was designed to push said control unit to its limits. To do that, BMW elected to have its test-drivers to perform several demonstrations, a key highlights amongst which being a climb up a steep, 13-metre ramp – effectively a wall.

When paired with the BMW Dynamic Performance suite in this concept,  the Heart of Joy control unit sees the drivetrain, charging, regeneration (energy recuperation), as well as driving dynamics functions, are all combined into one single and very powerful unit.

Brimmed with special active aerodynamics, this demonstrator generated F1-like downforce of up to 1.2 tonnes and later forces in excess of 3 Gs.

In the concept demonstrator mentioned, the Heart of Joy control unit is also paired with special active aerodynamics that delivers up to 1.2 tonnes downforce and up to 3 Gs of lateral force – similar forces generated by a Formula 1 racecar.

That, and perhaps German marque’s rather outlandish 18,000 NM e-motor output claims, ought to explain how this demonstrator was able to effectively climb the wall mentioned earlier.

At the centre of it all was the demonstrator's 'Heart of Joy' control unit - an all-in-one 'superbrain' of sorts.

Visually, the Vision Driving Experience concept also stood out thanks to its lively made using light-sensitive colour-shifting paint.

Lastly, the Vision Driving Experience concept demonstrator also wore a special livery crafted using light-sensitive paint that ‘recharges’ when light is present. It can also change colour in the dark according to the state of charge, adds BMW.

Demonstrator aside, BMW also showcased the production prototype of the Vision Neue Klasse concept at Auto Shanghai 2025.

Said nameplate’s first production model, reported to be the new iX3 EV SUV, debuts later this year, whereas an electric 3 Series successor comes after in 2026.