BMW Ends Production of the iX to Prepare for What’s Next: TDS
Fabian Kirchbauer/BMW
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Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
TDS serves as your daily hub for all the automotive industry headlines from around the globe. In the past, before the internet, a kid on a bike would toss a rolled-up paper at your doorstep, and you'd enjoy reading it over coffee in your breakfast nook, getting ink on your fingers. The modern version may lack that charm, but it remains just as informative. Let's dive in.
👋 BMW has officially discontinued the iX, as confirmed to BMWBlog. The automaker expressed pride in what it achieved with the electric SUV, announcing the end of U.S. allocation to make way for its successor, the upcoming BMW iX3, expected to hit the dealerships this summer.
📉 In other news related to BMW, like many European automakers, it faced a tough first quarter, reporting a 3.5% decline in global deliveries year-over-year, with U.S. deliveries down 4.3% and a drop of 10% in China. However, Europe saw a 3% increase, so the situation could have been worse.
👔 Lucid has appointed a new CEO to replace its interim chief following the exit of founder Peter Rawlinson last year. Silvio Napoli joins Lucid after spending decades at the Swiss industrial technology company Schindler Group.
💰 Lucid also revealed that Uber plans to increase its orders of robotaxis from the EV manufacturer and will invest an additional $200 million in the company. Furthermore, Lucid has secured an extra $500 million from an affiliate of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which holds more than 58% of the company.
🖊️ According to Autocar, McLaren's new design chief will be Kemal Curić, who previously led design for Ford Performance and is known for the last-generation (S550) Mustang.
❓ Tesla owners in Europe who want to use Full Self-Driving will need to complete a two-question quiz before their vehicle can unlock this feature, according to InsideEVs. This capability was just recently legalized for use in the Netherlands this month.
🍁 Stellantis had a positive first quarter in the U.S., with a modest increase in sales. The news is even brighter in Canada, where the company surpassed the same period in 2025 by 14.9%, according to Automotive News.
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BMW Ends Production of the iX to Prepare for What’s Next: TDS
BMW states that the iX "functioned as a technological showcase," but will now say goodbye as the Neue Klasse iX3 enters the scene.