BMW has done something rather bold. They've increased the price of the iX3 electric SUV before delivering a single example to actual customers. The car debuted in September 2025. Order books opened simultaneously across Europe with a starting price of €68,900 in Germany. That lasted approximately five months before BMW quietly updated their configurator to reflect a new price: €70,900. That's a €2,000 increase. Not massive in percentage terms, but substantial enough to notice when you're already spending nearly €70,000 on an electric SUV. And the timing is spectacular. BMW hasn't shipped the first customer car yet. Production vehicles are expected to arrive starting in March. But the price has already climbed before anyone's actually received what they ordered. When demand justifies higher prices The iX3 is selling spectacularly well in Europe. Production at BMW's new Debrecen plant in Hungary is nearly sold out through all of 2026. That's remarkable considering deliveries haven't even begun. BMW has already added a second shift earlier than originally planned just to meet demand. When you're selling everything you can build before anyone's driven the car, raising prices becomes tempting. This is basic supply and demand economics. Strong demand plus limited supply equals pricing power. BMW clearly believes the market will absorb a €2,000 increase without significant customer defection. They're probably right. People who want an iX3 specifically aren't suddenly switching to different vehicles over €2,000 when they're already committed to spending nearly €71,000. On the other hand, it's frustrating for potential customers. You've watched the car launch, read reviews, decided you want one, only to discover it's already more expensive than advertised just months ago. Through no fault of your own, you're paying more for something that hasn't changed. That breeds resentment even among people who can easily afford the increase. BMW is gambling that demand remains sufficiently strong to absorb both the price increase and any resulting customer irritation. They're betting the iX3 is good enough and desirable enough that people will pay more rather than choose alternatives. Given the sold-out production schedule, that gamble appears justified currently. Call it market forces. Call it supply and demand. Call it cheeky. But don't call it surprising. This is what happens when manufacturers believe they've created something genuinely desirable in a market willing to pay premium prices. BMW tested the waters with a price increase. The water apparently remains warm enough to swim.
