MUNICH -- BMW is once again turning to the "Neue Klasse" brand - this time as an electric vehicle - as the automaker seeks to replicate past successes to catch up with trailblazer Tesla.
During the early 1960s, BMW was a struggling enterprise with an uncertain future, overshadowed by Volkswagen Group, Mercedes-Benz and the giants of Detroit.
The company's leaders put all their chips behind a new car they called the "Neue Klasse," or "new class."
Launched in 1962 as the BMW 1800, the Neue Klasse set the German automaker on course to become "the ultimate driving machine" company and one of the most successful brands in any industry.
Now, BMW is at another crossroads, and is turning again to a "Neue Klasse" to drive a new strategic direction.