BMW turned the Czech national final of the BMW Golf Cup into a rolling showroom, placing the facelifted 7 Series and the new iX3 at the centre of a display that spanned combustion and electric power. The event, held on 17 September at PGA National Czech Republic OAKS Prague, brought together 84 players competing across three categories for a place at the world final in South Africa.
The flagship sedan appeared in 740 xDrive form, while the electric crossover was represented by the iX3 50 xDrive. The two models sit at opposite ends of BMW's current strategy: one a traditional luxury saloon powered by a combustion engine, the other built on the Neue Klasse platform that underpins the company's next generation of electric vehicles. Placed side by side, they offer a clear picture of how the manufacturer intends to keep both powertrain types in its line-up rather than forcing customers towards a single option.
BMW also brought what it describes as models from the old guard, including an M4 Convertible and an X7 in xDrive40d diesel form. Pairing six-cylinder petrol and diesel cars with a full electric vehicle is a deliberate demonstration of the Power of Choice slogan the company has used for several years. The approach is intended to signal that buyers can select the drivetrain that suits them, at least for now, while the industry continues its shift towards electrification.
The iX3 is arguably the more forward-looking of the two headline vehicles. BMW has positioned the Neue Klasse electric SUV as a major technological leap, with a new-everything approach that extends beyond the drivetrain. The updated i7 also benefits from battery technology first introduced with the Neue Klasse iX3, bringing some of the company's latest electric know-how to the flagship electric sedan even though it is a mid-cycle facelift rather than an entirely new generation.
At the tournament itself, the iX3 had an additional role beyond display duty. BMW offered one as the prize for a hole-in-one, giving competitors a tangible incentive to aim for the flag. No player managed to achieve the feat, however, so the iX3 50 xDrive returned with BMW rather than heading to a new owner. It was a different outcome a few days earlier when Frédéric Lacroix scored a hole-in-one at the 2026 BMW PGA Championship in the United Kingdom to win a new iX5 60 xDrive.
The Czech event's primary purpose was to determine which players would represent the country at the world final in South Africa. BMW used the occasion to give potential customers a close look at two very different sides of its line-up in a single setting. The golf course became, in effect, a mobile showroom, with the roundel on display across models that range from diesel and petrol to fully electric.
For BMW, the value of such events lies in reaching an audience already inclined to appreciate expensive cars. The combination of the 740 xDrive and the iX3 50 xDrive illustrates the company's current balancing act: maintaining its traditional luxury sedan offering while advancing the Neue Klasse platform that will shape its electric future. The Power of Choice message depends on both remaining visible, and the Czech tournament provided a convenient stage for exactly that.