BMW Z Spyder Stradale preview

Some unofficial sources have announced that BMW is going to create an eco-efficient premium roadster based on the EfficientDynamics concept, with a design inspired by the 2005 California Spyder Concept. The car could enter in production by 2014.

(Car Body Design's news)

BMW Concept Gran Coupé: design images

BMW has released a new set of images that document the development of the Gran Coupé Concept. The gallery includes a number of photos from the clay modeling process and design sketches that put into evidence the main styling elements.

To see the gallery Click Here!

(Car Body Design's news)

BMW Concept Gran Coupé

The BMW Concept Gran Coupé is a design study of a four-door coupé that combines a 5-meters length and a flat silhouette with the design elements typical of the brand's coupes, providing an insight into the design philosophy and development strategy.

(Car Body Design's news)

BMW Design: An Analysis of 'Joy'

This article is an analysis of BMW's current global promotional strategy which places huge emphasis on 'Joy'. It aims to ask what this very short and seemingly simple word may signify for potential consumers and why it has become so important to the brand.

To see the ful article Click Here!

BMW 5 Series

BMW has released the official information and images on the new 5 Series. The 6th generation model features a dynamic design with a long wheelbase and short overhangs and shares the same platform as the 7 Series flagship. The range of engines will include a V8 and a V6 gasoline units.

At launch, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan will be available with one V-8 and one inline-6 gasoline engine. The top-of-the-range BMW 550i arrives with BMW’s “reverse-flow” V-8 engine featuring twin turbochargers and High Precision direct injection for maximum output of 400 hp.

It delivers a maximum output of 300 hp and 300 lb-ft. The 535i and 550i will be available with a choice of 6-speed manual transmission, BMW’s new 8-speed automatic transmission, or new “Sport Automatic” 8-speed.

Lightweight materials are used to balance the vehicle and lower its overall weight. For example, components such as doors, hood, front fenders, and suspension assemblies are made of aluminum.

The cockpit is inclined towards the driver at an angle of approximately 7° and the asymmetrically designed center console likewise emphasizes this clear orientation to the driver.

The horizontal lines of the instrument panel accentuate the feeling of space.

With the new 5 Series sedan, BMW’s 4th generation iDrive control screen appears in two versions: with 7.0-in. dimensions and 800 x 480-pixel resolution in standard form, or with the optional Navigation system, in a 10.2-in., 1280 x 480-pixel version with a wider range of features and functions as in the new BMW 7 Series. Displays are transreflective so that light from the sun actually enhances the images on the screen.

The choices of colors and materials further enhance the impression of personal luxury and the interior’s interplay of lines and surfaces.

To see the full info Click Here!

(Car Body Design's news)

BMW 5 Series preview

BMW Simple Concept

The BMW Simple Concept is a three-wheeler leaning personal commuter with a tandem seating layout focused on maximizing enery efficiency. Among the technical features are a drag coefficient of 0.18, a total weight of 450 kg and 36 kW hybrid powertrain.

BMW Lovos Concept

The BMW Lovos Concept is an original design study of a futuristic vehicle with an exterior body made of 260 identical movable parts which integrate air-braking and photovoltaic functions. The designer is German design student Anne Forschner from Pforzheim University.

The BMW Lovos ("Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity") Concept is a design study by Anne Forschner that showcases an original approach to car design.

The result of an experimental research is a vehicle that is made by 260 identical, exchangeable pieces which are fixed with a hinge on a substructure.

The individual pieces are movable, which allows the surface of the vehicle to be closed - like the scales of a fish – or opened to the environment.

These pieces work like airbrakes and are also photovoltaic, following the movement of the sun when the vehicle is stationary.

The pieces of the covered wheels are also functional: as soon as the vehicle starts driving, 12 pieces per wheel change their formation and move inside, just like a turbine.

As Anne Forschner explains "Contrasts, emotion and provocation are the main themes of the design."

Anne Forschner is a 24 year old german student who has just finished her 7 Semester Transportation Design Course at Pforzheim University.

(Car Body Design's news)

2012 BMW M1?

The BMW M1 could be reincarnated in 2012, this time around as a futuristic 2+2 coupe based on the swoopy Vision EfficientDynamics concept from the recent 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show.

According to Britain's Auto Express, the neo-M1 would feature a high-performance hybrid powertrain similar to the one showcased in the Vision EfficientDynamics concept, indicating that BMW is more interested in taking an environmentally sensitive stance with its efficient new supercar, rather than simply going head-to-head with the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

The powertrain will bundle a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine with an electric motor, a combination which in production trim should deliver more than 350 horsepower and nearly 600 pound-feet of torque. Mated to a dual-clutch gearbox, the hybrid system will propel the future M1 from zero to 60 in less than 5 seconds. Top speed will be electronically governed to 155 mph, while fuel economy is projected to be class-leading.

The new M1 is anticipated to target the Audi R8, suggesting a sticker price of more than $115,000.

(InsideLine's news)

BMW Vision EfficientDynamics: the design

A comprehensive set of official images from the design process of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept presented at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, including exterior and interior design studies and sketches and photos from the clay model construction process.

Click here! to see the full infotmation.

(Car Body Design's news)

BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept

The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept is a two-door 2+2 all-wheel-drive compact is powered by an advanced diesel-electric plug-in hybrid powertrain that delivers a combined 356 horsepower and returns an impressive 63 mpg, with a range of more than 400 miles.

The body is a combination of sculptured shapes and surfaces that appear to overlap and flow into one another. The result is an ultra-low drag coefficient of only 0.22. For the roof and outer door panels, BMW chose a special polycarbonate glass that automatically darkens in sunlight.

At 181.1 inches long, the Vision EfficientDynamics is less than an inch longer than the BMW M3 sedan, but is 3 inches wider (at 74.8 inches) and sits 8 inches lower (at only 48.8 inches). It also weighs 650 pounds less than the M3.

BMW says the three power sources provide a combined 356 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Given the car's low curb weight of just over 3,000 pounds, that's enough juice to make the 0-60 sprint in less than 4.8 seconds, with top speed electronically limited to 155 mph.

(Inside Line's news)

BMW Coupe Concept