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BMW unveils cool new concept car

Agent001 submitted on 05/11/2006 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 10:57 AM
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[43] user comments | category: Spotlight

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BMW unveils cool new concept car

BMW has unveiled a brand new concept car prior to the 2006 Mille Miglia. With hints of today’s BMW Z4 Coupe and one of BMW’s most famous racing cars, the BMW 328, the BMW Concept Coupe Mille Miglia 2006 took pride of place in Brescia, Italy yesterday (May 10) as this year’s entrants were scrutineered ahead of the event.

The Mille Miglia was resurrected in 1977 as an annual rally to celebrate one of the world’s great motor races. All vehicle models that competed in the original races between 1927 and 1957 are permitted an entry. Highlighting the 22 BMWs that have entered this year’s event, BMW’s latest concept looks back to these great racing cars. In particular the BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe that was driven into the record books and past the chequered flag in the 1940 race.

It also looks ahead to future motor sport achievements, with a modified drivetrain and suspension from the new Z4 M Coupe providing the car’s power and control. A body 23 centimetres longer, and four centimetres lower, than BMW’s latest production sports car is set off by bespoke 20-inch alloy wheels on 245/40 R 20 tyres that complement the car’s powerful presence.

The concept car looks to both the past and the future in its styling and construction; it pays homage to the outstanding achievements of the engineers who contributed to BMW’s successful motor sport heritage, whilst confirming the passion to construct dynamic cars from the most modern materials and processes available. This remains a fundamental concept for today’s BMW road and race cars.

In the drive to win races and manufacture the ‘ultimate driving machine’, the techniques and materials may have changed beyond all recognition, but the drive and ambition remains the same.

Steeped in History

In the 1940 Mille Miglia, the winning BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe recorded an incredible, and thoroughly modern, 166.7 kmh average speed over the course’s 1,000 miles. This remains the fastest average speed for any Mille Miglia.

The BMW 328 was one of the most successful competitive vehicles in BMW’s long motor sport history. Introduced in 1936 the racing specification 328 won its class in almost every race in which it competed between 1936 and 1940, and continued winning races in the 1940s and 1950s.

In 2004, the BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe became the first car to win both the Mille Miglia (1940) and the modern-day classical version of the race.
The design team responsible for the original 328 succeeded without the benefit of computers. Building models was the only option. But despite the digital revolution, modelling remains a fundamental part of the design process for today’s BMWs. The company’s designers remain loyal to this process as it connects them emotionally to the form of a new product. During the design of the BMW Concept Coupe Mille Miglia 2006, the designers took a step back in time and formed the car from plaster models rather than clay. Quite literally a more ‘hands-on’, labour intensive process. The result is a greater appreciation within the design team of why classic racing cars are perceived as more emotional and artistic objects than today’s computer-generated racing cars.

The concept car’s hinged hard-top roof is a reference to the relaxation of the rules at Le Mans when racing cars moved from soft-top to hard-top construction as closed vehicles became eligible to race. This precipitated the development of the 328 Touring Coupe from its roadster origins, allowing the model to develop further as a lightweight, aerodynamic ‘bespoke’ racing car. Similarly, the new Z4 Coupe has been derived from the Z4 Roadster soft-top as a ‘behind-the-scenes’ project driven by the designers’ enthusiasm. This coupe development leading to the production of the new Z4 M Coupe Racing car.

Thoroughly Modern Mille

While the hinged roof structure recalls past events, the principle function of the hinged system, that also raises the cockpit, negates the requirement for doors (reducing weight) and increases torsional stiffness.

The car benefits from an extremely lightweight chassis. The most modern design processes were used to ‘stretch’ an aluminium shell over a lattice frame. The body is also constructed from lightweight materials, with carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) clothing the entire vehicle. As a nod to the past this is painted in ‘fine silver’, a full-gloss paint colour with extremely fine pigments that hints to classic silver race colours.

The large circular headlamps inspired by the shape of the 328 units are not integrated into the body of the car, but attached as flat elements. Modern LED technology facilitates this design function that frees up the designers to develop more flowing and unbroken body forms. This manifests itself on the Concept
Coupe by uninterrupted bonnet and side panels.

Inspired by BMW’s glorious motor racing heritage, the science of aerodynamics was addressed with thoroughly modern techniques and design resolutions. Side panels and the rear section of the car were designed to allow turbulence-free flow of air up to the tail where the airflow is separated. Carbon-fibre underbody fins and diffusers on the front and rear aprons also contribute to the car’s aerodynamics. Meanwhile air intakes in the A-pillars, arranged in a slim Z-line, direct cooling air from the six-cylinder in-line engine and contribute to developing downforce and reducing turbulence at the wheel housings.

The Concept Coupe is powered by the multi-award winning BMW six-cylinder inline petrol engine that powers the new BMW Z4 M Coupe. Modifications have been made to the inlet and exhaust systems of the 343 hp unit to give the concept car more of a ‘racing’ sound at both idle and full throttle.

The interior retains the functional simplicity prevalent in both 328 racing cars and Z4 production cars, but in a modern presentation. Only three materials are used; thin stainless steel, untreated cowhides, Lycra fabric. This purist form even extends to letterings, logos and symbols embossed into surfaces using laser technology.

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Hyundai - 5/11/2006 1:21:25 PM

+2 Boost

The design is very awkward. Bangle is all about the "putting nice design elements together that don't complement each other in any way" way of designing cars. The individual parts of the cars would look good, however, when accociated with each other, they look uncomfortable and awkward.

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dblo7 - 5/11/2006 1:22:40 PM

+1 Boost

Well its not like they are going to be selling this concept vehicle. It is more as a statement in design then any actual product. It defintely harkens back to the 1940s with a modern retro twist. Looks like something Batman would roll in back in the day...waaay back.

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Yonder7 - 5/11/2006 1:40:31 PM

+1 Boost

May be it drives better than the Excelero, jajajaja... A big photo of that whimpymobile should appear in the the new Advertising before !NO!...jajaja. But do not be worried , the are just kiding...

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porsche993 - 5/11/2006 3:26:16 PM

+1 Boost

Looks like an old 1930's Bugatti

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fam1 - 5/11/2006 4:25:34 PM

+1 Boost

I'm the last person to whine about Bangle, but this is just...awful. Please tell me this was a design contest for high schoolers or something.

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4crrt - 5/11/2006 4:35:27 PM

+1 Boost

I like it, I wish we had some pics of the interior though. BTW, no matter how quickly BMW shifts paradigms it seems they can't shake their copycat competition.

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4crrt - 5/11/2006 4:35:27 PM

+1 Boost

I like it, I wish we had some pics of the interior though. BTW, no matter how quickly BMW shifts paradigms it seems they can't shake their copycat competition.

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BM3W - 5/11/2006 5:14:48 PM

+1 Boost

This design is so unconventional that it is simply amazing. BMW is not a follower, but a leader and they just proved that again. It looks like the 1930's style may be making a come back with today's technology. I'm really happy to see BMW making a move in a totally different direction. There are to many manufactures trying to ride on BMW's success.

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daveking - 5/11/2006 10:05:51 PM

+1 Boost

This is the ugliest car I've seen since... the Delorean gullwing... or that WV Phaeton... please tell me this piece of shit is a belated April Fool's day joke?!

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daveking - 5/11/2006 10:06:58 PM

+1 Boost

I forgot to add it's even uglier than a Morgan Aero!!!

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Matthew1 - 5/11/2006 11:50:27 PM

+1 Boost

Please don't listen to the obviously aesthetically-challenged posters on this blog. I mean, you wonder why the American car industry is the butt of so many jokes around the world. What, with their bland product design and unoriginal ideas, it stands to reason that an American-based website would take such a dim view of any radical departure from the status quo.

People, this is a concept car. More than that, it is a design study. It won't go into production, it is far too radical for the general public.

Most people in the world would look at this car and go, wow, that's radical, but look at all the genius design features such as the rear lights and shark fin gills.

But on Autospies? Of course not, no intelligent critical analysis here, only that it is ugly.

Car design has so many parallels with the art world. The general public ridiculed Picasso and Cezanne, but look at how they radically changed the perception of art.

Obviously you posters aren't long out of diapers, otherwise you wouldn't be able to sum up such a radical car with one, unimaginative word.

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wac77 - 5/12/2006 12:35:21 AM

+1 Boost

This is just about the perfect retro concept car. It combines the lines of the original 40's race car with those of the current Z4, and adds some unique touches (like the asymmetric back). Like it or not, it's a great BMW design. Perhaps a bit self-indulgent, but brilliant nonetheless.

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JUGNU - 5/12/2006 7:09:25 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

I think in todays era very less people will appreciate such a thing.They will hardly notice it.I think all this depreciate from the people's side only because of lack of time,knowledge,interest...etc

Remember something,it looks like the 1930's Maybach from which Maybach Exelero is derived.

This concept is giving me the clue that BMW is working on a Super Ultra car.Maybe an exotic or An ultra Luxury.They may bring the old legend back,same what MB did with Maybach.

IF Exotic competing against SLR,Audi's R8....etc
IF Ultra Luxury competing against Maybach,Bentley Flying Spur,Arnage,upcoming Aston Martin's,Porsches,Spyker's....etc Ultra Luxury Cars.

Think deeply and Don't underrate this BMW's Concept.It is giving a lot of clues about the upcoming BMW's models.

JUGNU----->THE CARMAN

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JUGNU - 5/12/2006 7:09:25 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

pino_b - 5/12/2006 4:04:15 PM

+1 Boost

ITS A FREAKING CONCEPT PEOPLE....you americans don't read before you speak!!!!!!!!

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dblo7 - 5/15/2006 12:54:26 PM

+1 Boost

Wow big shock, non-euro fans blasting design only concept. But don't worry Euro fans will probably blast some Japanese concept soon =)

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