Munich. Just a year on from the presentation of its
future-focused NEXT 100 vision vehicles, the BMW Group is introducing
the electric mobility of the much more immediate future at the IAA
Cars 2017 show in Frankfurt. The BMW i Vision Dynamics is a four-door
Gran Coupe with a range of 600 km (373 miles), a top speed of over 200
km/h (120 mph) and acceleration of 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in four
seconds, and offers a look ahead to the e-mobility experience of the
future with a new level of sporting elegance. “At the BMW Group, the
future of electric mobility has already arrived,” says Harald Krüger,
Chairman of the Board of Management at BMW AG. “We have more
electrified vehicles on the road than any established competitor and
are committed to expanding our activities in the field of electric
mobility as part of our NUMBER ONE NEXT strategy. By 2025 we will
be offering 25 models with an electrified drive system – of which 12
will be pure-electric. With the BMW i Vision Dynamics we are
showcasing how we envisage future electric mobility between the i3 and
i8: a dynamic and progressive, four-door Gran Coupe. We are therefore
electrifying the heart of the BMW brand and, at the same time,
elevating BMW i into a totally new dimension.”
BMW i sets the pace of innovation.
BMW i is a byword for visionary vehicles and a new understanding of
premium mobility focused squarely on sustainability. “BMW i is the
innovation driver for the BMW Group,” explains Klaus Fröhlich, Member
of the Board of Management at BMW AG, Development. “Here, visionary
solutions and future-ready concepts become reality for the first time.
But BMW i also acts as a spearhead of innovation for our other brands.
The BMW i Vision Dynamics allows us to show right now what another
electric BMW might look like. And BMW has demonstrated its talent for
turning visions into real life throughout its history.”
The inspirational design of BMW i models is particularly effective in
both flagging up the brand’s pioneering role visually and making it
something people can experience. “With the i3 and i8 we have designed
a revolutionary city car and a revolutionary sports car,” says Adrian
van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design. “And now the BMW
i Vision Dynamics is combining electric mobility with the core values
of BMW: dynamism and elegance. We are therefore demonstrating how the
product range and the design language of BMW i can be evolved further
into other concepts.”
“I do more with less” – the design identity of BMW i.
The outline of the BMW i Vision Dynamics represents a further
evolution of the classical BMW proportions; a long wheelbase, flowing
roofline and short overhangs create a basic profile brimming with
elegance and dynamism. This silhouette is fleshed out by large,
fluently contoured surfaces, the exterior appearing as if cut from a
single mould. Aerodynamic requirements define the car’s progressive
appearance down to its details. Barely visible joins and the flush
integration of glass into the main body lend the study a modern and
technical overall impression. The tension between large surfaces and
finely worked details points to the innovative technology at the heart
of the car in an understated yet intuitively appreciable way, rather
than advertising it in grandiose fashion. And that is very much in
keeping with the identity of BMW i: “I do more with less”.
Iconic window graphic symbolises the interior experience of
the future.
Within the smoothly flowing, neatly aligned progression of the
surfaces along the car’s flanks, the new characterisation of the
window profile is a standout feature of the BMW i Vision Dynamics.
This iconic styling cue, which made its debut on the first wave of BMW
i models, is depicted here in a fresh, likewise function-led
interpretation and also sharpens the identity of the car’s flanks.
Their virtually symmetrical form allows all passengers an equally good
view out, highlighting the attention paid to the passengers and the
shared driving experience in the interior. This is something that will
gain further in importance in the future, in particular as far as
(semi-) autonomous and connected driving is concerned. The distinctive
driving experience is further enhanced by the full-length glass
surface running from the windscreen to the rear window. This heightens
the sensation of room and enables a feeling of spaciousness and
freedom inside the car that belies its dynamic exterior silhouette.
Viewed from the outside, the unbroken roof graphic reinforces the
enclosed, modern feel of the exterior thanks to seamless transitions
through the front and rear end.
Familiar icons at the front gain new significance.
The prominent, enclosed “kidneys” in the minimalist front end bring
together the past and the future of BMW in more than just styling
terms. Where the BMW kidneys have previously acted as a symbol for the
company’s expertise in drive system development, the BMW i Vision
Dynamics deploys them as declarations of technological know-how.
Indeed, underlying sensors turn the kidneys into an “intelligence
surface”. The headlights similarly combine tradition and the future.
The classical BMW four-eyed front end is reprised here in a very
modern and pared-back interpretation, two intricate, freestanding LED
light elements on each side of the car’s nose integrating all the
necessary lighting functions, yet also providing an extremely striking
look characteristic of BMW.
Poise and dynamic allure at the rear as well.
Smooth curves guide the car’s horizontal profile when viewed from the
rear and add poise and power. The tapering of the passenger cell
creates broad shoulders and a muscular presence. The most eye-catching
feature of the rear end are the L-shaped lights. Their slim cut
underscores the dynamic efficiency of the vision vehicle on a detailed
level, while at the same time accentuating its wide stance on the road.
The BMW i Vision Dynamics exudes modernity, progressiveness and an
appealing technical aesthetic from every angle. As a trailblazer for
the BMW brand, it showcases very clearly the BMW Group’s future vision
of emotionally engaging electrified mobility. Indeed, BMW will
continue to focus its attentions on sporty and elegant vehicles in the
years ahead.