BMW Shows the Many Ways to Skin a Car

Must car bodies really consist of solid, heavy, and costly materials?  With the GINA (”Geometry in N Adaptations”) Light Visionary Model, BMW Group’s Chief of Design, Chris Bangle, clearly suggests that they don’t.  Essentially, the car body is comprised of a malleable high tech fabric stretched over a skeletal carbon fiber and metal frame, which adjusts itself according to driving speed, road conditions, performance requirements, etc.  For example, the headlights operate like eyelids, to close when not in use, the hood splits open down the middle like a purse, to reveal the engine, and the handle-less doors bend upward to seemingly open themselves.  Not to give too much away, but these operations must be seen to be believed! (YouTube video below)

It is noteworthy that someone as influential within the world of auto design as Chris Bangle, would suggest such a completely new approach to car manufacturing, especially considering its potential to reduce manufacturing, recycling and materials costs in the process.  Along with such promise, GINA presents a number of questions which must be addressed before it may become the industry standard: How the car frame will withstand compressive failure in a crash, if the fabric will stretch or tear at high speeds to create drag on the car, how the fabric will allow for temperature control in hot or cold weather, or reduce engine noise during driving, and if the fabric itself can be derived from non-petroleum sources.  Surely such questions must be under current consideration by BMW’s design team, and although it may not be in production anytime soon, the GINA still offers a new and dramatic approach to material utilization within car manufacturing.  If achieved sometime in the future, the result will be cars that are lighter, dramatically more fuel efficient, with greater economy of materials, and potentially shorter manufacturing times - among the factors mentioned by prominent environmental and clean tech leaders who insist that auto manufacturers must transform their methods in order to produce the low impact vehicles of the future.  And it’s easy to imagine how the approach that GINA illustrates could lead to unique applications within other realms of design, such as consumer products, furniture, and perhaps even architecture.

For further details please watch the YouTube video describing the innovative and dramatic nature of the concept (Transformers, anyone?!!?)

BMW

Improving The BMW Fuel Economy and Performance

Over the years BMW has not been gravitating towards hybrids in the same way that others in the industry have, reluctant to make these petrol/electric cars that will be more fuel efficient. However, their vehicles have seen some increase in fuel efficiency. We’ve noticed a small boost in performance and mileage in the Mini Cooper series (part of BMW), debuting with a very similar look but in a completely redone form with its 2007 model. The company has also been working to try out hydrogen technology (a not-so glorious technology popular in the early 2000’s) with the BMW Hydrogen 7, a production-ready model that has been put in the hands of 100 “leading figures from the worlds of culture, politics, business and the media.” We’re not sure if they’re going to release the feedback they’ve been getting with this trial run, but it would be great to hear what people are actually saying after extended use of the car.

BMW’s promoted concept called ActiveHybrid, represents the “future of BMW hybrid technologies”. It is slated to play a big role in their EfficientDynamics, a set of initiatives with components in the car focused on reducing fuel consumption and emission levels, without affecting “driving pleasure”, as they often mention in their promotional material. The overall aim of BMW’s ActiveHybrid is to achieve 20% less fuel consumption and emissions in many of their cars. To showcase their vision, the company has updated their X6 Concept car as a hybrid, with new styling, as well as explanations about how this new technology will function. BMW released their X6 concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2007.

Click here to see the 2008 BMW sustainability report