BMW BLOG

In a recent interview for Car And Driver, BMW chairman and CEO, Norbert Reithofer revealed a few more details regarding the launch of BMW’s first battery-powered vehicle in the United States.

Built under the Project i program and referenced by BMW executives as the “BMW City”, the new all all electric vehicle is expected to reach U.S. soil by 2012.

The “City” is rumored to be a three-door hatchback vehicle specifically designed for the U.S. market to meet the upcoming California Zero Emission vehicle regulation which stipulates that large auto makers to sell between a few hundred and a few thousand Zero Emission Vehicle every year starting in 2012.

Rendering by AutoBild

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There is no secret anymore that BMW is working on a Gran Turismo version of its future BMW 1 Series and this subject has been discussed and analyzed many times before. What we didn’t really have up to this point were some artists rendering that will give us an impression of what the 1GT might actually look like.

Of course, these renderings are usually based on personal opinions and might not reflect the final product, but we still find them interesting since it shows the endless design possibilities.

The BMW 1 Series GT uses a new modular platform available for all the upcoming 1 Series models. The backbone of these models was designed especially for this purpose so every model can have a variation backbone, simply be moving suspension points and firewalls to areas that will benefit each vehicle. Corroborated with more parts sharing, this new approach will allow BMW to reduce even more the production costs.

BMW 1 Series GT will be a 5-door vehicle, a  mix of a hatch, wagon and sedan and to reflect the Gran Turismo, the 1 GT will have an elevated driving position.

Even though our friends at Automarket speculate that the 1 GT will import some design elements from the legendary 2002 model, our sources have not yet confirmed that.

The rendering does seem to be in line with the one created by the Autobild graphics artist, Huckfeldt, a rendering that we enjoyed back then.

As soon as the next generation 1 Series enters the Final Evaluation Phase, we will get more details and most likely, new, fresh renderings.

[Source: Automarket and Andrei Avarvarii]

BMW’s marketing machine continues to pull forward and today, we have new information regarding the next generation BMW 3 Series which will be launched in 2012.While the details have been very sketchy up to this point, we’re glad to see that BMW decided to satisfy our curiosity by releasing some general details.

Beside learning more about the new 3 Series design, we also get a quick introduction of the 3 Series Gran Turismo model as well, a vehicle that will follow the 5 Series GT and the upcoming 1er GT.

Courtesy of Scott27 from GCZ:

“The proportions of a typical 3er, evident since the E36 through to the E46 and currently the E90 will remain meaning squat proportions, short rear overhang and wheels placed to each corner. The overall look is more slimmer and more toned than the E90.

Not the actual car - An artist rendering

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With a few months prior to the official unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show, many automobile publications around the world have started to speculate on the upcoming BMW Z2 or Z Vision Concept as BMW will initially name it. MotorAuthority goes even further and attempts to draw the new Z2, a false rendering if you ask us, but that’s a different story.

Being a bimmer related blog, we have covered this subject extensively many times before, but for those of you that are new, allow us to refresh your memory.

The BMW Z2 is built on the next generation 1 Series platform and it uses a high strength steel body, while the door skins and aluminum front bonnet, front wings and bootlid are made of composite materials. Propshaft and Engine block are manufactured from magnesium. Target weight for both Coupe and Roadster is 2,200 lbs (1000 kg).

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The Autobild long time rendering artists, Huckfeldt has already started to publish his impressions on the next generation 3 Series which will be unveiled sometimes in 2012.

Built under the F35 platform name, the new 3 Series is being said to be a revolutionary model for BMW and from what we heard, the internal design competition was very intense. If our sources are correct, just a few months back, one of the design teams had the honor to be selected for the new 3 Series, but other details are very sketchy at this moment.

We do expect the 3 Series to be up to the highest BMW design standards, especially since the 3 Series models have been the bread and butter of BMW’s revenue numbers. So in our opinion, there is no room for mistakes here and we have faith that the new 3er will get from us the “WOW” factor.

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The German magazine Auto Zeitung has done a rendering of the next generation BMW 1 Series which will launch in 2011. According to people close to BMW, the 1 Series hatchback rendering shows the direction that BMW has taken for its future 1 Series model. Unfortunately, we can’t confirm this information with other sources as well, but we’ll report this as a new BMW rumor.

Apparently the Auto Zeitung folks have narrowed down the potential design of this new 1 Series, but there are still many other details that are not being reflected in these renderings.

“As you can see here, the strong line that begins from the rear headlamps and widens as it gets past the front doors on the actual car the line goes to the front and cuts of the headlights like a lid the design trait is classic BMW , evident on the 2002 it is a modern interpretation of the classic bathtub or boat look line.

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From time to time, BMW’s communication department steps in and clarifies some of the rumors floating out there and today, Scott27 decided to share with us some things that happen behind the scenes in the BMW world.

Of course, coming from a marketing person, there is always that small doubt if it’s simply a propaganda or the information is genuine. We’re happy though that we learned a few new interesting things about BMW’s future plans, so we will let you read it further:

Rumor Control
There has been a lot of media regarding what projects have been axed in definitely because of the economic downturn. Here is what the media says about BMW and what is really going on behind the scenes.

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More and more auto publications speculate on the possibility of Rolls Royce actually working on a super high-end MINI vehicle manufactured at the Goodwood plant. Rolls-Royce will focus on upgrading the MINI’s interior bringing to the standards of a luxury car.

Recent spy photos from the London’s famous Park Lane MINI dealership show a MINI interior with lots of walnut wood, glossy piano-black trim and high-grade leather. New console elements and a unique color scheme complete the picture of a high-end luxurious vehicle.

Sources close to MINI gave the insight scoop to Autocar UK fellows who report that the project is close to getting the green light. At the same time, Autocar confirms that these spy photos were taken in a late prototype.

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A little bit early in the game, but the folks at Automobile Magazine France decided to create a rendering of what the BMW 1 Series GT might look like. As we learned recently, BMW is looking into the possibility to extend the 1 Series family by adding some new, niche-oriented vehicles.

One of these models will be a Gran Turismo version of the new 1 Series, a GT model similar in concept as the recently unveiled 5 Series GT. Before we jump into the information provided by Automobile Mag, which by the way are not yet verified by us, we would like to give you a background on the new 1 Series platform.

Looking to reduce the overall costs of a new car, BMW designed a new modular platform for the upcoming 1 Series family. The backbone of these models was designed especially for this purpose so every model can have a variation backbone, simply be moving suspension points and firewalls to areas that will benefit each vehicle. Corroborated with more parts sharing, this new approach will allow BMW to reduce even more the production costs. The new 1 Series vehicles will fully take advantage of lightweight materials and sophisticated bonding techniques.

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We’re continuing our collaboration with Promotor.ro and today, we are able to show you some renderings of the next and second generation 2010 BMW X3.

Based on some information acquired in the past and the spy photos we have seen recently, the rendering artist Andrei Avarvarii attempted to “draw” the new X3.

Now, before we start digging into the computer generated images, we would like to remind you that these photos are simply a personal interpretation of the new X3 and DO NOT reflect the final product.

Why do we say that? Well, as you can see, it takes many design cues from the yet-to-be revealed BMW X1. While the front-end has an unique identity, the rear-end design is most likely too close to the X1 lines.

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