The BMW  5 Series GT is continuing its previews event across the world allowing  journalists to learn more about this already controversial BMW model. One of the stars of these press previews is the young designer Christopher Weil, a name unknown among many BMW fans.

Mr. Weil “penned” the exterior design of the BMW 5 Series GT showing a lot body surfacing and design elements which will be seen in the next-generation 5 Series due out in 2010. The internal design competition at BMW is quite long and it involves a few teams that compete for the final winning design.

According to Weil, the 5 Series Gran Turismo development started three years ago and begins with a total of 6 teams(20 designers) submitting their sketches. The first round filters through the initial design proposals and six designers are left in the pool.

Shortly after, the clay model are being made. After another couple of rounds of evaluation there are three designs left and of course, the final round brings upfront the winning team. From what we heard in the past, BMW Board of Directors is involved in this competition from the beginning.

weil

Here is an excerpt from an article on National Post:

Weil is candid about the process and the emotional roller coaster it becomes. For the winning designer, it is a huge vote of confidence. However, Weil has also been on the losing end of the selection process.

“It is sometimes difficult to accept that a design you poured your energy into is not going to go any further than a clay model. It is times like this where your belief in yourself is most important,” he says.

When Weil began designing the GT, the final draft of what the car was to be had not been set. His novel design — Weil
refers to it as intelligent — builds a trunk lid into a traditional liftgate. The primary design goal was to hide the fact the GT is a hatch. Study the back end and it is all but impossible to spot the liftgate’s shut line — mission accomplished.

The truth is that despite the exterior design criticism, the 5 Series GT brings out innovation and one of the best BMW interior designs.

You can read more on National Post