BMW Individual Manufaktur and Ellerman House, a boutique hotel in Cape Town, South Africa, partnered up to produce an exclusive edition of the BMW 7 Series limousine. The highly individualized version of the BMW 745Le xDrive will serve as the new Ellerman House chauffeur car. It was designed by BMW Individual in collaboration with the South African artist and botanical sculptor Nic Bladen.
Bladen is known for his plants cast in precious metals, creating an authentic reference to his home country. That same philosophy is reflected in the interior of the luxury sedan. The Pure Excellence package and the BMW Individual Merino full leather upholstery in Tartufo/Cognac colours is enriched by numerous individual accents. The door panelling frame, the instrument panel, the alcantara roof liner, the floor trim and the leather-covered door entry trim are all colored in Tartufo.
The headrests and comfort cushions in the same color are embroidered with an exclusive floral design. The embroidery on the cushions also includes the “EH” signet on the front and the “BMW Individual Manufaktur” lettering on the back. The center console, the cover of the center tunnel and the switch panels are covered with cognac-colored leather. For this special project by BMW and Ellerman House, Bladen developed a special process in which he transferred the replicas of plants cast in precious metal into a two-dimensional form that was as flat as possible.
Gradually, an extensive collection of precious prints of the selected motifs from nature was created, similar to a herbarium as botanists use for documenting and identifying plants by means of dried and pressed flowers and leaves. These filigree works of art were then embedded as inlays in the interior trim strips of the vehicle with the utmost care and precision. With his latest works of art, Nic Bladen aims to raise awareness for the fascinating plant diversity of the Cape region.
On the outside, the BMW 745Le xDrive plug-in hybrid is painted in the Brass Metallic color and combined with the extended BMW Individual High Gloss Shadow Line, 20-inch M light alloy wheels in star spoke design and bicolor finish and an M sports package. The brass-colored door sills bear the “Ellerman House” lettering.
The one-of-a-kind 7 Series can be further admired in this lengthy photo gallery:
