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      02-21-2011, 10:10 AM   #1
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A Deeper Look at BMW i Design Elements

BIMMERPOST NEWS
A Deeper Look at BMW i Design Elements
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The news coverage on BMW's new sub-brand BMW i continues. Earlier today, Adrian van Hooydonk explained BMW's process of building a new design language for the BMW i vehicles. The task in a nutshell: Create a design that ties in with the BMW brand, yet add unique styling cues to give BMW i models a unique identity. Let's have a look at this in detail:


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BMW i Badge

This is the BMW i badge you'll see at the front and the rear of the car. BMW fortunately retained their famous roundel, yet added a blue surrounding. BMW uses blue to give their Efficient Dynamics program an identifying color, so this badge combines standing and recognizability of the roundel with the 'green message', or is it blue.

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Life Drive Concept


All BMW i models are based on this basic structure called "Life Drive Concept." Engine, suspension and all other technology is located in the so called Drive module. Above is the Life Module made mainly from CFRP. To the sides are the safety modules.

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Kidney Grille

Supplementing the modified BMW roundel, the iconic BMW kidney grille has been redesigned. All BMW i cars will have the surrounding of the grille in blue, again as a signature BMW i design element.

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Large Wheels - Low-Profile Tires

BMW says that "the low-profile tires highlight the efficiency and dynamics of the BMW i3 and the BMW i8." In other words, large wheels and low profile tires are used to help keeping the consumption down. Some might consider this a 'bling' feature, but it actually works.

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Streamflow C-pillars

The side view reveals a new design feature, the “streamflow”-C-pillar. According to BMW, "these converging lines are a manifestation of the design’s alignment with the models’ aerodynamic requirements." BMW clearly wanted to come up with a strong feature, and the usual Hofmeister kink was out of question.

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Aeroflaps

Here you see what BMW calls aeroflaps. It's our understanding that this design language for the rocker panels not only creates a sporty look but also helps the i3's and i8's aerodynamics.

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L-Shape Rear Lights

The rear end is dominated by a re-designed BMW trademark. BMW is known for their typical L-shape rear lights for years. The BMW i models will make use of the same theme, yet in a new -- apparently more striking -- form.

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Safety Module

Finally, this is another shot of the above mentioned safety module. It's meant to protect the passenger but also makes for a wider and sleeker look.



And here's the BMW video showcasing all these design features.








Press Release

BMW i.
The design of the new BMW sub-brand.


Munich. BMW i stands for visionary vehicles, inspiring design and a new understanding of premium mobility – with a consistent focus on sustainability. This unique character is brought to life through style elements that give the design of BMW i models its very own identity. By reinterpreting well-known design characteristics, the BMW i design language ties in with the BMW parent brand. However, as the BMW i sub-brand reinterprets individual elements in a completely new fashion, vehicles launched under the new i sub-brand are provided with a stand-alone identity. For the sub-brand, the BMW logo is complemented by a blue three-dimensional ring. The reinterpretation of the iconic BMW kidney grille, particularly in combination with the sub-brand’s front view, creates an optical link to the typical face of BMW core brand models. Apart from the assets of BMW design which stands for premium, quality and precision the BMW i design also embodies lightness, purity, safety and aerodynamic efficiency.

The side view reveals one of the most prominent design characteristics: the “streamflow”-C-pillar. These converging lines are a manifestation of the design’s alignment with the models’ aerodynamic requirements. Another element that substantiates this design philosophy is the aerodynamic thrust surface – or “aeroflap” – which is integrated into the rocker panel. Due to their diameter, the low-profile tires highlight the efficiency and dynamics of the BMW i3 and the BMW i8. Both concepts feature rear lights that reflect BMW’s classic L theme. The side surfaces emphasize the aerodynamic aspect once again, also when viewed from the rear. As tearing edges, they reduce the models’ aerodynamic drag and give them sound proportions.

The BMW i3 and the BMW i8 demonstrate the potential range of BMW i design principles when applied to two completely different vehicle concepts. The
BMW i3, known previously as the “Megacity Vehicle”, will be the BMW Group’s first all-electric series model for urban environments. The BMW i8, on the other hand, is based on the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept study. Fitted with a plug-in hybrid drive, it combines the driving characteristics of a high-performance sports car with the consumption and emission levels of a small car.

The BMW i logo
Conveying an air of transparency and openness, the BMW i logo is the epitome of the sub-brand and its design principles. The logo features a future-oriented design and evokes associations with the BMW parent brand. Its diagonal set-up with an upward orientation imparts a look of dynamics and elegance, thus augmenting the visionary character of BMW i.


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