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Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Past Concepts, Forgotten Prototypes - Part 2
1995 BMW Z18 Concept
This concept is the only roadster with off road capabilities BMW has ever developed and inspired by a desire for the versatile mobility and wind in your hair feeling of Enduro motorcycles with all the comforts of a car.
Powered by a 355hp V8 and 4 wheel drive this prototype is fully functional and fully capable of going off road. The Variable interior concept can be reconfigured from a 2 seater to a four seater to a pickup effortlessly.
1995 BMW Z21 Just 4/2 Concept
A captivating concept revealed in the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show embodies some of the emotions that only a motorcycle can deliver. This concept focuses on enhanced driving pleasure for two, the minimalist exposed mechanics and open wheel allows the public and it's driver to enjoy the simple pleasure of it's ultimate engineering. The BMW Just 4/2 is developed with special clothing, helmets plus side, passenger and driver airbags for enhanced safety.
1995 BMW Z22 Concept
A design study featuring more then 70 innovations were presented on the 1995 BMW Z22 Concept car focusing on lightweight construction, mechanical and safety systems and control and power unit. The highest safety standard is attained while reducing weight through the use of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic furthermore cameras replace wing mirrors, electromechanical braking system, adaptive headlights, heads up display have also seen their debut on this 1995 Concept car. Most of these technologies have made their way on most BMW models today, including the Z22's familiar shape... the BMW Gran Turismo.
2001 BMW Z29 Concept
Weight Optimization using advance high tech materials was the focus of this 2001 concept study. Flame surfacing can be seen applied to this concept as well as vertical opening scissor doors, this concept is powered by the same in-line six found in the M3 of the time. Have a look at the interior; the air vents and door levers can now be found in the MINI Countryman.
This concept is the only roadster with off road capabilities BMW has ever developed and inspired by a desire for the versatile mobility and wind in your hair feeling of Enduro motorcycles with all the comforts of a car.
Powered by a 355hp V8 and 4 wheel drive this prototype is fully functional and fully capable of going off road. The Variable interior concept can be reconfigured from a 2 seater to a four seater to a pickup effortlessly.
A captivating concept revealed in the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show embodies some of the emotions that only a motorcycle can deliver. This concept focuses on enhanced driving pleasure for two, the minimalist exposed mechanics and open wheel allows the public and it's driver to enjoy the simple pleasure of it's ultimate engineering. The BMW Just 4/2 is developed with special clothing, helmets plus side, passenger and driver airbags for enhanced safety.
A design study featuring more then 70 innovations were presented on the 1995 BMW Z22 Concept car focusing on lightweight construction, mechanical and safety systems and control and power unit. The highest safety standard is attained while reducing weight through the use of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic furthermore cameras replace wing mirrors, electromechanical braking system, adaptive headlights, heads up display have also seen their debut on this 1995 Concept car. Most of these technologies have made their way on most BMW models today, including the Z22's familiar shape... the BMW Gran Turismo.
Weight Optimization using advance high tech materials was the focus of this 2001 concept study. Flame surfacing can be seen applied to this concept as well as vertical opening scissor doors, this concept is powered by the same in-line six found in the M3 of the time. Have a look at the interior; the air vents and door levers can now be found in the MINI Countryman.
Read Part 1 Click Here
Monday, June 11, 2012
Past Concepts, Forgotten Prototypes - Part 1
In the last 27 years BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH research division created numerous experimental concept vehicles, on it's 25th year in 2010 a treasure trove of images was released to celebrate the division's anniversary. The concepts featured in this article is from the late 1980's to early 2000's while some of which made it into production and most didn't, you may recognize elements which made it into production on modern BMW's today. Let's start with the year 1988 when the BMW Z1 Coupe concept was created.
1988 BMW Z1 Coupe
Started out as a research project in the areas of bodywork and construction, materials and development processes a plastic BMW Z1 coupe concept model released was an instant hit with the public. The BMW Z1 Coupe never made production but in 1999 the production BMW Z3 Coupe carried a similar shape.
1989-1991 BMW Z1 Roadster
BMW had 5000 orders for the new Z1 Roadster before it's production began, however the demand dropped sharply later on and it's production ended in 1991 and it's last example was hand built and is the only right hand drive Z1 ever produced. The chassis was bespoke for the BMW Z1 and comprises a monocoque steel chassis with a bonded plastic floor with Zinc welded seams. The bodywork is made of flexible thermoplastic which is not sensitive to damage and if it was damaged all the body panels can be removed under 40 minutes and the Z1 can be driven without it's body panels. Perhaps the most prominent feature on the BMW Z1 is the vertically retractable doors which completely disappears into it's high door sills. The BMW Z1 can be legally driven with it's doors open or closed as the crash impact protection is located in it's door sills, the electrically operated doors can be operated manually in an emergency.
DID YOU KNOW: "Z" in the BMW Z1 originally stood for "Zukunft" which means Future in German. The "Z" line of BMWs is now known for it's 2 seater open top roadsters.
1991 BMW E1 Concept
Internally named the BMW Z11 this 1990s electric car concept was renamed the E1 to make emphasis on its revolutionary power unit. The rear mounted electric motor on the BMW E1 produced 37kW of power to the rear axle and would propel this light weight city car to a top speed of 120km/h with a range of 200kms per charge. The high grade material plus typical BMW fit and finish made the BMW E1 stand apart from other electric cars at the time. The E1 never made it into production, however in a few years time the 2014 BMW i3 Megacity will have the BMW E1s spirit realized.
1994 BMW Z13 Concept
In 1993, engineers at BMW was given a challenge: The Challenge is to create a contemporary compact vehicle which excelled in comfort, active and passive safety, realistic environmental and economic credentials and lastly this vehicle must have exceptional performance you would expect from a BMW. The final product was a fully functional 1994 BMW Z13 "Personal Car" was designed as a single seater with the driver sitting in the central position with 2 foldable seats on either side for it's passenger, the seating configuration is similar to a BMW M Powered hypercar of it's time the McLaren F1.
Read Part 2 Click Here
Started out as a research project in the areas of bodywork and construction, materials and development processes a plastic BMW Z1 coupe concept model released was an instant hit with the public. The BMW Z1 Coupe never made production but in 1999 the production BMW Z3 Coupe carried a similar shape.
BMW had 5000 orders for the new Z1 Roadster before it's production began, however the demand dropped sharply later on and it's production ended in 1991 and it's last example was hand built and is the only right hand drive Z1 ever produced. The chassis was bespoke for the BMW Z1 and comprises a monocoque steel chassis with a bonded plastic floor with Zinc welded seams. The bodywork is made of flexible thermoplastic which is not sensitive to damage and if it was damaged all the body panels can be removed under 40 minutes and the Z1 can be driven without it's body panels. Perhaps the most prominent feature on the BMW Z1 is the vertically retractable doors which completely disappears into it's high door sills. The BMW Z1 can be legally driven with it's doors open or closed as the crash impact protection is located in it's door sills, the electrically operated doors can be operated manually in an emergency.
DID YOU KNOW: "Z" in the BMW Z1 originally stood for "Zukunft" which means Future in German. The "Z" line of BMWs is now known for it's 2 seater open top roadsters.
Internally named the BMW Z11 this 1990s electric car concept was renamed the E1 to make emphasis on its revolutionary power unit. The rear mounted electric motor on the BMW E1 produced 37kW of power to the rear axle and would propel this light weight city car to a top speed of 120km/h with a range of 200kms per charge. The high grade material plus typical BMW fit and finish made the BMW E1 stand apart from other electric cars at the time. The E1 never made it into production, however in a few years time the 2014 BMW i3 Megacity will have the BMW E1s spirit realized.
In 1993, engineers at BMW was given a challenge: The Challenge is to create a contemporary compact vehicle which excelled in comfort, active and passive safety, realistic environmental and economic credentials and lastly this vehicle must have exceptional performance you would expect from a BMW. The final product was a fully functional 1994 BMW Z13 "Personal Car" was designed as a single seater with the driver sitting in the central position with 2 foldable seats on either side for it's passenger, the seating configuration is similar to a BMW M Powered hypercar of it's time the McLaren F1.
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