Tag Archives: BMW

BMW unveils new Zagato coupe

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The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este hosted a spectacular world premiere in 2012 with the introduction of the BMW Zagato Coupé, the result of a collaboration between BMW and Zagato, the world-famous Milanese coachbuilder and winner of the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Design Award in both 2010 and 2011.

BMW and Zagato say they designed the hand-built BMW Zagato Coupé to highlight the fascination of the automobile with a fusion of the design DNA of the two companies. The venue for its debut is very appropriate as the Concorso d’Eleganza began as a show where coachbuilders presented their latest hand-built creations.

The BMW Zagato Coupé is a fully functional and drivable car based on the BMW Z4 roadster. It is registered, meets all legal requirements worldwide and has shown its capabilities at high speeds on the BMW test track.

“Zagato has always provided its customers with ready-to-drive cars which can be sent into action on the road or race track without further ado – and the BMW Zagato Coupé fits the same template,” says Dr. Andrea Zagato, who represents the third generation of his family to sit at the helm of the 93-year-old company.

“It is relatively easy to build a design study which is not intended for use on the road. Not having to meet any stipulations governing crash safety or pedestrian protection opens up a host of new avenues in terms of design,” he adds. “The challenge lies in injecting the emotional appeal of a concept car into a road-legal machine. And we think we have succeeded in doing just that with the BMW Zagato Coupé.”

The partnership, which was proposed by Andrea Zagato, was a natural: Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice-President BMW Group Design, and Zagato are fans of each other’s work. Beyond that, van Hooydonk and Zagato chief designer Norihiko Harada have been friends for many years.

“Working with Zagato was a fantastic experience. It was extremely enriching for us to create something with people who share our understanding of good design and passion for cars,” explains Karim Habib, Head of Design BMW Automobiles. “And that is what makes the car so special – the open and constructive dialogue with Zagato, their experience, craftsmanship and incomparable sense for forms. All of these gifts are wrapped up in the BMW Zagato Coupé.”

The body of the BMW Zagato Coupé, with its classic long hood and Kamm tail, promises performance. Zagato designer Harada said, “For me, the BMW Zagato Coupé holds a very special magic. It exudes a certain spontaneity which, when combined with the type of unconventional solutions typical of Zagato, lend the car a very individual elegance.”

A very distinctive touch is the trademark BMW kidney grille, which is filled with a meshwork of chrome Zagato Zs.

The paintwork is a story all by itself. Zagato began with a black base coat, followed by a coat of metallic silver, six coats of Rosso Vivace red and topped off with two layers of clear coat to seal the finish. Depending on the lighting, the color varies from nearly black to a brilliant red.

BMW and Zagato have posted a seven-minute video about the Zagato Coupé on YouTube. Watching the Zagato craftsmen making the body is amazing.

While the BMW Zagato Coupé is strictly a one-off exercise, a close copy could be offered: perhaps as a limited-edition model. The platform is already there, it would be a matter of adapting the hand-formed contours of the show car so they can be produced in quantity, hopefully without running the price into the six figures. The fact that BMW specifically said the car met worldwide legal requirements leaves the door open for U.S. sales. Stretching things a bit on no basis whatsoever, the Zagato Coupé could even be a replacement for the current Z4, which could use a fresh injection of excitement.

’33 Alfa Romeo 6C wins at Concorso d’Eleganza

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At the Villa d’Este on Lake Como, the judging is done; the black-tie dinner and the parties have ended; the guests are departing: the 2012 Concorso d’Eleganza has come to an end.

The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este is among the world’s top classic car events, ranking alongside the Pebble Beach Councours. The venue is hard to beat for the beauty of the Italian landscape around Cernobbio and the elegance of the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este and Villa Erba. The organizers say visitors can experience “authentic aristocracy” as opposed to the “slightly commercial atmosphere” of other shows.

The first Concorso d’Eleganza was held in September 1929. The “Coppa d’Oro Villa d’Este” (“Gold Cup of Villa d’Este”) was organized by the Automobile Club of Como, the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este and the Comitato di Cura di Como. The show ran until the opening of World War. Following the Allied victory, organizers staged a show in 1947 but decided the Concorso should be a biennial event. The 1949 show was the last: the decline of the custom coachbuilding industry that had been the shows backbone as manufacturers recovered from the war forced organizers to suspend, then cancel, the 1951 show and another never materialized.

The Concorso d’Eleganza was revived in 1995 by Italian author Tito Anselmi, but the show lacked the stability needed to regain its former stature. In 1999, BMW became the show’s patron and the Concorso has grown ever since.

In 2002 a new prize, the Auto and Design Trophy, was created to honor concept cars. This unique prize, which sets the Concorso d’Eleganza apart from other councours events, has its roots in the original show as designers and cars companies would frequently present their latest ideas at the show.


2012 CONCEPT CARS & PROTOTYPES
Car Year Type Entered By
Pininfarina Cambiano 2012 Electric Luxury Sedan
Alfa Romeo 4C 2011 Sport Coupé Marco Tencone
Stile Bertone Jaguar B99 2011 4-Door Sedan Marco Filippa
Rinspeed Dock+Go 2012 2-seat Electric City Car Hans Roth
Ford EVOS Concept 2011 4-Door Sedan Martin Smith
Italdesign Giugiaro Brivido 2012 Hybrid Gran Turismo Fabrizio Giugiaro
Lexus LF-LC 2012 2+2 Hybrid Sport Coupé Kevin Hunter
Rimac Automobili Concept One 2011 Electric Coupé Mate Rimac
Aston Martin Lagonda Project AM 310 2012 GT Sports Ulrich Bez


This year, BMW presented its newest concept, the Zagato Coupe, as well as its first concept, the Paul Bracq-designed BMW Turbo of 1972 which later became the template for the BMW M1.

In addition to the public awards, an expert jury selects the winners of several more competitions. This year’s jury was led by Lorenzo Ramaciotti, head of design for Fiat and Chrysler. Jury members included: Charles Lord March, host of the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival events; Patrick le Quément, former head of design at Renault; Harm Lagaay. former head of design at Ford, BMW and Porsche; Winston Goodfellow, journalist and automotive historian; Hideo Kodama, designer and illustrator; Stefano Pasini, eye specialist, freelance journalist and author of several automotive books; Nick Mason, founding member and drummer of Pink Floyd and passionate racing driver and Ian Cameron, Design Director for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Martin Roth, Director of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, served as an Honorary Judge.


2012 Concorso d’Eleganza Awards
Coppa d’Oro Villa d’Este – Best of Show by Public Vote
1933 Alfa Romeo, 6C 1750 GS, 6th Series Coupé with Figoni body – David Cohen (Canada)
JURY AWARDS
FIVA Trophy – Best Preserved Pre-War Car
1935 Avions Voisin, C 25, Berline Aerodyne -
 René Rey (Switzerland)
ASI Trophy – Best Preserved Post-War Car
1969 Porsche, 917/K, Coupé – Mark Finburgh (UK)
BMW Group Classic Trophy – Most Sensitive Restoration
1968 Ford, GT 40 Mk3, Coupé – Gary W. Bartlett (USA)
Rolls-Royce Trophy – Most Elegant Rolls-Royce
1922 Rolls-Royce, Silver Ghost, Picadilly Roadster with Rolls-Royce Custom Coach Work body – Caesar Peier (Switzerland)
Vranken Pommery Trophy – Best Iconic Car
1956 Mercedes-Benz, 300 SL, Gullwing Coupé – Lionel Scotto le Massese (France)
Foglizzo Trophy – Best Interior Design
1954 Ferrari, 250 Europa, Coupé with Vignale body – Heinrich Kämpfer (Switzerland)
Auto & Design Trophy – Most Exciting Design
1975 Lamborghini, LP 400 Countach Coupé with Bertone body – Paul van Doorne (Netherlands)
Automobile Club of Como Trophy – Car driven from farthest away
1939 Tatra 87, Aerodynamic Sedan, Ringhoffe – Karol Pavlu (Slovakia)

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BMW brings the X1 crossover to the U.S. market

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BMW is bringing its compact X1 crossover to America the U.S. It’s about time, too. BMW’s smallest sports activity vehicle has been on sale in other markets around the world since 2009.

Unlike most other BMW SAVs, which are built in the U.S., the X1 is built in Leipzig, Germany, Chennai, India and Shenyang, China. It is based on the BMW 3-Series Touring platform and adds BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system. For the U.S. market, the X1 will be equipped with BMW’s TwinPower twin-scroll turbocharged engines, either a 300-horsepower six in the xDrive 35i or 240-horsepower four in the xDrive 28i. Both engines come with automatic transmissions.

The new-to-us 2013 X1 will be introduced to the American market at the New York International Auto Show, which opens to the media today. It will go on sale later this year with a base price of $31,545, including an $895 destination charge.

BMW to show its own MINI-van in Geneva

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There are minivans and there are minivans, but at the Geneva Auto Show, BMW will introduce its own MINI-van, the MINI Clubvan concept.

With the variety of changes the German automaker has been playing on its smallest car, it was only a matter of time before a version with commercial applications was added. The original Mini was also offered in a commercial configuration in 1960 as the Morris Mini Van.

BMW sees the Clubvan as the perfect vehicle for a fashion designer, art gallery owner or catering service. It would also be a good fit for pizza or Chinese food deliveries and shot-shot messenger services. The company is also enthusiastic about the Clubvan’s potential as a lifestyle vehicle.

A would be expected of a mini panel delivery the Clubvan comes with just two seats. A fixed partition grille separates the flat load area from the passenger compartment. The lower section of the partition is made from solid aluminum, while the upper section consists of a silver-colored stainless steel honeycomb grating. The load compartment has six attachment loops recessed into the floor that use elasticized straps to hold cargo in place.

The Clubvan Concept has the same five-door configuration as the the MINI Clubman. Two front doors for the occuants, side-hinged rear doors the rear-hinged “Clubdoor” on the right-hand side create comfortable access to the interior.

The side walls and floor of the load compartment are trimmed in high-quality anthracite-colored cloth. There’s also a full-length anthracite roof liner. One interesting twist is the use of body-color-painted polycarbonate panels to replace the side glass in the cargo area. In similar vehicles, the glass is typically replaced by steel panels welded in place; it’s lower cost and stronger. The rear windows are opaqued, helping to conceal contents from prying eyes.

The British Racing Green MINI Clubvan Concept comes decorated for a sign company located in Southport, Merseyside, north of Liverpool on the east coast of the Irish Sea. The company creates similar vehicle graphics for its customers.

It’s worth noting that, even though the Clubvan concept is touting its British heritage with the color and and the signage, the steering wheel is on the left side. Could it be the Clubvan is aimed a bit farther west than Liverpool?

BMW shows new X6 SAV

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BMW today officially took the wraps off the refreshed 2013 BMW X6 arriving at dealers this spring. The X6, which BMW calls the world’s first ever “Sports Activity Coupe,” has received design updates and new features.

Since its introduction three years ago, the X6 has found more than 150,000 new homes, including about 20,000 in the U.S. BMW North America sold 6,192 X6s here last year, down one percent from 2010. The X6, which starts at about $60,000 for the base model and runs up to $90,000 for the M version, is the lowest-volume model in BMW’s line of all-wheel-drive crossovers.

The standard foglights are now set in matte finish surrounds in the upper area of the outer air inlets, emphasizing the width of the vehicle. BMW’s trademark kidney grille has received some tweaks.

For those wishing the latest in lighting technology, the X6 is now available with adaptive LED headlights instead of the standard Xenon units, a first in the segment. There are also LEDs at the other end.

There are three new paint colors: Marrakesh Brown metallic, Orion Silver metallic and Midnight Blue metallic. Inside, vermilion red has been added to the available colors for the standard leather upholstery and upgraded Nappa Leather upholstery in Ivory White is a new option.

19-inch light alloy wheels are now standard on the X6 xDrive 50i.

The new BMW X6 comes standard as a four-seat model. A three-seat rear bench is available as an option.

The BMW X6 will again be offered in two models in the US, the X6 xDrive50i with a 4.4-liter, 400-horsepower TwinPower Turbo V8 and the X6 xDrive35i with the 300-horsepower TwinPower Turbo inline-6. Both are mated to BMW’s 8-speed automatic transmission.