BMW Builds a Shape-Shifting Car Out of Cloth
Concept cars give automotive designers a chance to let their imaginations run wild, often with outlandish results. But even by that measure, BMW has come up with something as strange as it is innovative -- a shape-shifting car covered with fabric.
Instead of steel, aluminum or even carbon fiber, the GINA Light Visionary Model has a body of seamless fabric stretched over a movable metal frame that allows the driver to change its shape at will. The car -- which actually runs and drives -- is a styling design headed straight for the BMW Museum in Munich and so it will never see production, but building a practical car wasn't the point.
Chris Bangle, head of design for BMW, says GINA allowed his team to "challenge existing principles and conventional processes."
"It is in the nature of such visions that they do not necessarily claim to be suitable for series production," company officials said in unveiling the car Tuesday. "Rather, they are intended to steer creativity and research into new directions."
Giving Bangle and his team that latitude to design so radical a car "helps to tap into formerly inconceivable, innovative potential" to push the boundaries of appearance and materials as well as functions and the manufacturing process, BMW says.
Bangle and is team actually built GINA -- which stands for "Geometry and functions In 'N' Adaptions" -- six years ago, but BMW kept it under, er, wraps until Tuesday. It's built on the Z8 chassis and has a 4.4-liter V8 and six-speed automatic transmission. BMW says the fabric skin - polyurethane-coated Lycra - is resilient, durable and water resistant. It's stretched over an aluminum frame controlled by electric and hydraulic actuators that allow the owner to change the body shape. Want a big spoiler on the back? Wider fenders? No problem. "The drastic reinterpretation of familiar functionality and structure means that drivers have a completely new experience when they handle their car," BMW says.
GINA has just four panels - the front hood, two sides and the rear deck. The doors open in jack-knife fashion and are completely smooth when closed; access to the engine is through a slit in the hood. BMW says the shape of the body can be changed without slackening or damaging the fabric. The fabric is opaque translucent so the taillights shine through, and small motors pull the fabric back to reveal the headlights.
The interior is equally innovative. The steering wheel and gauges swing into place and the headrest rises from the seat once the driver is seated, making it easier to get in and out of the car.
BMW says GINA is built on a space frame that provides all the safety of a conventional car, but we suspect people - not to mention BMW's lawyers and government regulators - wouldn't embrace fabric bodies. Still, the company says GINA could influence the design of future Beemers.
Photos and video by BMW.
After seeing the opening in the hood, I see how GINA must be pronounced.
That car is hot.
No more keying a car though... people will just slash a slit in your door.
That car is hot.
No more keying a car though... people will just slash a slit in your door.
That car is hot.
No more keying a car though... people will just slash a slit in your door.
i think this idea has a lot of potential...
How do you rub dead bugs off the thing?
"The fabric is opaque so the taillights shine through"
This car is so futuristic it can change the meaning of the word opaque.
you wash the fabric?
I wish the fabric wasn't so metallic looking.
tie dye cars here we come.
Umm, yeah, that looks really safe... (cough)
Ever hear of another fabric-covered vehicle called the Hindenburg?
Now THAT is thinking outside the box: "I know, lets just not have a body on the car.. lets just wrap it in fabric!"
Never-the-less, i want one.. now.
Whabajeejook wrote: "This car is so futuristic it can change the meaning of the word opaque." -- LOL!
"building a practical car wasn't the point." -- Great. Thanks BMW. We'll be sure NOT to buy all the practical cars you aren't building.
What don't you understand about the word spaceframe?
Being that this was a custom build and they specifically mention the use of a space frame, I would venture to say that this car as the majority of a full race cage under the fabric. Meaning that it is probably already safer that whatever you presently drive.
Oh and it's not full of hydrogen you jackass...
"Hun, did you take out the engine before putting it in the washer?"
"Dammit, not again.."
Anything by Bangle is infectious and should be burned immediately.
I'm going to go home and have nightmares about giant lumpy socks.
You guys just don't see the genius of bungle...I mean bangle...
I'm wondering if the point wasn't to build a practical car, why didn't they just build another SUV. A lot less work anyway.
"I'm wondering if the point wasn't to build a practical car, why didn't they just build another SUV. A lot less work anyway. "
They meant that they never intended this to be commercially available. It was just a neat idea, or "new way of thinking."
The car may seem sleek and sexy when it's sitting motionless (er, at least with the doors shut), but can you imagine what it would look like zooming along at 70mph, with the entire skin of the car rippling and flapping in the wind?
/ applauds cartouche.
I see it's a convertible. Good - I'd hate to not get to see the Beemer Weiners drive in 45 degree weather without their tops down. It's a tradition, I believe.
Finally a car you can wipe your butt with!
Gotta admit, though, the "eyes" opening in the front for the headlights looks pretty dang cool.
"How do you rub dead bugs off the thing?"
Your staff takes care of that as they park it for you, of course.
they finally figured out what to do with all of that spandex left over from the 80's!
they finally figured out what to do with all of that spandex left over from the 80's!
they finally figured out what to do with all of that spandex left over from the 80's!
Hey Chuck,
Regarding paragraph 7, line 4;
o·paque
Pronunciation Key [oh-peyk] Pronunciation adjective, noun, verb, o·paqued, o·paqu·ing.
–adjective
1. not transparent or translucent; impenetrable to light; not allowing light to pass through.
2. not transmitting radiation, sound, heat, etc.
3. not shining or bright; dark; dull.
4. hard to understand; not clear or lucid; obscure: The problem remains opaque despite explanations.
5. dull, stupid, or unintelligent.
= = =
Though i'm a product of the Oregon Public School system, even I know the meaning of Opaque.
Yawn, Wake me up when it transforms into Megatron...
Yawn, Wake me up when it transforms into Megatron...
Yawn, Wake me up when it transforms into Megatron...
These assholes have too much fucking money. BMW, lower your prices and knock off this shit.
There's a subliminal person in the background. Why? Kinda creepy.
Great: pictures of a shape-changing car, all in ONE shape.
cartouche wins this comments section.
Also, did anyone else notice the knuckles to either side? :>
Did anyone see where the gas cap is? I'd rather not have to pull back the bed sheet if I want to fill a car like that
Right, just what I want when the SUV runs into me, fabric, would prefer
the old heavy metal, but heck they wouldn't be able to put it in the BMW musuem. Another bunch of artsy designers gone wild, where is Joe when ya need him!
It may be safe for the driver, but these days cars have to be safe for pedestrians too, and I can tell you just by looking at it that this car would probably kill anyone it hit, or even clipped.
Even if you can stabilize the fabric to highway speeds (which is probably not possible), it would still deform too much to protect someone from impacting on the 'bones' of the car.
Wish the boneheads at BMW would spend some money fixing the unreliable electromechanical features on their latest cars (transmissions, faulty I-drive electronics, ad infinitum) rather than put money into this crap. And so BMW won formula 1 - who cares when our 2008 BMW's are in the shop 3 to 4 times a month...nice priorities BMW, you suck!
Does it still have the iDrive?
A SLIP-COVERED CAR
MY COUCH IS NOT EVEN JEALOUS
slip-covered! lol
I like that sentiment.
I wish car companies would wow us with real innovations like electric vehicles and dynamic-motion generation sinks. Time in time.
Even if you can stabilize the fabric to highway speeds (which is probably not possible) ...
Seemed to be possible for fighter aircraft, e.g. the Hawker Hurricane. Have the laws of physics been changed?
GINA
Va
=VAGINA
"yes, I drive the vagina car"
At the very least they could salvage the concepts of eyelid-like headlights and the hood that opens like a GINA. Funny, dude's who buy BMW's are usually trying to compensate for having tiny genitals, and then BMW goes and throws a vagina smack on the front of this thing. Haha!
good thing this wasnt set for production because there is no tail lights.....
that could prove to be problematic...
This car clearly illustrates the immagery behind the "flame surface" design that Mr. Bangle is so infamous for; the nightmares that torture his sleep.
It just kills me that a Z8 was killed so that this exercise could be commited. :oD
By the way, "opaque" material, by definition, does not allow light to pass through it. "Translucent" materials let light shine through. The shiny surface only makes it seem to be opaque... but it's not.
This car is amazing, do want now.
Um, trippedbreaker... I don't think it will ripple in the wind.
@cartouche: best comment in this thread.
**** *
That is the coolest thing I've seen in a very long time.
**** *
For those who don't get this:
100 years ago - cars were skinned with wood.
Then someone had the crazy idea to skin them in steel (that dents).
Now many are skinned in thin plastic.
A flexible skin is not far fetched. There might already be a material that is as strong as steel and as flexible as cloth.
The advantages are obvious.
Are you guys kidding me?!?! This is so cool!!! Of course, this is the first iteration of a design but, man, think of the possibilities! Basically an exoskeleton with a flexible body - no more dents, aerodynamics on the fly, light weight, low (any?) body work repairs, no more rust - I mean, c'mon, can't you posters do any better than be smartass?
Too right Jeff. come on guys
Design - Yes
Idea - Almost there
Practical? Tell me about it.
Pro//
- Metal body can shield one from a crash but yet can kill you too. I mean depends on the crash type, but with that soft shell, it would surely flatten you in split seconds.
- I pressume it should be light weight.
Cons//
- How do i wash the car? Unzip it in 2hrs, dump into the washing machine (have to invest in a gigantic one) and spend another 2hrs (professional timing, i think i will spend more than a day if i am lucky to figure out which side is which) fixing up? OR it does not requires washing; jst drop by to the BMW workshop and get it change jst like clothing?
- How to mend scratches and dents? Use my sewing kits?
Except for looks, the skin isn't even needed. Anyone gotten into a 5 - 10 mph crash and noted that bumpers STILL go to hell at that slow speed? (At least on modern cars.) Any faster & you might note that the hood crumples like paper. It's the frame underneath that saves you.
This car still has the frame. The only safety argument that makes sense is hitting pedestrians: I'd rather get bumped by the hood than by the hard steel, 300 degree engine.
I agree that, maybe, focusing upon higher MPG & more environmentally-friendly would have been a better way to save money. But who knows? If they can get rid of the frame, that's gotta help with fuel efficiency, right? And isn't it worth something to have a GINA car that, well, has a 'gina? Enough with the penis-envy cigarette boats! Wouldn't a mid-life-crisis man rather ride a 'gina than a penis??
I just its sad when I see the "must be compensating" comments, because obviously no-one buys a car simply because they like it more than other cars (and can afford it) anymore.
....everything has to be about what other people think.
(disclaimer: the car I drive is 20 years old and falling apart)
check this out bully,
interesting
Why not just have Frank Gehry design the new BMW?
This could be dangerous technology in the wrong hands... Somehow, I see a Louis Vuitton print skin being made as I type.
This could be dangerous technology in the wrong hands... Somehow, I see a Louis Vuitton print skin being made as I type.
Wow, talk about thinking outside the box! It takes a complete GENIUS to come up with car ideas that aren't practical to build! I mean, all these years car designers have been constrained by thoughts of "can this actually be made into a car?"
Outside the box, man. Outside the box.
#1 - I bet Bill Gates has curtains like this.
#2 - Man, thats going to get dirty as shit. But easy to clean just put it in the washing machine! no more car wash...
#3 - Finally a bicyclist can disable your ride! Just reach in a and nab some spark plugs.
#4 - Hope no one needs some spare parts... that curtain probably scares a lot of criminals.
Chris Bangle is such a pimp.
The car bod has very little to do with passenger safey, so I don't know what everyone is worried about. The car frame, with incorporated crumple zones, airbags and other safety features are what save lives. Not the metal or plastic siding that your car likely has. Has no one else noticed how bumpers are only rated at 5mph. Call me crazy, but they just don't seem to be there for safety, but more for design, or function.. And that's what this car is, a design project.
I can't beleive how many people still think that sheet metal on a car makes it safe. Everyone should be driving tanks if that was the case.
Anyway, I think this is a pretty slick looking car which hopefully does help develop car design in the future.
"but can you imagine what it would look like zooming along at 70mph, with the entire skin of the car rippling and flapping in the wind?" Heh, yeah, like an old man in a wind tunnel.
it has a steel frame, just instead of fiberglass, it's cloth. it's not an engine sitting in a bag, it is a car that has been stripped to the bone, and covered in cloth. think convertable cloth material, just shinnier.
who cares if it has a vagina on the front? for most of you, it is still out of your reach, the first person to notice it probably just got finished jacking off. to me, it looks like the skin peeling away to show the ribcage and heart.
And don't get your panties in a bunch, they aren't going to cover your prius in leather spandex, it's just a concept.
'Bumpers' are only there to protect you from 'bumps'. They ain't called 'crashers' or 'impactors' or 'atomic colliders' for a reason ...
well, at least it's not made with animal skin.
Hey look Ma! No dents!
Narrator has a serious case of the artsy-fartsies. The car is nice, but he's gotta work on his speech. That went totally over into geekland.
I'd like to take a peek under Gina's dress.
it is amazing how many people in US still think that having sheets of metal layered horizontaly in front of them makes them safer on impact :-) but this is proably difference between EU and US mentality in fact. www.gladwell.com/2004/2004_01_12_a_suv.html
Does anyone above understand the concept of 'concept car'? Duh!
Cool... The De-Havilland Mosquito of the automotive world, I wonder what temperature it uses in the washing machine...
i think the designer should use hemp fabric
Looks like something out of a David Cronenberg film. Like gray skin stretched over steel bones. Seriously creepy.
I like, I would rather drive something feminine and appear more masculine by comparison. Hmmm, I bet I could really flirt at the ladies if I could get the headlamps to wink independantly of each other!
Some jealous yob comes past with a knife? Look at the cons of a soft top and apply it to the whole car. I wonder what tune the car would hum when going around 120 kph, and Im sure Gina would become anorexic at that speed. What happens if you hit a sharp stone at high speed? It might go straight through the car. Cool idea but im sure some problems need to be ironed out (so to speak) before this concept could even be contepmlated for mass production.
Positive comments-
- The intersection of planes is interesting and appealing (in places).
- The grill surround recesses work very well as well as the bumper panel.
- I like the the retro-roadster(Speedster) windsheild by itself.
- The soft interior of stretched fabric is a clean look.
Use ballistic materials, no scratching, no cutting, no police bullets when you fail to stop because you didn't see or hear the cops behind you due to the loud radio.
One word: Velorex
One word: Velorex
Shape change is ok, but how long does it take to change the covers to change the COLOR of the car?
Can I have red, green, white and blue covers in the closet. Have my car match my outfits for the day.
I'm not gay, I just think BMW is fabulous!
It's Bimmer not Beemer. Look it up. Google is your friend.
if they put a V8 into this it'd be known as V8GINA...
wow that's cool. it would be SO easy to change the color of your car. this is a cool idea. they should use it.
After seeing the technology out there for e-paper displays, one would think you could then have a computer that would render the color on the skin like a computer screen. Imagine the possibilities of that! 007 has nothing on this!
I thought of the Hindenburg too, but that was pained with solid rocket fuel... what we use to lift the Space Shuttle. The Hydrogen was an accessory after the fact.
I think this car looks like a buh-zillion dollars, and the look DOES hark back to the majestic Zeppelins of old. The styling would be great on a conventional car.
It seems strange to me that they didn't make a top for it.
For all you nay-sayers, how many of you actually drive BMW's or know anything about science, or even have an ounce of creativity? It seems split but dang, so many people talking rubbish on a concept car. You're the folks who would have tried and talked George Lucas out of pushing special effects and convinced Thomas Edison he was being a fool playing with his toys.
You all love technology and progress, if you don't have anything worthwhile to say or infact any specific knowledge on such a project, just keep quiet.
That is all.
so is there a hard top version?
Did that car just effing wink!? This is by far one of the most creative and sexy concept cars ever produced, the very definition of sleek.
It's just slightly more innovative than that Swiss "Senso" car, which was like a mood ring with wheels.
The purpose of the skin is to control airflow across the car, giving it better aerodynamics.
Fabric isn't rigid enough to control airflow. This thing, it's like hanging a kite behind your car.
This is stupid. They're transportation devices, not fucking fashion statements.
Is it DryClean Only?
SW,
Fabric can be rigid enough to control airflow if it's stretched tight enough. It could also lower the drag coefficient of the car with the right material. As for the naysayers, I say piss off. What you fail to understand is that building concept cars allows the automotive industry to evolve. The creative process is just as important in vehicle design (or any product for that matter) as is the functionality of the car. We didn't go from the brick cars of the '80s to aerodynamic lines of today by accident.
My only criticism is that I think BMW should use this car for R&D instead of a museum showpiece, but perhaps they built two. The ability to change shape will give designers new ideas for the profile of vehicles (an essential element of BMW design) and aerodynamics.
@SW
"They're transportation devices, not fucking fashion statements"? I mean, really?
This logic, while probably nominally accurate, undercuts the entire concept of the luxury car market. That's not a BMW Umbrellacar thing, that's a BMW, period, thing. And a Lexus thing, and a Porsche thing, and a Ferrari thing (hence the car-themed accessories), ad infinitum.
Me, I drive an old roadster. I don't think it's not a fashion statement, and judging from the looks and questions I get I imagine many others don't either.
-Rob
Given BMW's recent styling, being able to change shape is a big plus. If only they could get rid of the bubble butt!
that is without doubt the coolest concept car I have ever seen. leave it to BMW to come up with the coolest!
JT
www.Fireme.to/udi
To all the haters, if design-minded people didn't push the envelope with explorations like this, civilization would be a lot less evolved and a lot more boring.
It's people thinking creatively that have are responsible for all the products you tech addicts love so much.
Closed-minded people are always going to reject non-traditional ideas because they can't fathom that there could be a better way.
Discovering better ideas means thinking laterally, and generating dozens of ideas before selecting the best one.
/design rant
@Rob
Those cars you named are priced that way because they're supposed to be about precision engineering without compromise. Perhaps you're thinking of the Ford Mustang?
Yawn. Hey shouldn't you people be working on cars that get 100 mpg, as opposed to a car skin that will have to be replaced every-time a stone hits it? Just saying.
This concept is freaking awesome. Smartasses around here should educate themselves about what a concept car is. Besides, we can already build fabrics stronger than steel, aluminium, or plastic, and we have had for a really long time fabrics that don't deform at high speeds. Besides being a great design concept (don't tell me looks don't matter in a car, they make or break the deal a lot of the time), it's an awesome engineering aid. This car can go in a wind tunnel and try multiple aerodynamic profiles, which by the way matters a lot in efficiency. Going on the highway? Areodynamic profile. Night clubbing? Pimp style!
I really like the design of the car. My question is whether or not it's a hardtop convertible. ;-)
I agree, the concept is awesome. With new technologies emerging daily, this car is a great proto-type for future materials, or even nano-fabrics that are yet to be created. Its light weight, space frame could make this one of the safest, most efficient cars that could potentially hit the streets in years to come. That it can also be configured to an extent by the end user is yet another perk. There are definitely some hurdles to clear, such as how would you care for and clean a vehicle such as this, but just imagine the possibilities.
Am I the only one tired of camera closeups that show "curves" and "lines" jeez.. Can we just see the car without all the implied "ooh-ing" and "aah-ing" Thanks.
The car is incredible. Half the people here are idiots. Material sciences have progressed very far in the last few years. There are fabrics that are stronger that steel, stone hits won't be a problem.
The weight savings alone will do more for fuel efficiency than any other change you could make.
I have submitted your article to http://www.autocar-live.com which is a social site where users can submit car/auto articles and vote for already submitted articles.
This vehicle's main flaw is that it is unable to keep negros out.
Fabric, can't control airflow? So I guess all of those fabric skinned aiplanes out there just shouldn't work. Fabric was the original covering for all airplane wings for years and is still used today. It works quite well, and is very durable.
BMW would do better to take a page from the past: http://www.lobosolo.com/velo/versatile/Nr42/VersatileNr42-01.jpg the velomobile. Uses not fuels. Consumes water and carbohydrates. Produces sweat.
Thats BA.
Geronimo Simpson is now a cursed soul.
and to others...I like the V8GINA comment.
Just awesome.
As for "How do you rub dead bugs off the thing?" -- A giant tongue licks them off of course.
Seriously, between electric 'engine in wheel' concepts and this morphing body (I imagine an on-board computer measures surface conditions and modifies the surface topology for maximum efficiency), there really is no limit to car design these days!
Oher than the immediate practical problems the oil crisis is producing, I'm thrilled with how things are working out - I haven't seen this much innovation since the fuel crisis of the 1970's. This time, however, we're miles ahead with materials and computer technologies.
This is by far THE most incredible car ever designed!
This is thinking waaay outside of the box - people should embrace this kind of thought, not seek to instantly make fun of and discredit it, or condemn the folks that came up with the idea. It's visionary - so what's the problem???
absolutely amazing!
We are right around the corner from fully reverse engineering the UFO memory metal that was collected at the Roswell Crash site.
Why are BMW's so expensive? Because they have to have enough money to pay these people to make cars they know will never make it to production.
Can I have it with bullet proof fabric?
a black one will look like a body bag...
kinda reminds me of a repubican they can change there shapes
Do you guys really think it's the flimsy sheet metal that saves you in a normal car? Probably not.
How does the fabric handle 100 mph?
I could never afford Material possessions such as this.
First, the benefits of this concept can be viewed when one looks at the eye, I mean hedlights of recent model Bimmers. They wrap around the car in similar fashion to predatory wildlife. Next, anyone that pokes fun at obvious genius does himself a diservice by exposing their jealosy. And to you Sir, Geronimo you are spot on. Unless the car's alarm system prompts a roof covering to deploy in miliseconds the negros will have the skin on their '64 Impalas
does one use fabric softener when washing the car ?
Why are so many people saying the car wouldn't stable at high speeds (the fabric would flap everywhere). It's around there real tight, of course it wouldn't flap around. Think about a plastic boat cover or something. No flapping there.
BMW;
translated too
Flying Bayerich Shit wagon,[bar-very- er] {hey my spelling is a little off-so what}.for short{flying shit wagon}.
From a drunk German.
BMW;
should have stayed with the Motorcycles,
and aircraft.
YOU just SUCK at autos.
oh well,
at least you tried!.
LOL @ Whabajeejook
The idea is very cool.
Bangle though is a total tool.
He could have stopped at simply "you don't really need a metal skin, we can do all the crash safety with the spaceframe", then said that the idea of doing it with cloth let them do cool things and create effects more pleasing to the eye.
Instead, he went 100% pure golf swing. I won buzzword-jargon BINGO like 5 times in that speech.
I bet BMW kept it under wraps not because the car looks controversial, because they were so embarassed about the way he talks.
what does the top look like ?
is this car safe to drive. what will happen if it crashes.
that is just amazing
-jay-
I am not worried about it being safe...but is it quiet inside of it?
honey, did you iron the car?.. No?! wtf, I have an important client meeting today.
Imagine all the different types of ''skins'' you could put on your cars.
Tuxedo , Nascar, Space ship, Clear or "Nude", different colors, graffiti, glow in the dark, etc...
An entirely new design market.
Car Skins.
Have to find a big washing machine to put (my) car for dry wash ... lolz ..
They made aircraft coverings from grade a cotton for years. Noise may be a factor though or so could heat, seems insulation could be an answer.
People commenting on this blog are a bunch of idiots... can't you see something being done just for the satisfaction of doing it? does it really need a purpose? can't you see the beauty and the complexity of this exceptional design? I guess not, that is why you post all those idiotic and absolutely ignorant comments.
Thinking outside the box is what leads to any major invention and advancement in technology... if design and engineering was up to you people we would still be walking around, gathering fruit and eating raw meat.
OPEN YOUR MIND!
@Rediculous:
"Why are BMW's so expensive? Because they have to have enough money to pay these people to make cars they know will never make it to production."
All car manufacturers do, thats part of the design process. Oh dear we are being visited by dimwits today.
and @dimwits
"BMW; should have stayed with the Motorcycles, and aircraft.YOU just SUCK at autos. oh well, at least you tried!."
Driven one would probably disagree, at least anyone with any knowledge of cars and their handling. Oh sorry, thats something the US forget about isnt it - handling.... :-)
It's just as well no one on this blog really understands the concept and purpose of the car. Radical and innovative thinking never really caught on with Americans. You guys should go and... supersize something and continue to let the rest of the world laugh at you for being so stupid.
i love cars
fantastic
this car will allow them to closely study the impacts of wind resistance, and mod the car on the spot to further test which contours will provide the greatest efficiency.
they should do more with this car, instead of just stick it in a museum!
btw anyone who thinks the material (plastic) used on today's vehicles makes them safer in a crash [is a bloody idiot] , please, go to your desktop, and hit Ctrl+a and then enter. that will give you a good depiction of what plastic does when you run into something.
when it rains it will get wet
Just joking. Great concept, and all the problems people have raised are solvable, if not already solved in the proposal
But someone needs to tell the auto industry that there is a crisis. Its not a design crisis but rather a fuel crisis.
I cant believe that the auto industry is still wasting $$ on ads for cars with power and wasteful ways.
This BMW is just another example of how out of tune the industry is.
"This BMW is just another example of how out of tune the industry is."
Nope, its perfectly in touch with the way it needs to progress. Skins are lighter, have less wind resistance and still look great. Powerful cars are always going to be wanted - anyone who thinks people will stop wanting fast, raw, powerful cars just because of fuel crisis or climate change is humorously misguided in their thought.
Looks like a tent that got hit by a BMW driver.
If anything the fact that it uses more gas will become a status symbol in itself as you can afford the gas.
Powerful cars will always be around. But hey, you could always throw an electric engine in there.
How STOOPID!
The wife of the CEO from BMW http://www.bangbull.com/details/21698-6F8/Catalina_Cruz
matt why is that stupid? i guess you like these more http://www.bangbull.com/details/21698-6F8/Catalina_Cruz also like that n00b =/
Looks more like a vagina that ever before! Sweet.
That is an awesome idea. The fuel savings from a lighter weight will be nice. Kevlar like fabrics will stop almost all foreign objects impacting, adjustable aerodynamics on the fly. Speaking of flying, most aircraft manufactured before WWII were covered in fabric and then painted. The fabric withstood 300+mph winds without deforming, was very lightweight, was easy to replace and had to be aerodynamic on a airplane. Fantastic idea BMW.
"Radical and innovative thinking never really caught on with Americans."
Yeah, people like Robert Fulton, Eli Whitney, Sam Colt, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, The Wright Brothers, George Eastman, Jonas Salk, George Westinghouse, Les Paul... unimaginative sheep, each and every one.
People may laugh, but I don't see people burning down McDonald's worldwide or avoiding technology created by Americans, such as the internet.
The Hottest Woman EVER http://www.bangbull.com/details/21698-6F8/Catalina_Cruz
"Radical and innovative thinking never really caught on with Americans. You guys should go and... supersize something and continue to let the rest of the world laugh at you for being so stupid.
Posted by: warren peece (a retard)"
First of all you are a retard because you just made a dumb generalization. Second if you werent such a retard you would realize that Chris Bangle is an american so posting such a stupid comment would have been obvious, how does it feel to be so self righteous while being so exceedingly stupid?
p.s. I hate Bangles designs.
wow, a lot of dislike thrown in this beautiful machines general direction...
some people proposed some worthy complaints, others were trashing everything they could about this car...
and for some reason a lot of people think a washing machine is involved...
but seriously, this isn't just some cloth wrapped on the car, it is made with metal that has features of cloth, and it could probably withstand a lot more than we all would expect.
also, just because it has a V8 in it presently doesn't mean they wouldn't adapt their design to span several kinds of propulsion, in fact i do believe it's ignorant to assume they wouldn't...
this is a great idea, and i really want to see it in the future
seriously, how much is that piece, i just started saving my money for it
I can't believe no one has commented about what Batman could do with technology like this... add a couple of fins and this would make a great Batmobile and the roof could shift shape into bat wings so the Batmobile could fly. Bruce Wayne should hire Chris Bangle.
when you are actually builing cars (like i do) , you'll learn that things like that are very important...because the auto industry is so far behind in meanings of aerodynamics, composite materials, alternative engines .... especially the US Ccompanies are not even trying to use modern technology..have a look they are building muscle cars again..... forget the design look at Gina as a symbol of advancing
what aboout rain????
The car is fire! and if you dont think so you're probably over 30 and couldnt afford it! old bastards go die out and let the young blood take over your time is over!
Wow, what a stupid idea. Who's going to actually drive that thing anyway?
Sur le cul quoi! ...c pas encore tt a fais clair mais bon en tout cas ça a de la GUEULE! ...Waouw
This content has been Agglom (erated) with other similar ones on http://www.agglom.com/agglom/62 - BMW Gina - Light Visionary Model
Christo was probably the first person in with a deposit.
Regardless, it's a real sweet design minus the condom. You just might see this puppy's figure in metal. Use the GINA as a roof and cover the hood with plexy and it would sell!
Anyone remember the Sinclair C5? The crap Electric car.
Without that we may not have the electric cars we have today.
What I mean is this design might have some influence on someone who can Design/create something much better than this.
In my opinion, this can go very far.
I really can't belive how ignorant and and damn stupid some of the comments are, this car is revolutionary,have you seen any other manufacturer do something like it?i don't like most of the bangle designs either,but Chris Bangle also designed the e46 and nobody complained. I for one,really like this car,especially the headlights,doors,and the overall shape of the car. And as for the redneck SUV american stereotypes, buy your damn box shaped cars and quit talkin thrash
this car is so awsome I wish I had it
the car is stunning,amazing,cool and off the hook.It must be 6,000,000 bucks
i hate nony
fuck nony
i love alejandro
I want that song!
What is it called??!
LEGITT!!
what a sexy ass car. all the people that are talkin smack about it are just jealous cause they know if they had the chance at this car they would take it, just imagine how pimp youd look drivin down main in this...daaaaamn homie. and maybe because its made of fabric they can put little cameras inside so it can go invisible like in james bond. far-fetched, but still, SICK.
"Half the people here are idiots." My other half may be a moron, but I hope my 323 grows up to be a 6-Series. I don't understand why our comments here include personal attacks; it's "just" a car, and maybe it gets somebody thinking. You want alternative fuel? Google "BMW H7." Yes, that one also diverted bazillions of corporate shareholders' profits; and, no, it's not very practical (yet) either. [Ir]regardless, I'm impressed. "To each his own, she said as she kissed the cow ... ." Thank you, BMW; kudos to Chris Bangles, [American] Harley Earl, Karl Benz, Dr. Porsche -- and 110+ years of other auto designers, for making experiment a top priority. Celebrate GINA, and revel in the wickedly clever, Freudian double-entendres; learn what you can, and send her to your Museum. Then get back to work -- time's wasting!
I have one word for you: Velorex
THIS IS THE COOLEST THING EVER!!!!!
i know its a crazy idea, but the frame under it that keeps the fabric in line is stronger, then our cars, and yes if you hit a pedestrian with this they would be decimated, its not actualy that light, its supposed to change shape at speeds, it can handle high speeds, its not a cloth cloth material, its a sorta soft gel cushion cloth crap, and the z8 sucked, and this car was builded a long time ago but just introduced, and yes the vagina hood opening is pretty gay and neat at the same time and the lights are a great idea
Bangle noted: "The shape shifting capability allows me to create ugly productions designs at a much faster rate."