Auto: The magic number for BMW (3)

2016 marks the 30th anniversary of a motoring icon, one which revolutionised the mid-size sports car segment when its production started in 1986. The very first BMW M3 set a new standard by which other carmakers would be measured – and, five model generations later, are still judged today. BMW Motorsport Division, the precursor to BMW M Division, was incredibly rigorous in its deployment of undiluted motor racing technology in the development of the first-generation BMW M3. Its endeavours produced a thoroughbred high-performance sports car – based on the series-produced BMW 3 Series – that was perfectly suited to daily use. Over the three decades that have followed, BMW M has gently refined its trailblazing and highly successful creation from one generation to the next, while always taking great care to preserve the original character of the M3. The upshot is that there is arguably still no other car that blends such prominently honed motor sport genes and uncompromised everyday practicality into such an emotionally stirring overall package.
The 30th anniversary of the BMW M3 provides an ideal opportunity to look back at four highly intriguing model variants that, for various reasons, never made it past the prototype stage. Four surprise guests will therefore be attending their progenitor’s birthday party: the BMW M3 Pickup from 1986, the BMW M3 Compact from 1996, the BMW M3 Touring from 2000 and the second incarnation of the BMW M3 Pickup unveiled in 2011.
Use in touring car racing was the overriding development objective for the first-generation BMW M3.
The BMW M3 was not an attempt to produce a sporting flagship for a volume-produced model range; instead it originated from the idea of developing a racing car for motor sport that would also be available in a road-going version. The selected category of racing was Group A production touring cars – as seen in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) that had succeeded the German Racing Championship (DRM). The Group A regulations stated that for a racing car to be homologated, at least 5,000 road-legal units had to be sold within 12 months.

 The current (fifth) generation of the BMW M3 was introduced in spring 2014. In keeping with the change in nomenclature for BMW’s series-produced models, only the four-door sedan is badged “M3”, while the coupe and the convertible variants were given the model designation M4. In all three body variants, a free-revving straight-six engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology and 317 kW/431 hp provides the power. Rigorously applied intelligent lightweight design elements include the extensive use of lightweight materials such as CFRP and aluminium for many chassis and body components. All of which has shaved around 80 kilograms off the weight of its predecessor.
This summer, BMW M Division released an exclusive special-edition model – limited to 500 units worldwide – as a special tribute to the successful 30-year history of the BMW M3. With its Macao Blue metallic exterior paint finish, the BMW M3 “30 Jahre M3” harks back to the first generation of car, for which this colour shade was first offered. The Competition Package, which is included as standard and comprises extensive powertrain and suspension modifications, pushes the engine output of the anniversary model up by 14 kW/19 hp to 331 kW/450 hp

Brands: Bimmer's latest Art Car speaks Chinese

 Cao Fei (right), the first Chinese artist commissioned to design a BMW Art Car, shared her inspirations and design

concept for her “rolling sculpture” during a media briefing at her Beijing studio on Thursday, August 25. The 18th BMW Art Car, which is based on the BMW M6 GT3, is set to debut in 2017. Inspired by the speed of racing cars and the tremendous changes of Chinese society over the past decades, Cao Fei will use this installation to interpret the themes of the century such as automated driving and the convergence of virtual worlds and reality.

“The car is key to understanding the changes occurring in contemporary Chinese society. The rapid speed of a car and the rapid changes taking place in Chinese society are my inspirations for creating the 18th BMW Art Car. But my BMW Art Car will adopt an expressive form completely different from previous ones. It will be an interpretation of the century’s theme, namely that we enter ‘a landscape of no man’s land’, e.g. autonomous cars and aircrafts and virtual reality,” said Cao Fei.
Thomas Girst, Head of BMW Group Cultural Engagement, emphasized the heritage and innovations of BMW Art Cars during the media briefing, "Art is a mirror that can reflect the future into today’s reality. The BMW Group believes that sustainability, connectivity and automated driving are the trends for future individual mobility. We are pleased to see that the artists’ ideas for the 18th BMW Art Car regarding future cars, society and humankind is in line with BMW’s vision for future mobility."
Just like previous BMW Art Cars, the 18th vehicle of the collection will participate in a racing event in Asia and furthermore be exhibited in a major museum, making it the latest example of the BMW Group’s endeavor to promote the arts and intercultural communications.
Cao Fei is considered one of the most important young artists to have emerged from China. She has been active in the international art scene for almost two decades with her unique multimedia projects in which she explores the rapid changes occurring in Chinese society today. In November 2015, the jury of the BMW Art Car project, consisting of twelve renowned museum directors and curators, voted unanimously in favor of Cao Fei and American artist John Baldessari to design the 18th and 19th BMW Art Car respectively. The jury is “in particular looking forward as to how she may turn the car into an imaginative part of her parallel universe” as well as present a new perspective to the world.

Absolute creative freedom and full support of the artist
The BMW Group is committed to the pursuit of innovation and creativity. With regards to creating the 18th BMW Art Car, Cao Fei has been guaranteed absolute creative freedom and the full support of BMW.
Cao Fei has also gained a unique insight into the automotive industry. Over the course of the past year, the BMW Group arranged for Cao Fei to have several in-depth meetings with the company’s senior executives. For example, Dr Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, discussed the possibility for Cao to be the first artist to also create the inside of a BMW Art Car; Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President of BMW Group Design, met with her to discuss colors; Karim Habib, Director of BMW Design, spoke to her about 3‑D modeling; and Olaf Kastner, President and CEO of BMW Group, China Region, met with her to discuss BMW’s “Art Factory” in Shenyang.
In addition, BMW gave the Chinese artist a first‑hand taste of speed and state-of-the-art technologies by arranging personalized visits and activities. For instance, the artist marveled at the sight of a number of IT industry experts collaborating with auto designers at the Group’s R&D center. She also was able to see some cutting-edge technologies showcasing human-machine interaction, virtual reality and artificial intelligence, which have already begun to influence the early stages of auto design.

At BMW Group’s plants in Munich and Shenyang, Cao Fei was given a comprehensive overview of the modern auto manufacturing process. She even witnessed the manufacturing of BMW’s latest engine. A young technician from the production line spoke with the artist about the many positive changes the plant has made in his life as well as for the city of Shenyang. The expatriate German experts from the headquarters at Shenyang plant showed Cao Fei how BMW’s “engineer culture” informs every detail of their work.
The communication of these ideas gave Cao Fei a whole new understanding of the design and meaning of cars, which in turn helped her gain a better understanding of the advanced technologies used in the modern car industry. In addition, she gained further insights into the wide range of creative ways informing the shape of future mobility. This interplay of ideas was the source of inspiration for the artist’s many ideas of how to create the 18th BMW Art Car.

History of the BMW Art Cars
The perfect interaction of design, automotive, racing, technology and contemporary art has helped make each BMW Art Car legendary in both the auto industry and the art world. In 1975, together with former Motorsport Director Jochen Neerpasch, the passionate French racecar driver Hervé Poulain came up with the idea to create a canvas on his BMW 3.0 CSL, and commissioned American artist and friend Alexander Calder to paint the first BMW Art Car, thus marking the birth of the collection.
Over the past 41 years, BMW invited seventeen international artists to design BMW models, among them some of the most renowned artists of our time: Alexander Calder (1975), Frank Stella (1976), Roy Lichtenstein (1977), Andy Warhol (1979), Ernst Fuchs (1982), Robert Rauschenberg (1986), Michael Jagamara Nelson (1989), Ken Done (1989), Matazo Kayama (1990), César Manrique (1990), A. R. Penck (1991), Esther Mahlangu (1991), Sandro Chia (1992), David Hockney (1995), Jenny Holzer (1999), Olafur Eliasson (2007), Jeff Koons (2010). Thanks to their creativity, the BMW Art Cars have been a manifestation of minimalism, pop art, art brut and conceptual art – an authentic testimony to the unique trends and cultural ideas of their time.
Moreover, the BMW Art Cars have a long-standing racing tradition, in step with the BMW brand philosophy of “Sheer Driving Pleasure” they combine continuous innovation with speed and art. All BMW Art Cars are “rolling sculptures” built from production models or racecars, and out of those exquisite vehicles so far eight have excelled on the tracks and achieved extraordinary results.

Auto: BMW honours the '02 in 2016

BMW has big festivities planned for Monterey Car Week this year. Not only is it the brand's centenary, but also the 50th anniversary of the legendary 2002. So to mark the occasion, the Bavarian automaker will roll out a new version of its 2002 Hommage concept.

As you may recall, BMW first revealed the 2002 Hommage at theConcorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este this past May, reinterpreting one of the company's most celebrated models in modern form. The “re-imagined version” will be presented at the event known as “The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering” on Friday, August 19. Expect a fresh coat of paint and some other minor alterations.

The 2002 showpiece is the latest in a string of retro concepts that BMW has created over the past several years. Others have included conceptual tributes to the 328 and M1. Last year's 3.0 CSL Hommage concept was similarly unveiled at Villa d'Este (in dayglow yellow) and subsequently reintroduced at Pebble Beach as the 3.0 CSL Hommage R concept with a retro racing livery. We wouldn't be surprised to see Munich take the same approach this time around.

BMW will also be the featured marque at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca this year, where it will bring out no less than 64 classic racing cars from the 328 of 1930s vintage to the V12 LMR from 1999.

Auto: the "King's Bimmer" comes back

The glittering comeback is now following one of the most spectacular classic-car discoveries of recent times. The BMW 507 was driven by US musician Elvis Presley, famous already at that time as the “King of Rock’n’Roll”, while he was doing his military service in Germany. After that it disappeared for nearly 50 years and was believed to have been lost before returning to the limelight. After almost two years of exacting restoration work, BMW Group Classic is presenting the roadster for the first time in a public arena. Restored to its original condition, it will be exhibited on 21 August 2016 at the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach, California. The BMW 507 with chassis number 70079 will be on view for visitors to the popular classic car show exactly as it was when soldier Elvis Presley took delivery of the car on 20 December 1958: with paintwork finished in Feather White, the 150 hp V8 aluminium engine under the bonnet, centre-lock rims, black-and-white interior and a Becker Mexico radio.

“The opportunity to bring back the BMW 507 owned by the King of Rock’n’Roll to us here in Munich for purposes of restoration in accordance with the wishes of the previous owner, Jack Castor, was a dream come true for all those involved,” commented Ulrich Knieps, Head of BMW Group Classic. “This was an exceptionally fascinating project. The outcome is not simply a source of great pride to us. Jack would undoubtedly have been delighted by the outcome.” In the summer of 2014, the exhibition of the unrestored discovery at the BMW Museum generated a great deal of excitement among classic car enthusiasts, but it also threw up questions: Was this really once Elvis’ BMW 507? And will it even be possible to transform this roadster back into a jewel of the 1950s?

From “Return to Sender” into “It’s Now or Never”.

The condition of the two-seater really was a cause for concern. Although the original body parts and other components were virtually all present and intact, the roadster had lost its engine and gearbox. The rear axle was a “replacement part” of unknown origin, rust was eating away the floor assembly, the seats were worn and there was no instrument panel. However, the fascination of a rare and beguilingly beautiful automobile outweighed all the inadequacies and deficiencies, augmented by the memory of Elvis Presley and his greatest hits. While the roadster came back to Munich under the slogan of “Return to Sender”, the solution was undoubtedly “It’s Now or Never”. A project managed by BMW Group Classic succeeded in restoring the automobile. In-house experts and external specialists joined forces to carry out the work and the result defined new benchmarks for the restoration of a BMW 507.

Looking back on the process, the story of Elvis’ BMW 507 and its restoration is pure Rock’n’Roll: as captivating as the swinging hips of the “King”, energy sapping, an emotional roller-coaster, and full of surprising twists and turns. This is not simply a tale about the young GI Elvis Presley. It is also about the experienced “hillclimb champion” Hans Stuck, kissable lips daubed on white paint, a retired space engineer and a warehouse for pumpkins, a Chevy engine that was much too big, rubberised coconut mats and door handles printed in a 3D process. And the story already began three years before the “King” started military service with the US Army stationed in Hesse, Southern Germany.

Myth among rarities: The BMW 507 of the “King”.

The BMW 507 has always been one of the most exclusive and sought-after rarities in the model history of the brand with just 254 automobiles being produced between 1955 and 1959. Right after its world premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in 1955, the two-seater penned by designer Albrecht Graf Goertz was hailed in the press as the “Dream from the Isar”. Celebrity owners like Alain Delon, Ursula Andress and John Surtees contributed to the image of the roadster as a status symbol. However, no other automobile of this model is shrouded in mythology like the BMW 507 once owned by Elvis Presley. This particular roadster was believed to have been lost for almost five decades. In fact, there was not even certainty about the chassis number of the car driven by the “King”. There were also doubts about whether Elvis Presley had ever transported the car back to the USA after he finished his military service in Germany, and nobody knew anything about the subsequent ownership of the car.

All these puzzles have now been solved thanks to the experts at the BMW Group Classic Archives and American journalist Jackie Jouret, who works for “Bimmer” magazine in California. In 2006, she was already searching through contemporary reports for Elvis’ BMW 507 and relevant literature going into the history of this model. During the course of her work, she uncovered an essential detail. Various sources highlighted the fact that the BMW 507 delivered to Elvis Presley in Germany was not a brand new automobile but had previously been used by racing driver Hans Stuck. Between May and August 1958, the racing driver known as the “Hillclimb Champion” won a number of hillclimbs in Germany, Austria and Switzerland – in a white BMW 507 with chassis number 70079 and registration plate M–JX 800. It is also a known fact verified by photographs that this roadster rolled off the assembly line on 13 September 1957. A few days later, it was exhibited at the Frankfurt International Motor Show and repeatedly used for test drives by the press. As early as October 1957, Hans Stuck presented the car at the London Motor Show and then drove the roadster through Belgium, where he presented it to King Baudouin, before motoring down to the Turin Motor Show. And as if that were not enough, in the summer of 1958, Stuck’s BMW 507 won the automobile beauty competition in Wiesbaden and then played a role in the Bavaria film studio for the feature film “Hula-Hopp Conny” with Cornelia Froboess and Rudolf Vogel.

This vehicle had been carefully serviced at BMW after every race, the engine had been upgraded and a new gearbox fitted when it ended up with a dealer in Frankfurt in the autumn of 1958. The young US soldier Presley was 23 at the time, and he came along and took it out on a test drive for a spin. The “King” was immediately impressed by it and decided to buy the car. Photos taken at the time show that export licence plates had already been fitted to the BMW 507. Later on it was given a registration from the US military that changed every year. This was part of the reason why subsequent identification of the vehicle proved to be complicated later on. The experts from the BMW Group Classic Archives were only absolutely certain about its provenance when they came across the insurance proposal from December 1958 which contained the chassis number 70079 alongside registration of the keeper of the vehicle as Elvis Aaron Presley.

Pampered in Germany, radically modified in the USA.

Elvis Presley used the BMW 507 to drive between his home in Bad Nauheim and the US Army Base in Friedberg. His female fans always kept a close eye on him and he was often mobbed by them. The paintwork of the roadster was frequently daubed with messages of love painted in lipstick. These signs of adoration were by no means unusual for a rock star but they were an embarrassment to Presley as a young US soldier. A new livery in Red for the vehicle solved the problem.

In March 1960, Elvis Presley ended his military service in Germany. Back on American highways, he must have abandoned sheer driving pleasure in an open-top BMW since a few months later he traded in the red roadster bearing chassis number 70079 with a Chrysler dealer in New York. The dealer in turn sold the car for the ridiculously low price from today’s perspective of 4 500 dollars to radio moderator Tommy Charles. Charles took the automobile to his home town of Birmingham in the state of Alabama where a very successful racing career began, although this move was very questionable when it came to the issue of authenticity. The BMW 507 was fitted with a Chevrolet engine in preparation for action on the race track. This took up so much space that parts of the front frame carrier had to be cut out. The gearbox and the rear axle, and the instruments in the cockpit were replaced. Charles won a race in Daytona Beach/Florida with the radically modified roadster and he lined up on the starting grid in several more competitions before selling the vehicle in the course of 1963.

Two more changes of ownership followed and the BMW 507 then went to California. Space engineer Jack Castor acquired the car in 1968 and he used it occasionally as a runabout for everyday use before deciding to put the car into storage for a subsequent restoration. Castor was a passionate collector of historic bicycles and over the years he also amassed an impressive collection of classic automobiles in Half Moon Bay to the south of San Francisco. He got involved with several classic car clubs and delved into the history of the vehicles he had acquired.

The “Holy Grail” in the pumpkin warehouse.

Castor also put together a comprehensive dossier on his BMW 507. Meanwhile, the engineer had gone into retirement and one day he happened to see the article in “Bimmer” magazine. Castor wrote to the author, told her about the BMW 507 with chassis number 70079 that he owned and invited her over to look at the vehicle. He was aware that he was the owner of the racing car driven by “hillclimb champion” Hans Stuck, but up to then he had only been able to speculate about a potential connection with Elvis. However, Jackie Jouret was absolutely certain about this issue. She accompanied Jack Castor to a warehouse for pumpkins where the red BMW 507 was stored alongside other venerable vehicles. “Jack had tied down its engine bonnet with ropes,” recalled the journalist when she looked back on the moment of discovery. “It took some time until we actually got the engine compartment open and identified the stamped chassis number: 70079, the Holy Grail among BMW numbers.”

Jack Castor had already collected a large number of parts carefully stowed in boxes for the planned restoration of the roadster to its original condition. What he lacked was an appropriate engine and the necessary time to see the project through. However, things then started to happen. Jackie Jouret set up the contact with BMW Group Classic where new information about the identity of the BMW 507 used by Elvis Presley in Germany was being gathered. This allowed the facts that had been researched in the USA to be confirmed.

Jack Castor was not interested in making a fast buck out of the unexpected additional fame of his BMW 507. However, the contact with BMW Group Classic was strengthened. After several years and a number of discussions with the experts for restoring classic cars at BMW Group Classic, Klaus Kutscher and Axel Klinger-Köhnlein, an agreement was reached. Alongside the purchase of the vehicle by BMW Group Classic, it also included the authentic restoration of the car along the lines envisaged by Castor.

By container to the museum – and from there into the workshop.

The time had come in the spring of 2014. The BMW 507 was shipped to Germany in a container, together with the spare parts collected by Castor. The first stop in Munich was the BMW Museum where the roadster was presented to an admiring audience in the special exhibition “Elvis’ BMW 507 – lost and found”. Work then began on restoration in the workshop of BMW Group Classic.

As was usual for projects of this nature, phase one was primarily destructive in nature. The vehicle was completely dismantled, a process which in this special case took an entire week, rather than the two days that had been originally planned. Initially, the aluminium body was separated from the floor assembly made of sheet steel. This was the only way of retaining as much of the original material as possible. The paint was then removed from the floor assembly in an acid bath and from the body in an alkaline bath. The engine had already been removed and the remnants of the interior that remained had been set aside.

A lot of components had to be remanufactured from scratch because the stocks of original parts for the BMW 507 are limited even at BMW Group Classic. Traditional craftsmanship in the style of the 1950s was melded with high-tech production procedures of the modern world. The instrument panel was newly cast on the basis of the original. The leather upholstery was created to precisely match the pattern shown in old photographs and catalogues. When the seats were reconstructed, it proved possible to use the original steel subframe for the seats after all the rust had carefully been removed. A rubberised coconut mat was then drawn over the steel springs. This natural material was already being used in the 1950s for series production of the BMW 507, alongside the overlaid felt and linen layers to make the seats as comfortable as possible. Window winders and door handles were remanufactured in an advanced, modern 3D printing process based on the original dimensions. After producing a digital data set by three-dimensional scan of the original part, a facsimile was generated with the help of additive manufacturing and mirror finished afterwards. By contrast, the rubber seal for the tank cover was reproduced in a conventional manufacturing procedure. Since this component like many others in the BMW 507 had fallen prey to the ravages of time, a small series was produced. This means that roadster users are now able to source this spare part in the parts shop of BMW Group Classic.

The BMW 507 makes a comeback – it’s just like the car Hans Stuck drove, the one Elvis purchased, and this is the way Jack Castor wanted it.

The engine for Elvis’ BMW 507 was completely rebuilt from spare parts. The 3.2 litre V8 engine was reconditioned precisely in conformity with the original specifications of the BMW 507, but it was not given an engine number on account of the unavoidable but otherwise unusual use of old and new components. The front frame carrier, which had been cut down at an early stage, also had to be reproduced in its original geometry and integrated in the floor assembly. The wooden nailing strip for fixing the soft top in place was also reproduced using materials and processing methods in keeping with the 1950s.

Maximum authenticity was also the objective in painting the vehicle. The BMW 507 is now resplendent once again in Feather White. The primer coat, the filler and the top coat were not applied by the methods that are commonplace today. Rather, they were implemented in a procedure that corresponds to the technology in use some 60 years ago. This enabled the excessive colour brilliance to be avoided which is considered desirable nowadays but is inappropriate for classic cars.

Similar to the reconstruction of the V8 engine and the use of true-to-original parts and production procedures, the selection of paintwork also corresponds precisely to the conditions defined by Jack Castor. Right from the start, he wanted to restore the roadster to the original condition it was supplied in back in 1958. However, his aspiration to be able to see the BMW 507 through the eyes of the “King” remained unfulfilled. Jack Castor passed away at the age of 77 in November 2014. We will therefore remember him at Pebble Beach. The BMW 507 will be presented there for the first time not simply as the automobile of the “King”, but also as the legacy of Jack Castor and a masterpiece of BMW Group Classic.

Sports and Brands: Leceister say "iluv u" to players with a new i-8

Following their historic English Premier League win, Leicester City players were thanked by their chairman with a brand new BMW i8each.

The club's chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha is worth almost $3 billion and is said to have forked out almost $2 million to buy 19 i8s. It is reported that four of the players from the championship squad didn't receive an i8. Of those, one has moved to Chelsea after claiming the title and the three others were only briefly used as substitutes.

The 19 cars handed over to the players were specced almost identically, painted in a bright shade of blue. While no pictures of the interiors are available, the only element distinguishing some of the cars from the outside are different alloy wheels.

Designed by BMW to rival the Porsche 911, the i3 is the only sports car at its price point to feature a performance-focused hybrid powertrain. In conjunction with a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine and an electric motor, the i8 delivers 362 hp. 

Auto: BMW takes a "new 1" to China

Beijing.  The BMW Group and BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. (BBA) will further explore the premium compact segment in China with the BMW 1 Series Sedan – the first compact sports sedan under the BMW brand. This makes BBA's product range in the compact class even more comprehensive with premium entry-level cars covering segments of the Active Tourer, Sports Activity Vehicle, and Sports Sedan, attracting new customer groups to become premium car owners. The premium compact car segment is the fastest growing segment worldwide and in China.  

The BMW 1 Series Sedan is the most sporty and emotional sedan in segment. It is an exclusive model tailored and aligned to the needs of Chinese customers, solely produced and specifically sold in China. The development and testing of the new car was taken place in the BMW headquarters with the involvement of Chinese engineers. The new car also performed intensive road tests in respect to different circumstances of road conditions and climate situations on different terrains in China. With the BMW 1 Series Sedan, BMW engineers have made a lot of specific fine-tuning and improvements according to the Chinese customers' habits and vehicle-use environment.

The BMW 1 Series Sedan is originated from the concept car BMW Concept Compact Sedan, which made its world premiere at Guangzhou Motor Show 2015. As a model ready for production, the BMW 1 Series Sedan maintains design elements of the concept car, including BMW's typical body proportion. The BMW 1 Series Sedan is instantly recognisable as a BMW. It has a concise BMW face with double kidney grille as well as LED double round headlamps and brand emblem in a very present, sporty and modern interpretation. The characteristic BMW design language is also shown in the sporty, emotional and modern-looking silhouette with Hofmeister kink.

The BMW 1 Series Sedan is the latest proof of BMW Group’s strength in innovation and is superior in terms of connectivity. Its comprehensive BMW ConnectedDrive technologies provide all customers unparalleled convenience, rich infotainment, and significantly enhanced safety. The latest powerful and technology-leading engines with hi-tech electronic technology from BMW are produced at the new local engine plant in Shenyang and guarantee unparalleled driving pleasure. 

   

Auto: Much better later than never - the Jaguar F-Pace

Jaguar has hit the bullseye with its first SUV. The F-Pace is boldly styled, great to drive, refined and proves that you needn’t sacrifice excitement when choosing a family-friendly crossover. The 2.0-litre diesel is a punchy performer and R-Sport models have all the essential kit – although it’s pricey. The F-Pace is as luxurious and comfortable as a Jag 4x4 should be, and both company car drivers and private buyers will find its price and low running costs attractive. All in all, it makes Jaguar’s first effort in the crossover SUV market a notable success, as global demand for the car will surely prove. Only some of the cheap-feeling cabin materials let it down. 

Jaguar has finally entered the SUV market with its first-ever offering, the F-Pace. It fills a gap in Jaguar's range to compete against the ever-expanding crop of cars in the crossover market. It will inevitably bring great success to the brand, even if it has to take on SUVs like the Porsche Macan, BMW X3, Audi Q5 andLand Rover Discovery Sport. You can only buy the F-Pace as a five-seater, but it's a spacious model.

You can choose from one of four trims: Prestige, R-Sport, Portfolio and S. When the car first went on sale, there was also a limited-run First Edition model, which came with a massive equipment list and enormous 22-inch wheels. That model has since sold out, but you can still get most of the options from it on other F-Pace models.

All F-Pace models come with 18-inch alloy wheels, Jaguar's InControl infotainment and sat-nav system and eight-way electrically adjustable leather seats. The interior is suitably plush, and will feel familiar to XE and XF owners, thanks to the rising gear selector on automatic models and a thick-rimmed steering wheel. You can choose from a huge number of desirable options, including a full-length panoramic sunroof and a Meridian sound system.

- from Auto Express (UK)

top  photo : Michael A.D.Edwards

Auto: After A Century, BMW is still all about the Future

The BMW Group's view of the future.
The BMW Group is celebrating its centenary under the motto “THE NEXT 100 YEARS”. Future orientation and adaptability have always defined the BMW Group’s identity as a company. Ever since it was founded in 1916, the BMW Group has played an important role in shaping the future of mobility. It has done so by constantly reinventing itself, evolving from an aircraft engine manufacturer to a motorcycle producer and then a carmaker. Today the BMW Group encompasses the BMW, MINI, BMW Motorrad and Rolls-Royce brands, as well as a large number of mobility services and BMW Financial Services.

Throughout its history the company has placed its sights firmly on the future and this has become embedded in the BMW Group’s DNA. So for the Centenary it is natural that the Group is focusing primarily on looking to the future and sharing its vision of personal mobility two or three decades from now.

It is both exciting and challenging to imagine how we will live and move around in the future: how will society, the economy, living conditions – and therefore mobility – change? What possibilities will new technologies open up? How will digitalisation and connectivity affect our automotive needs?

To answer these questions, the BMW Group has formulated six central hypotheses for individual mobility in the coming decades, based on key megatrends and future projections.

• Mobility is becoming versatile.
  New forms of mobility will open up countless possibilities for people to get where they want to go. The BMW Group aims to play a part in shaping these future forms of mobility.
• Connectivity is becoming second nature.
  In the future, everything will be connected. The BMW Group firmly believes that digitalisation and digital intelligence are meant to serve people. That is the only way they will permanently enhance our quality of life.
• Mobility is becoming tailor-made.
  Mobility will be increasingly flexible and tailored to individual needs. In the future, customised mobility will automatically ensure that people are able to use the best means of transport and take their preferred route to their destination. The BMW Group will offer carefully coordinated products and services to achieve this.
• Technology is becoming human.
  Technologies are getting smarter. The BMW Group believes that innovations are only beneficial to humans if they are simple and user-friendly. In its vision, technologies must be able to learn from and adapt to people, so that technology seems less technical and more human and familiar.
• Energy is becoming emission-free.
  In the future, energy will increasingly come from renewable sources. The BMW Group has a clear vision of environmentally-compatible vehicles built using renewable energies and recycled without generating emissions. It is working towards becoming a wholly sustainable company.
• Responsibility is becoming diverse. In the future, it will become even more important for global companies like the BMW Group to take responsibility for the environment, but also for the people directly or indirectly in its sphere of activity. One aspect – concerning both the company’s international workforce of more than 100 different nationalities and people connected with its various locations – is to promote intercultural exchange and improve lives. The BMW Group already supports more than 200 environmental and social projects in over 42 countries engaging in various projects involving its associates and local communities to maximize its impact in the future. (To find out more about Corporate and Intercultural Responsibility at the BMW Group, visit the PressClub at: www.bmwgroup.com/responsibility).

These six focus areas comprise the BMW Group’s view of the future. They also form the basis and inspiration for the design of the Vision Vehicles the company is unveiling to the public to mark its centenary.

Each BMW Group brand interprets the mobility of the future in a way that reflects its own particular values:

The BMW VISION NEXT 100 provides a glimpse of what “Sheer Driving Pleasure” could look like in the future.

The MINI VISION NEXT 100 offers a completely individualised, permanently available form of urban mobility.

The Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 epitomises bespoke automotive luxury.

Future riding pleasure with the BMW Motorrad VISION NEXT 100 promises limitless freedom.


BMW Group’s VISION NEXT 100 VEHICLES.

BMW VISION NEXT 100: “Sheer Driving Pleasure” of the future – what will it look like?

In the not-too-distant future, most vehicles will probably be completely self-driving – people will get around in robots on wheels. So, given these developments, how will we justify the existence of vehicles by BMW, a brand for whom the individual and Sheer Driving Pleasure are the focus of everything? And how will BMW’s brand values translate into the future?

In developing the BMW VISION NEXT 100, the main objective was to create not an anonymous vehicle but one that is highly personalised and fully geared to meet the driver’s every need – because the very emotional connection between a BMW and its driver is something we want to retain. For the BMW VISION NEXT 100, the design team specifically took into account all the trends and technological developments that will be most relevant to BMW in the decades ahead. But they also took many of their cues from innovations and designs of the past. The key factor throughout, however, was something that has always been typical of the BMW brand: the desire to be uncompromising in its future focus on technologies and customer value.

Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design: “If, as a designer, you are able to imagine something, there’s a good chance it could one day become reality. So our objective with the BMW VISION NEXT 100 was to develop a future scenario that people would engage with. Technology is going to make significant advances, opening up fantastic new possibilities that will allow us to offer the driver even more assistance for an even more intense driving experience. My personal view is that technology should be as intuitive as possible to operate and experience so that future interactions between human, machine and surroundings become seamless. The BMW VISION NEXT 100 shows how we intend to shape this future.”


Four Proposals underpinning the BMW VISION NEXT 100:

A genuine BMW is always driver-focused.
In recent months and years, the greatest current trend in the automotive industry has become so widespread that it’s no longer a question of “if” but “when”: autonomous driving. The BMW Group also believes that BMW drivers will be able to let their cars do the work – but only when the driver wants. The BMW VISION NEXT 100 remains a genuine BMW, offering an intense experience of Sheer Driving Pleasure.

Artificial intelligence and intuitive technology become one.
Moving into the future, vehicles will be fully connected and digital technology will become so normal that it will permeate almost every area of our lives. Increasing digitisation will lead to the physical and digital worlds merging more and more. Artificial intelligence will learn from us, anticipating many of our wishes and working in the background to perform the jobs we delegate to it. The way humans and technologies interact will be transformed: screens and touchscreens will be replaced by more intuitive forms of human-machine communication and interaction. Better yet: technology will become more human.

New materials open up breathtaking opportunities.
In the future, how will cars be manufactured? At some point, presses that punch out hundreds of thousands of steel parts may well become obsolete - the use of carbon may already be a first indication of the sea-change that is imminent in the world of automotive materials and production. Technologies such as rapid manufacturing and 4D printing will produce not components or objects but intelligent, networked materials and could soon replace conventional tools to open up unimagined possibilities in design and engineering.

Mobility will remain an emotional experience.
Vehicles by BMW have never been purely utilitarian or merely a means of getting from one place to the next. Far more, a BMW is about looking to the next bend in the road, feeling the power of the engine and enjoying the sense of speed; it’s about the sensory experience, the adrenaline rush or that intimate moment at which a journey begins, be it for a lone driver or one travelling with a close friend or loved one. Moving into the future, that’s not set to change – because the emotional experience of mobility is firmly fixed in our collective corporate memory. By keeping the driver firmly in the foreground, the BMW VISION NEXT 100 will heighten this emotional experience in an unprecedented way.


BMW VISION NEXT 100: A vehicle for future mobility.

• From driver to “Ultimate Driver” – through digital intelligence
• “Alive Geometry” enables intuitive driver-vehicle interaction
• “Boost” and “Ease” driving modes enable driver- or vehicle-controlled operation
• “Companion”: The intelligent digital partner connects driver and car
• Trademark BMW exterior
• Materials of the future

From driver to Ultimate Driver – through digital intelligence.
In the future, BMW drivers will still want to spend most of the time they are in their car at the wheel. In the BMW VISION NEXT 100, the driver will remain firmly in the focus, with constant connectivity, digital intelligence and state-of-the-art technologies available for support. But that’s not all: the BMW VISION NEXT 100 will turn the driver into the Ultimate Driver. So even though the world may well be changing, Sheer Driving Pleasure is here to stay – and will be more intense than ever before.

In designing the BMW VISION NEXT 100, the starting point was the interior. In the years ahead, the driver’s wellbeing will become increasingly important and rather than merely feeling they are in a machine that drives itself, they should sense that they are sitting in one that was specifically designed for them. This idea gave rise to an architecture in which the interior appears extremely spacious given the overall size of the vehicle; the BMW VISION NEXT 100, of course, retains the instantly recognisable athletic silhouette of a BMW saloon.

The design of the interior permits various modes of operation: Boost mode, in which the driver is at the controls, and Ease mode, in which the driver can sit back and let the vehicle take over. In Ease, the vehicle becomes a place of retreat with plenty of space, agreeable lighting and a comfortable atmosphere. In Boost, the driver takes over and benefits from the subtle and intuitive support offered by the vehicle. All the time, the vehicle is learning more and more about the person at the wheel, thanks to its sensory and digital intelligence which the BMW Group calls the Companion. The Companion progressively learns to offer the right kind of support to transform the driver into the Ultimate Driver.

A very important element of the Vision Vehicle is another innovation known as Alive Geometry, the likes of which have never before been seen in a car. It consists of a kind of three-dimensional sculpture that works both inside and outside the vehicle.

Alive Geometry enables driver-vehicle interaction.
Alive Geometry consists of almost 800 moving triangles inside the cabin which are set into the instrument panel and into certain areas of the side panels. They work in three dimensions, communicating very directly with the driver through their movements, which are more like gestures than two-dimensional depictions on a display. Even the slightest peripheral movement is perceptible to the driver. In combination with the Head-Up display, Alive Geometry uniquely fuses the analogue with the digital.

The triangles work in much the same way a flock of birds in controlled flight, their coordinated movements act as signals that are easily comprehensible to those inside the car. Combined with the Head-Up display, they involve the driver in a form of preconscious communication, where an intuitive signal predicts an imminent real-time event. Various approaches can already be seen today that appear to confirm the feasibility of this solution. Rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing, for example, are gaining importance all the time and are expected to be commonplace 30 years from now, meaning that in the future it will become feasible to produce far more complex and flexible forms. This is why in the context of the BMW VISION NEXT 100, the BMW Group refers to 4D printing, a process which adds a fourth level to components: the functional one. In the years ahead, printed parts manufactured in this way will directly integrate functions which today have to be designed and produced separately before being incorporated into the whole.

At the moment, the digital world is strongly linked to displays; the next step will be organic LEDs, in other words, displays that can be shaped and contoured. However the Vision Vehicle suggests there will at some point be no more displays at all. Instead the entire windscreen will serve as a giant display, directly in front of the driver. In the future the digital and physical worlds will merge, as shown with the example of the Alive Geometry and its interaction with the digital Head-Up display on the windscreen.

Boost and Ease driving modes for driver- or vehicle-controlled operations.
In Boost and Ease mode alike, the elements and technologies of the vehicle make for the most intense or relaxed driving experience, depending on what is required. Transitioning between modes is impressive and perfectly orchestrated, and Alive Geometry remains relevant throughout. In Boost, when the driver is concentrating fully on the road, Alive Geometry highlights the ideal driving line or possible turning point and warns of oncoming vehicles. Rather than making the driver drive faster, this kind of support sets out to make them drive noticeably better. In addition, intuitive feedback has a more physical and immediate impact than a robotic voice or instructions on a screen. In Ease mode, on the other hand, Alive Geometry is more discreet in its movements, informing occupants about the road ahead and any acceleration and braking manoeuvres that are about to happen.

In Boost mode, the entire vehicle focuses on the driver, offering intelligent support to maximize the driving experience. The seat and steering wheel change position, and the centre console moves to become more strongly oriented toward the driver. As the journey proceeds, the driver can interact with the vehicle via gesture control.

The contact analogue BMW Head-Up display of the future uses the entire windscreen to communicate with the driver. In Boost mode, it focuses exclusively on what really matters to the driver: information such as the ideal line, turning-point and speed. In addition, full connectivity, intelligent sensors and permanent data exchange allow the Head-Up display to generate a digital image of the vehicle’s surroundings. In foggy conditions, for example, this means the driver can benefit from information such as vehicles crossing ahead, before they actually come into sight. In addition, by learning more and more about the driver, the system continuously improves, concentrating on creating at all times the most intense and personal driving experience possible.

The transition to Ease mode brings about a complete change of interior ambience. The steering wheel and centre console retract and the headrests move to one side to create a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. The seats and door panels merge to form a single unit, allowing the driver and passengers to sit at a slight angle. This makes it easier for them to face each other and sit in a more relaxed position for easier communications. Meanwhile, the Head-Up display offers occupants personalised content along with the information and entertainment they desire.

Depending on the driving mode, the focus of the vehicle changes, concentrating on essentials for the driver in Boost mode, and the surroundings and atmosphere in Ease mode, highlighting the impressive landscapes or buildings of interest that the car is passing by, for instance.

Whether the vehicle is in Boost or Ease mode is also clearly apparent to other road users as the trademark kidney grille, double headlights and L-shaped rear lights act as communication tool. Their different colours of light indicate which mode the vehicle is currently in.

Companion: The intelligent digital partner connects driver and car.
The Companion is symbolised by a small sculptural element which represents the driver-vehicle connection. Shaped like a large, cut gemstone, it is positioned in the centre of the dashboard, just beneath the windscreen, where it symbolises the intelligence, connectivity and availability of the BMW VISION NEXT 100. It also represents the constant exchange of data: the more it learns about the owner and their mobility habits, the smarter it becomes. At some stage it knows its drivers well enough to automatically perform routine tasks for them and offer suitable advice when needed. Irrespective of the vehicle itself, constant learning makes the Companion increasingly valuable to its owner.

The Companion also plays an important role in driver-vehicle communications when the car transitions from Boost to Ease mode. While the driver concentrates on the road in Boost mode, the Companion remains flat in the dashboard. But when the BMW VISION NEXT 100 takes control in Ease, it rises up to create an interface with the windscreen. A signal light tells the driver that the car is ready for fully autonomous driving. For other road users, the Companion has a similar function, signalling through its own light as well as that of the vehicle that the car is operating in automated mode. In certain traffic situations, the Companion is in visual contact with other road users, helping pedestrians to cross the road by means of the green light gradient on the front of the vehicle.

Trademark BMW exterior.
The design of the BMW Vision Vehicle is characterised by a blend of coupé-type sportiness and the dynamic elegance of a sedan. At 4.90 meters long and 1.37 meters high, it has compact exterior dimensions. Inside, however, it has the dimensions of a luxury BMW sedan.

The large wheels are positioned at the outer edges of the body, giving the vehicle the dynamic stance that is a trademark of BMW. When it comes to aerodynamics, exterior Alive Geometry contributes to an outstanding effect: when the wheels swivel as the vehicle is steered, the bodywork keeps them covered as if it were a flexible skin, accommodating their various positions. The innovative design of the BMW VISION NEXT 100 gives it an extremely low drag coefficient of 0.18.

The exterior of the vehicle is copper in colour, designed to underscore the idea that BMW vehicles of the future should appear technical yet still have a warmth about them – as symbolised by the close links between the vehicle and its driver.

This relationship begins as soon as the driver approaches the vehicle: intelligent sensor technologies automatically open its wing doors. To give the driver more space to enter and exit, the steering wheel is flush with the dashboard. Once seated, the full range of systems is activated by tapping on the BMW logo in the middle of the dashboard. The door closes, the steering wheel comes forward, and the driving experience begins.

Materials of the future.
The designers of the BMW VISION NEXT 100 primarily used fabrics made from recycled or renewable materials. The visible and non-visible carbon components, such as the side panels, are made from residues from normal carbon fibre production. In the future, the choice of materials will become even more important throughout the design and production process.

With time, other new materials will also be added into the mix, allowing different vehicle shapes to emerge. To save resources and support more sustainable manufacturing, less use will be made of wood and leather while innovative materials and the consequent new possibilities in design and production gradually come to the fore. This approach is already being exemplified by the use of high-quality textiles and easily recyclable mono-materials and the elimination of leather in the interior of the BMW VISION NEXT 100.


MINI VISION NEXT 100: “Every MINI is my MINI”.
Today’s MINI is the perfect premium compact car for the modern city. Digitalisation and connectivity are increasingly changing the way we get around on a daily basis – and this change is taking place most rapidly and noticeably in urban areas. The MINI VISION NEXT 100 is MINI’s answer to several key questions on urban mobility over the years ahead. In the cities of the future, will there be space for a car which engages at an emotional level? What will become of the “clever use of space” principle that underpins MINI? And how can MINI respond to a world becoming ever more digitalised and interconnected?

The core philosophy behind the MINI VISION NEXT 100 is the thoughtful use of the planet’s resources in providing personal mobility. The motto “Every MINI is my MINI” describes a particular take on car-sharing. In the future, fans of the brand will be able to call on a MINI tailored to their personal requirements where ever they are, day or night. The MINI of the future will be available 24/7, able to pick its driver up from their desired location in a fully automated way and will adapt itself to the driver’s individual tastes, interests and preferences. At the heart of this concept is fully connected digital intelligence.

Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design, describes MINI’s vision for the future: “MINI looks to offer smart and bespoke mobility in cities that engages all the senses. And in the future, you might not actually have to own a vehicle to enjoy the benefits.”

Clever approaches to future mobility with MINI:

• “Digitally Mine” – where every MINI becomes my MINI
• The “Cooperizer”: a link between the driver and digital intelligence
• “Urban go-kart”: small, clever, nimble. The hallmark driving fun of a MINI will remain intact in the years ahead
• Novel use of sustainable materials in the interior
• Experience sharing – users become part of a MINI community

“Digitally mine” – where every MINI becomes my MINI.
In the future, as now, people will be attracted in great numbers to MINI cars and the attitude to life associated with them. But it may not actually be necessary to own a MINI to be part of the action. The design team’s challenge: how could a MINI be widely and instantly adaptable – making the driver feel it is their car, tailored precisely to their own taste – available whenever and wherever they need it?

The MINI VISION NEXT 100 is wrapped in a discreet, silver skin. The MINI designers refer to it as a “blank canvas”. How that canvas is used varies according to the individual user, their mood and the situations they encounter. Even the colour of the roof and the lighting mood in the interior respond in kind. The MINI uses projections adapted to the driver in terms of colour, graphics and content to create a personalised experience and customised package of on-board information.

The Cooperizer forms a connection between the driver and digital intelligence.
The Cooperizer is the name the MINI VISION NEXT 100 gives to the centrally-positioned circular instrument that has become such a signature feature of MINI cockpits. In the MINI VISION NEXT 100 it illuminates like a kaleidoscope. The colours and patterns it generates symbolise the car’s multi-faceted digital intelligence, which allows it to select a personalised setting for each driver, encompassing entertainment, communications and autonomous-driving options. On the move, the driver can influence the Cooperizer’s decision-making, as the rotary controls allow adjustments to the interior ambience and driving mode. So the car can be adapted to give a perfectly personalised driving experience, whether driven conventionally or autonomously. Pressing the “Inspire Me” button brings another special Cooperizer trick into play. Here, the MINI checks downloaded user data to select information of interest to the driver and provide them with potential sources of inspiration. For example, the MINI VISION NEXT 100 might suggest the MINI set-up configured for an artist the driver admires and whose exhibition they have recently visited. Or it could recommend a challenging, twisting route to the outskirts of town and switch to John Cooper Works performance mode.

The urban go-kart – small, clever, nimble. MINI will continue to offer the driving fun we know and love in the future.
In the future, driving in a MINI must still be fun, to the extent that drivers will prefer to drive themselves – as often as possible. The mechanical experience of speed and the feeling of nipping swiftly through twists and turns are part of what makes a MINI a MINI. But it doesn’t stop there. In a future world of self-driving cars, this side of motoring may have an even more significant, even more special role. Various aspects of the MINI VISION NEXT 100 will take the go-kart feeling to another new level. Cleared of many controls and screens, the interior has a pure, uncluttered look. And the glass front end opens up a dynamic view of the road. Here, augmented reality displays show the route or ideal driving line, heightening the driving sensation.

In addition to these dynamic elements, dreaming up clever details and creating maximum interior space within the smallest possible footprint are other MINI essentials. The efficiently-packaged, zero-emission drive system and the reduced need for crash zones in the future enable a compactness of body not so far removed from the first MINI back in 1959. The generous feeling of cabin space is enhanced by a full-width bench seat and pedals that slide with the steering wheel to adjust their position. The steering wheel is always there, but the option remains, to ask the car to drive itself; perhaps there are things you’d rather do during a journey when the driving environment is tedious.

Autonomous driving plays an important role in the MINI VISION NEXT 100, allowing it to travel occupant-free to a charging station, cleaning service, parking space or the next user. To switch from driving themselves to autonomous driving, the driver simply moves the steering wheel into the central area between themselves and the front passenger. In the process, those on board enjoy greater freedom of movement and getting in and out of the car in busy city centres is that much easier. The single-section bench seat and a full-width footwell, uninterrupted by a centre console, also help this, allowing passengers to gain rapid access from both sides of the car – without having to decide in advance where they would prefer to sit. When dynamic driving is the order of the day, active elements within the seat provide lateral support for the driver and front passenger. Park the car in a tight spot, and the doors automatically open as wide as possible within the restricted confines.

Innovative use of sustainable materials.
Making responsible use of resources is key in the selection of materials for the MINI VISION NEXT 100. These materials should retain their high level of perceived quality over many years, age stylishly and offer a special tactile experience. As digitisation increases, analogue qualities and experiences will become more important. With the more intensive use of a shared car, interiors will need to be much more hard wearing. In addition to the modern materials made from recycled plastic and aluminium in the floor area, roof lining and side panel trim, for example, the MINI interior designers used materials less commonly found in car cabins, such as brass, basalt and cellulose. The wraparound carrier and information strip, with its mount for the sliding steering wheel, and the Cooperizer with its thin brass structure are good examples here.

The designers made the storage net behind the steering wheel from lightweight basalt, while the lower section of the seat is trimmed in a recycled cellulose material similar to paper. This novel use of materials included deliberately allowing a patina to develop through use and ensuring they retain along-lasting and sophisticated appearance. When it comes to the natural look and feel of surfaces, the designers have embraced the irregularities inherent in the chosen materials and processing methods. That also applies to the seat covers in knitted Alcantara – a robust, somewhat iridescent material. The designers have steered clear of traditional interior materials like wood and leather altogether. Another example of analogue design in the MINI Vision Vehicle can be found in the wheels, whose rotation generates an “Ombro Cinema” effect: This involves the outer surface of the wheel not moving and only a disc behind it turning with the tyre. The even movement of a shimmering graphic – again brass-coloured – can be observed through openings in the outside of the wheel. The idea is for each wheel to look like a piece of a mechanical jewellery.

Experience sharing – the user becomes part of a MINI community.
Sharing cars, homes and goods is ever-more common, as digitalisation, connectivity and artificial intelligence make processes simpler and more automated. The MINI VISION NEXT 100 can bring together a community of likeminded people, with a shared MINI lifestyle in common. Everybody benefits from everybody. And mobility opens up inspirational experiences yet stands by its sustainable approach and prudent use of resources.

For example, a MINI user in the future is interested in a certain type of art and a friend gets hold of some last-minute tickets to a preview for an exhibition they might like. The Vision Vehicle identifies what’s involved, and coordinates and organises the whole excursion. The drive itself becomes part of a perfectly arranged service. MINI calls this vision of the future experience sharing.

Head of MINI Design Anders Warming sums up the most important aspects of the car: “The MINI VISION NEXT 100 shows how MINI’s unique take on the world could look in the future. The driving experience remains the emotional centrepiece, with effortless and seamless services grouped around it.”


Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100.
Rolls-Royce epitomises automotive luxury in a way that no other brand can. Founded in 1904, its products rose to pre-eminence around the world in a matter of years – in keeping with Sir Henry Royce’s motto: “Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it doesn’t exist, design it.”

Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design: “In celebration of this pioneering spirit, the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 has been designed as the ultimate expression of the future of super-luxury mobility. It is an enlightening vision of the fascinating possibilities of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in the future.”

The Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 is the first purely visionary vehicle in the 112-year history of the marque.

In creating it, the team focused on the following questions:

• What is the future of luxury?
• How might the exclusive character of a Rolls-Royce translate into the future?
• How will the demands of the Rolls-Royce clientele change? And how might Rolls-Royce even exceed their expectations in its constant quest for perfection?
• Could other traditional Rolls-Royce characteristics – such as precise craftsmanship, a pioneering spirit and a love for perfection – combined with future technologies and trends set new standards for luxury in decades to come?
• How can we ensure a journey in a Rolls-Royce remains as unique an experience in the future as it is today?

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars already realises the most diverse customer wishes and offers virtually unlimited scope for personalising its vehicles. Over the years and decades ahead, however, the opportunities will become even more extensive, and customers will be able to commission their personal Rolls-Royce into a genuine one-off piece. In terms of technology, the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 is based on an advanced lightweight platform equipped with a high-performance electric drive. From the wheelbase to the design of the body, its various specifications and equipment can be tailored specifically to suit the needs of the individual customer.

The Rolls-Royce design team expects that further progress in composite materials and technologies will have a decisive influence on how production can be customised in the future. Advances will also unlock new creative possibilities for the brand to meet the discerning wishes of its customers and achieve its goal of producing the bespoke automotive equivalent of haute couture.

The Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 incorporates just some of the design options that will be possible in the future.

It focuses on the following key aspects of a new dimension of automotive luxury:

• The “Personal Vision”: One of a limitless number of possible personal visions of a Rolls-Royce of the future
• The “Grand Sanctuary”: The vehicle interior as a private retreat
• The “Effortless Journey”: Guided by “Eleanor”, the passenger’s virtual assistant.
• The “Grand Arrival”: Stepping out at your destination in ultimate elegance.

The Personal Vision: One of a limitless number of possible personal visions of a Rolls-Royce of the future.
The Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 is but one of a limitless number of possible personal visions of a Rolls-Royce of the future. Indeed, in an evolution of the Rolls-Royce experience of today, the customer’s taste will shape exactly how his or her Rolls-Royce will look and how it will be configured.

In the spirit of the great coachbuilt cars of the past, Rolls-Royce will create the chassis of the future, hand-built from the most advanced materials and powered by a zero emissions powertrain. Innovative manufacturing technologies will enable customers to involve themselves in the style and proportion of their personal Rolls-Royce vision. They will be able to commission their very own cars shaped by Rolls-Royce designers to their personal tastes – unique bespoke masterpieces curated as a fingerprint of their owner.

The Grand Sanctuary – The vehicle interior as a private retreat.
In a Rolls-Royce, the well-being and desires of the occupants are all-important. For this reason, the design of the interior is the central starting point: it is intended as a space in which passengers can enjoy their very own style of luxury. The vehicle interior becomes a personal retreat.

In creating the interior, the designers opted for a clear-cut hierarchy of lines, as well as sustainable, authentic materials and subtle lighting. These combine to create a peaceful oasis, the ideal atmosphere in which to relax.

With this approach, the designers were able to create an inviting, purist space in which the intrinsic beauty of the materials shines through. The Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100, for instance, incorporates warm tone Macassar wood, a carpet of hand-twisted silk on the floor and further extraordinarily soft silk on the upholstery.

In the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 a panorama window of generous proportions provides outstanding visibility. Designed to “waft” along fully autonomously, the driver’s seat, steering wheel and instruments are superfluous in this model; what remains is a completely new sense of space. Cocooned in their own private haven, passengers have just a central analogue timepiece below the panorama window as a reminder that time not lost is the highest form of luxury.

The Effortless Journey: Guided by Eleanor, the passenger’s virtual assistant.
In creating the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100, the designers also sought to keep the presence of technologies as subdued as possible while at the same time ensuring full connectivity. The vehicle is controlled by a virtual intelligence which fulfils the passenger’s every need. This virtual assistant is embodied in a digital representation of the Spirit of Ecstasy, which appears on the full-width transparent OLED display. It is named after Eleanor Thornton, the model who inspired sculptor Charles Robert Sykes’ iconic Rolls-Royce bonnet ornament. The more time Eleanor spends on the road with a passenger, the more she learns about their interests and needs – their favourite restaurants, tastes in art and favourite routes, for instance – and about the preferences and desires of all the other vehicle occupants as well, of course. Using speech interaction, the passengers can call upon her services to tailor their journey as desired.

The Grand Arrival – Stepping out at your destination in ultimate elegance.
From the outside, the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 is a vision of timeless aesthetics. Measuring 5.9 m in length, its silhouette radiates powerful elegance. At the same time, its coupé-style forms and the free-standing wheel arches on either side of the Pantheon radiator grille lend dynamism and lightness to its outward appearance.

The elegance and lightness of the body is further underscored by the paintwork “Crystal Water” and the Spirit of Ecstasy, made from hand-cut lead crystal and illuminated from inside.

Thanks to its impressive exterior design, the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 will attract attention wherever it arrives. Its charismatic presence is further enhanced by the way the passengers alight: in a generous gesture, the roof and coach door open to reveal the interior of the vehicle. Passengers simply stand up and gracefully step out. The spectacle is additionally underscored by light projections, which create a “red carpet” showing the way out and turn every arrival into a Grand Arrival.

Should the need arise, two umbrellas integrated into the doors are available to protect passengers from the elements. Rolls-Royce bespoke luggage can be stowed in the front of the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100, where there is ample storage space. An intelligent mechanism opens a hatch in the side of the car and presents the luggage to the waiting hands of the porter.

Giles Taylor, Design Director Rolls-Royce Motor Cars: “With the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100 we were very mindful not to dwell on the past. We wanted to be as innovative as possible and at the same time transcend the design history of the marque.”

Brands: BMW goes to Britain for its next Art Journey

British artist Abigail Reynolds (represented by ROKEBY, London) as the next BMW Art Journey winner. The international jury selected her unanimously from a shortlist of three artists whose works were exhibited in the Discoveries sector at this year’s Art Basel show in Hong Kong.

Reynolds’ artistic practice is closely linked to books and libraries. Having studied English Literature at Oxford University, she frequently draws inspiration from literary essays and figures to imagine places and moments from the past, present and future. Given this deep connection to libraries and literature, it is no surprise that Reynolds’ BMW Art Journey project for 2016/17, “The Ruins of Time: Lost Libraries of the Silk Road,” will allow her to connect the complex religious and secular narratives of Europe and Asia and to expand her current interests and working methods through an extensive multi-continent series of visits to historic and fabled repositories of books.

The BMW Art Journey is a global collaboration between Art Basel and BMW, created to recognize and support emerging artists worldwide. This unique award is open to artists who are exhibiting in the Discoveries and Positions sectors in the Hong Kong and Miami Beach shows of Art Basel, respectively. Two judging panels comprised of internationally renowned experts meet first to select a shortlist of three artists from the sector, who are then invited to submit proposals for a journey aimed to further develop their ideas and artistic work. The jury reconvenes to choose a winner from the three proposals. The next round of selections for the BMW Art Journey will take place during Art Basel in Miami Beach.  

BMW is a global partner of Art Basel and has supported Art Basel’s three shows in Basel, Miami Beach and Hong Kong for many years. 

Auto: Magna Rides into Midtown

Its becoming a fairly crowded block of real estate for car dealerships between Oxford Road and Cross Roads itself. With BMW, KIG and Audi and VW already hanging their banners from showrooms in that radius, along comes another global carmaker, through their reps, this time with a Latin twist:

Magna Motors Dealership Limited, the exclusive dealers of Hyundai in Jamaica has opened its new showroom at 27 Old Hope Road, a facility built on the foundations of the Hyundai “modern premium” philosophy of simplicity and perfection, world class luxury vehicles, andexceptional industry-leading experiences.

The showroom will feature Hyundai international top sellers, including the likes of the Tucson, Creta, Accent, Sonata, and Veloster,Santa Fe, Grand i-10 Hatchback and Sedan, H1 Minivan and Panel Van. The All New 2017 Elantra will join the lineup in the coming weeks. The space boasts a creative design, with elements accentuated by Hyundai’s “shaped sky”, “vertical green”, and “cellular landscape” – which is applied to the floor patterns of the showroom, conjuring up a feeling of nature.

“Our new showroom represents Magna Motors’ commitment to the development of Jamaica’s automotive industry,” said Juan Vargas, Managing Director. “We’ve invested US$10 million dollars to date, since entering the Jamaican market last August and we plan to double that figure by the end of 2017.”

Carlos Geourzoung, Sales Manager, Magna Motors Dealership Limited expressed satisfaction with the new facilities, and the elevation of Hyundai Jamaica to meet the international brand standards. “The showroom will act as home to preview our award-winning vehicles and gain more details and insight on Hyundai. We are happy to be changing gears to ensure we exceed expectations and create even more memorable customer experiences,” he said. “We look forward to welcoming customers here.”

The showroom is backed by the Hyundai Service Centre which opened in September 2015 at 22 Balmoral Avenue. Both facilities are designed to meet Hyundai's technical performance and quality specifications, with the latter featuring the latest Hyundai servicing equipment, Hyundai-trained service technicians, and a comprehensive parts inventory.