The BMW i design DNA

BMW i spells visionary vehicles and a new take on premium mobility that has sustainability very much at heart. Pivotal to the new BMW sub-brand …


BMW i spells visionary vehicles and a new take on premium mobility that has sustainability very much at heart. Pivotal to the new BMW sub-brand are alternative drive systems that are specifically conceived for use in the city and dictate the design process from start to finish. BMW i sets out to rethink mobility and come up with pioneering solutions to the challenges posed by cars of the future.

These are the driving forces behind the groundbreaking LifeDrive concept – a unique, purpose-built vehicle architecture geared to electric mobility and boasting highly innovative use of materials.

The BMW i designers have succeeded in developing a unique design language which also displays strong links with parent brand BMW. Innovative technologies are given a contemporary, authentic visual style, and the initial concept cars – the BMW i3 Concept and BMW i8 Concept – open up values such as lightness and efficiency to the naked eye. These cars herald the dawn of the new sub-brand and instantly highlight the potential of BMW i.

bmw i design 04 655x463 The BMW i design DNA

Running in the family: design features from parent brand BMW.

BMW i references its parent brand BMW clearly through the use of design themes such as absolute precision, lightness and clean modernity. Picking up on hallmark BMW design features allows BMW i design to maintain a clear connection to its parent brand. However, BMW i also takes a whole new look at various stylistic elements, giving the sub-brand’s vehicles a distinctive identity. To this end, a three-dimensional blue ring has been added to the outside of the BMW badge for the BMW i logo. A fresh interpretation of the classic BMW kidney grille reflects the inspiration provided by its parent brand for the BMW i face. With their horizontally sectioned headlights, the BMW i cars share the intent look familiar from BMW models but add a flavour all of their own.

The BMW i “next premium” claim.

“Clean”, “clever” and “premium” are three key words in BMW i design. BMW i cars take the idea of premium to the next level to meet the demands of the future: “next premium” defines comfort, functionality and aesthetics beyond the usual perceptions of higher standards. Never before have sustainability and premium been combined in this depth. Preserving resources was a key consideration in the development of materials, for example. The design of the interior puts renewable and naturally treated raw materials on open display for the first time. The new LifeDrive architecture gave the designers the freedom to introduce a clean-sheet design for the interior. Only genuinely premium, clean and clever features were included. The result is a contemporary, pared-down aesthetic which reduces weight without the need to compromise on functionality. The design of the exterior uses a stimulating design language to communicate this new approach. Transparency and the use of contrasting colours bring the cars’ lightweight design to the attention of the observer. The extremely clean, minimalist surfaces have been conceived to lend visual impact to the sub-brand’s all-embracing sustainability concept.

bmw i design 06 655x463 The BMW i design DNA

Typically BMW i: model-specific design features.

LifeDrive architecture.

The purpose-built basic construction of the BMW i models – the LifeDrive architecture – represents their single most defining feature. Within this concept, the carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) Life module houses the passenger compartment, while the Drive module brings together all the operational driving functions.

This distinctive two-way split is also reflected in the design of the cars. The modules are partly covered by plastic side panels, but remain clearly distinguishable. Expressive surfaces and precise lines form a harmonious transition between the two. This overlap and interlocking of surfaces and lines – “layering” in BMW i speak – marks out the exterior and interior design of the vehicles. This striking interplay highlights the linking together of the individual structures and their arrangement within the framework of the LifeDrive architecture.

Aerodynamics.

The aerodynamically optimised “stream flow” represents one of the most striking design themes of BMW i. Two horizontal lines converge from above and below – like streaks of air in the wind tunnel – into a dynamic C-pillar sweep. These lines are expressed in different ways depending on the model. Among the other aerodynamically significant features which double up as hallmark elements of BMW i design are large and relatively narrow wheels, as well as aerodynamic elements such as AirCurtains (which channel the air flow around the wheel arches) and the aeroflaps behind the front wheels.



Lightweight design and efficiency

BMW i design uses lightness and efficiency to give the sub-brand’s innovative drive technology a fitting showcase. These central values are expressed in the design of the vehicles through large transparent surfaces and a light-bathed interior, a powerful stance and aerodynamic additions such as contact surfaces, spoiler lips and elements allowing air through-flow. This high degree of transparency imbues the cars with an airy feel, while the generously-sized glass surfaces give an optimum view outside.

The impressive swathes of exposed CFRP reflect the lightness and efficiency of both vehicles. As a central element of efficient mobility, aerodynamics play a key role in reducing fuel consumption. The design of the BMW i vehicles uses numerous aerodynamic measures to reduce the cars’ drag substantially, increasing their efficiency – and therefore their range when running on electric power alone.

Rear lights.

BMW i introduces a fresh interpretation of the familiar BMW rear light design. The intricately-worked U-shaped rear lights use state-of-the-art LED technology and are designed for maximum efficiency, in terms of both their space requirement and energy usage. Their distinctive looks also ensure the BMW i vehicles are clearly identifiable during the hours of darkness.

Black band.

Another distinctive design feature is best viewed from above; a black band rises out of the bonnet just behind the kidney grille and continues over the roof to the rear, creating a visual link between the different sections of the car.

“We take our responsibility very seriously when it comes to the mobility of the future and the future of our society,” says Benoit Jacob, Head of BMW i Design, with reference to the BMW i sub-brand. “We are in no doubt of the need to take a fresh view of things going forward. That’s why, at BMW i, we’ve been asking ourselves a host of questions which challenge many of the things we currently take for granted. Every design element in the creative process was subjected to three fundamental questions: Does it meet our definition of premium? How clean is it? How clever is it? And those questions provoked some revolutionary responses. Suffice to say, rarely has the future promised so much.”

http://www.bmwblog.com/2012/03/01/the-bmw-i-design-dna/

GEAR CONCEPT

Think sub-compact vehicles can’t do it all? Think again. Introducing the GEAR Concept Study Model. With a simple, clean design inspired by fixed-gear bicycles, it represents a completely new way of looking at sub-compact vehicles.

GEAR was designed to meet the demands of younger drivers living in the city. It’s compact and stylish, while still being functional and fun to drive. Simply put, it embodies everything you could ask for from a sub-compact, while sporting a unique design you’d be thrilled to drive.

This concept is currently not slated for production.

https://www.honda.ca/future-vehicles

HONDA FCEV CONCEPT

Honda FCEV Concept Makes World Debut at Los Angeles International Auto Show

• Sleek and aerodynamic, 5-passenger Honda FCEV Concept expresses
  potential styling direction for next-generation Honda fuel cell-electric vehicle
  launching in 2015

• Next generation Honda FCEV promises significant gains in real-world
  performance, cost reduction, efficiency, packaging and appeal, including
  more than 480 km (300-mile) driving range

LOS ANGELES, CA (November 20, 2013) – The sleekly styled Honda FCEV Concept, made its world debut today at the Los Angeles International Auto Show. The concept expresses a potential styling direction for Honda’s next-generation fuel-cell vehicle anticipated to launch in the U.S. and Japan in 2015, followed by Europe.

Showcasing exciting and modern styling, the Honda FCEV Concept features sweeping character lines underscored by an ultra-aerodynamic body. The Honda FCEV Concept also delivers ample passenger space and seating for 5-passengers thanks to new powertrain packaging efficiencies.

Next Generation Honda Fuel Cell-Electric Vehicle

Honda’s next generation fuel cell-electric vehicle launching in 2015 will feature the world’s first application of a fuel-cell powertrain packaged completely in the engine room of the vehicle, allowing for efficiencies in cabin space as well as flexibility in the potential application of FC technology to multiple vehicle types in the future.

https://www.honda.ca/future-vehicles

CIVIC 2016

• Honda takes the wraps off completely reengineered-from-the-ground-up 10th-Generation Civic Sedan live on YouTube, direct from YouTube Space LA on Sept. 16 at 6:15 pm PDT/9:15pm EST
• First-ever new car reveal from YouTube Space LA
• Livestream to feature appearances from Civic design team and a special live performance by alt-rock band Night Riots

TORRANCE, Calif., Sept. 8, 2015 – The all-new 2016 Honda Civic Sedan, 10th-generation of Honda’s best-selling model worldwide will make its global debut live on YouTube, Sept. 16 at 6:15 pm PDT/9:15 pm EST. The completely overhauled 2016 Civic receives the most ambitious remake in its 43-year history, and viewers can tune-in to watch the live reveal and performance by buzz worthy alt-rockers, Night Riots, directly from the YouTube Space LA on YouTube www.youtube.com/Honda. The debut of the 2016 Honda Civic Sedan marks the first-ever vehicle to be introduced at the YouTube Space LA (www.youtube.com/yt/space/los-angeles.html).

The Honda Civic, Canada’s number one selling passenger car for seventeen consecutive years receives a complete redesign with a decidedly sporty, sophisticated and youthful new look, along with the first application of Honda turbo engine technology to a North American model. To celebrate the unveiling of this epic Civic redesign, the 2016 Civic Sedan will be joined onstage by the vehicle’s Los Angeles-based design team, and on-the-rise alternative rockers Night Riots (www.nightriots.com), who will give an electric live performance as part of the reveal. Fans that tune in also will be introduced to the story behind the music; how The Power of Dreams connects Night Riots – known for their anthemic, synth-heavy dance-rock – with the revamped 2016 Civic lineup.

The September 16 reveal of the 2016 Honda Civic Sedan follows the introduction of the ultra-sporty Civic Concept at the New York International Auto Show in April, and kicks off the launch of this completely reimagined lineup of 10th-Generation Civic models. With the most diverse range of models in Civic history, the new Civic lineup will include Civic Sedan, Coupe and Si models, along with the first-ever five-door Civic hatchback for the Canadian market, as well as an all-new, radically powerful Civic Type-R as the performance flagship of the Civic lineup.

Further details about the all-new 2016 Honda Civic Sedan will be revealed on Sept. 16 at 6:15 p.m. PST/9:15 pm EST at www.YouTube.com.

About Civic
The Civic has been the best-selling passenger car in Canada for 17 years in a row The first-generation Civic debuted in Canada in 1972, and Civic has played a leading role in advancing fuel efficiency, small-car safety performance, design, technology and fun-to-drive performance over nine generations. Canadian car buyers have purchased more than 1.8 million Civics over the course of 43 years and Civic has been manufactured in the US since 1986 and in Canada since 1988, with cumulative production in North America approaching 9 million units.

About Night Riots
Night Riots is setting the alternative underworld ablaze as swift and smartly as their brooding, melody rich and timeless songs have already endeared them to critics. The Southern California based band has a unique melodic sensibility - delivering transcendent pop music that is both modern and timeless; as well as both sinister and romantic, with the downbeat flare of new wave, '80s movie soundtracks.

Frontman Travis Hawley spent five years in England before moving to a small coastal town with only one traffic light, where he met guitarists Nick Fotinakes and Matt DePauw, bassist Mikel Van Kranenburg and drummer Rico Rodriguez. Now heralded by Rolling Stone as one of the "Top 16 Unsigned Bands in North America," Night Riots just wrapped up their Fall Tour with K.Flay and Step Rockets, and have shared the stage with a diverse group of bands including The Mowgli's, Wild Cub, Driver Friendly, Youngblood Hawke, The Front Bottoms, Angels & Airwaves and many more.

After the tremendous success of their debut EP, "Young Lore," which saw praise from the likes of MTV, FUSE, Huffington Post, KROQ, All Things Go, NYLON, AV Club and Filter, Night Riots show no signs of slowing down. Recently signed to Sumerian Records, Night Riots has announced that their highly anticipated upcoming EP, "Howl," produced by Eric Palmquist (Bad Suns, Trash Talk, Waaves, Mars Volta), is set for release on January 20th, 2015. Watch the music video for new single, "Contagious" here: http://smarturl.it/Contagious_YouTube.

About YouTube Spaces
YouTube Spaces are state-of-the-art production facilities designed specifically for YouTube creators to produce great video content, from production and editing through uploading to YouTube. Run by YouTube's in-house experts, the Spaces serve as a creative production facility for both established and emerging YouTube creators globally. Located in Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, New York, São Paulo and Berlin, YouTube Spaces enable creators to learn from industry experts, collaborate with other creators, and have access to the latest production and post-production digital video equipment -- all made at no charge by YouTube provided you qualify and your application to use the Space is accepted. For more information, please visit www.youtube.com/space.

https://www.honda.ca/future-vehicles

Driving BMW’s 2016 7 Series: the $81,300 contradiction

There is a preconception that as a car gets larger, it gets softer and gentler; it disconnects you from the road; it places you gently on a cloud of nothingness while you glide down the highway protected by excessive sound insulation. Even in the driver’s seat, it makes you a passenger.

These preconceptions don’t apply to the redesigned 2016 BMW 7 Series. (Except when you want them to.)

I spent a day with the new 7 on the winding country roads northwest of New York City last week, both as a driver and a willing participant in the absurdly comfortable rear, which has more LCD displays than my home and office combined. But before you drive the 7 — or even ride in it, really — there’s a lot of technology that you have to digest.

BMW, as with other luxury automakers, uses its flagship sedan as a rolling showcase of new, often weird features that are fresh out of the R&D lab. In the long term, many of these features end up trickling down to the smaller and cheaper models in the lineup, but they usually start here. Not only is the new 7 — which starts at $81,300 and can climb north of $130,000 — no exception to this rule, but I think BMW has actually doubled down on it: there’s more ridiculous stuff happening in and around this vehicle than anything else I’ve driven (excluding, perhaps, the Mercedes-Benz F 015, which is as far from production as a concept car can possibly be).

 BMW 7
The wizardry starts before you get in. BMW offers its so-called Display Key on this car as a $250 option, which debuted on the i8, but this is the first time it’s being made available on a mass-market car (insomuch than you can call the 7 a "mass-market car"). The Display Key looks a bit like a tiny smartphone, featuring four buttons on the front for lock, unlock, trunk release, and panic — the same buttons you find on most car remotes — but here, they’re pushed up to the very top of the fob to make room for a full color touchscreen. By swiping back and forth on this display, you can see whether the doors are locked, toggle lighting, see the car’s range based on the current fuel level, and schedule the climate control system to turn on at a certain time so that it’s comfortable by the time you get into the car. It’s a novelty — there’s nothing about this key that you need — but that’s true of many features on this car. The same could really be said of the car itself. You get it because it’s cool, not because you need it.

YOU GET IT BECAUSE IT’S COOL, NOT BECAUSE YOU NEED IT
Of course, a key with a screen on it dies a lot faster than a regular key, so there’s a little slot in the car’s armrest where it wirelessly charges while you drive. BMW tells me the key will last about a week between charges with normal use, and if it dies, you can still use it like a regular key for many months before the battery goes completely dead. (I’m not sure I’d remember to stick it in the armrest very often, so this is important.) The key doesn’t use a cellular connection to communicate with the car — they talk directly to one another — so the range is just a few hundred feet. Don’t expect to schedule the air conditioner from another state.

 BMW 7
And again, that’s just the key. Inside, the 7 is basically a Best Buy’s worth of gadgets, buttons, and displays. A small symbol in the center of the dashboard, a phone with three RF waves coming out of it, is an NFC touchpoint — tap your NFC-compatible phone against it, and it’ll automatically pair to the car’s speakerphone and audio systems. Beneath, another color touchscreen controls the cabin’s weather patterns — including the heated and ventilated seats. This display also manages the car’s optional fragrance system, which can dispense either of two smells at your choice of several intensity levels from cartridges in the glove box. Yes, it sounds utterly ridiculous, but they’re really pleasant; the car I drove had the "Golden Suite No. 2" and "Authentic Suite No. 2" fragrances installed, and I found both to be refreshing additions to the cabin. As a car ages and gets grosser, I think this feature would basically pay for itself. (BMW charges $350 for the "Ambient Air Package," which includes the fragrance system and an ionizer.)

 bmw 7 gesture control
There’s also gesture control, a trick BMW first showed off at CES earlier this year. It’s pretty basic — you can turn volume up and down, answer calls, and assign one special gesture (a poking motion with two spread fingers) to a function of your choice. For the purpose of my drive, I had it assigned to navigate me back to my starting point, lest I get lost somewhere in upstate New York.

The gesture control system works with a camera in the 7’s headliner pointed forward toward the center-mounted iDrive touchscreen. You can’t execute the gestures with your elbow lazily perched on the armrest — you need to extend your hand forward so it’s within view of the camera, just a few inches from the dashboard. That makes it little more than a parlor trick, since many of the controls are duplicates of buttons already available on the dash or just a tap or two away on the iDrive display. Still, it’s an easy way to get a rise out of a passenger: make a clockwise circle in the air, the radio volume turns up. Go in the other direction, it turns down. Magic.

 BMW 7
Speaking of iDrive, I’ve run out of ways to criticize BMW’s oft-maligned infotainment system. Every reasonable problem that I can think of has been resolved. It’s pretty, fast, well-organized, and offers several methods of interaction so you can use it in whatever way you prefer — the touchscreen is new to BMW, but you’ve still got the traditional iDrive controller with a touch-sensitive top for character recognition when entering text. But there’s still no CarPlay or Android Auto support, and I believe this is the last generation of car where potential buyers will tolerate that oversight — these features are going to rapidly become must-haves. BMW is precious about iDrive, yes, but drivers are precious about their smartphones. Unstoppable force, meet immovable object.

BMW IS PRECIOUS ABOUT IDRIVE, YES, BUT DRIVERS ARE PRECIOUS ABOUT THEIR SMARTPHONES
As much fun as it is to twist knobs and press buttons in the 7’s driver’s seat, the back is just as wonderful. If you add the $5,750 Rear Executive Lounge Seating Package, the passengers are treated to heated / cooled / massaging / reclining seats with footrests, a pull-out tray (like you’d find on an airline seat), large, vibrant displays mounted to the backs of the front seats for watching movies, and a center console with a built-in Samsung Android tablet that can wirelessly control a bunch of functions — climate control, radio, seat position, and so on. The tablet is held in place by two motorized clasps that retract with the press of a button, popping the tablet upward at an angle so it’s easy to grab. The whole experience is a little like sitting in business class on an international flight; you can’t lie completely flat, but there’s enough legroom to get absurdly comfortable.

 BMW 7
And therein lies the 7’s greatest contradiction: being driven in it is heavenly, and you can completely disconnect from the world around you if you want. But at the same time, it’s just as wonderful to drive. I had the uprated 750i xDrive model, featuring a 445-horsepower V-8 that’s good for 0-60 in a healthy 4.3 seconds. BMW is touting this car’s extensive use of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) — the strong, light material used in the chassis of the i3 and i8 — and I’m a believer. Between the engine and the weight reduction, I felt like I was driving a much smaller car. Selectable drive modes include a Sport mode — which changes the suspension damping, power steering, transmission mapping, and the appearance of the full LCD instrument cluster — and if I’d been blindfolded, I might have guessed I was driving a 5 Series, or even a 3. (I don’t recommend driving blindfolded, but you get my point.)

 BMW 7
In the twisties, this car made me want to drive: it was responsive but refined, endlessly powerful without being raw like an M4. (I drove over a couple decent potholes, and apart from a dull "thud," I couldn’t feel a thing.) But then there are other times where I just wanted to kick back: the drive home from the test facility, for instance, where heavy eyelids nearly had me pulling off to the side of the road for a nap. As you might expect, this 7 is just about as self-driving as today’s regulations will allow it to be: on highways, you can basically go hands-off. In Europe, the car can even park itself, but US rules require someone to be in the driver’s seat — currently.

The rise of car services and autonomous tech has the entire automotive industry in an existential crisis. Here, though, BMW is making a compelling case that even in the age of the Google Car, you’re still going to be able to have your cake and eat it too: when driving is fun, go ahead and drive. When it isn’t, don’t. The technology for doing both is getting better, weirder, crazier, and more entertaining than it’s ever been before. In fact, I’d take it even a step further; in order to convince me that a fully autonomous car that can’t be driven is a good idea, BMW and its contemporaries are going to have to get a lot worse at making cars fun to drive.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/30/9227585/new-bmw-7-series-2016

2016 Porsche Cayman GT4

Southern California’s Angeles Forest Highway over the San Gabriel Mountains is almost flawlessly smooth. And though construction crews have been bringing this stretch of road to a halt for months, they’re almost done. Get out there before 7:30 a.m. and you’ll enjoy an uninterrupted stretch of fresh black carpet draped over a mountain. Get there later and you’ll have a painful wait through several one-way construction zones. We got up early one recent morning to take the Porsche Cayman GT4 on this route to our desert test facility.

We didn’t think Porsche would ever build this car. It’s a Cayman with the 911’s engine for base-911 money: $85,595. Many have heralded this as fratricide. But here’s why the Grand Cayman won’t kill the 911: Not many GT4s will be made, the GT4 is manual only, and 911s sell because they are 911s.


The GT4 isn’t quicker than a Cayman GTS at road-legal speeds, but its steering is maybe the best currently available anywhere.
The 3.8-liter flat-six out of the Carrera S is humming along, mere inches behind us. In the GT4, it makes 385 horsepower, which is 15 horses shy of what it does in the Carrera S, but 45 more than the Cayman GTS and 35 more than the base 911. Below 5000 rpm, the engine whines and whirs; spin toward the 7600-rpm redline and the pulsing turns into a 10,000 conga-drum jam-o-rama. The six puts out a big 90 decibels at full whack. Don’t worry, though; it’s a pleasant sound, never annoying.

Up on the mountain, we’re not at the redline very often. First and second gears are incredibly tall—second is good for nearly 80 mph. That gearing takes a bit of around-town zip out of the GT4. We meas­ured a zero-to-60 time of 4.1 seconds, identical to a manual Cayman GTS we’d previously tested. Beyond 60, though, the GT4 pulls away from the GTS. By 110 mph, it’s a second ahead. In the quarter-mile, the GT4 posts 12.3 seconds at 117 mph. For context, know that a PDK-equipped Carrera S goes through the quarter in 12.4 seconds at 116 mph with the Cayman GTS arriving in 12.5 seconds at 113 mph.

But power and performance are just two elements of the GT4’s 911 kinship. The entire front suspension is lifted from the 911 GT3. On the new asphalt, we can detect some understeer. On the skidpad, the GT4 pushes more reliably than the boldly neutral Cayman GTS and has a little less grip, even on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires (1.01 g’s versus 1.04). But the GT4’s chassis eagerness and steering feel are infused with GT3 goodness. At speed, it’s almost as if the electric power steering is completely unassisted. You’re flooded with information about the surface, the tires, and the available grip. Porsche didn’t ruin the ride here, either. Provided you stay away from the sport setting on the PASM dampers, you’ll experience a firm, but spouse-friendly, ride.


A few subtle tweaks strengthen the rear end and allow for camber adjustments, but the biggest difference between the GT4’s hindquarters and that of lesser Caymans is seen in the 911-sized rear tires. The increase in front-tire width is not as great as that of the rear rubber and may be one reason why the GT4 understeers more than the Cayman GTS.

But the GT4 makes a stronger fashion statement than other Caymans. A new nose houses gaping cooling ducts, the rear end has a small diffuser and a big wing.

You sit low in the GT4, especially with the optional ($4730) single-piece seats from the 918 Spyder; they make a graceful entry or exit impossible. Between the seats is a glorious six-speed manual, fitted with Porsche’s short shifter that makes snapping off ridiculously quick gearchanges easy. Hit the sport button and the engine automatically blips the throttle to match revs on downshifts. It’s hard to break the habit of heel-toe downshifting, but the computer makes rev matching easy.

With the exception of getting in and out of its seats, the GT4 makes everything easy. It’s the first Cayman that’s an excellent alternative to a base 911.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2016-porsche-cayman-gt4-test-review