BMW Project i goes online

[south]

Project i goes online



Press Release:

The BMW Group launches website for project i,
the think tank for the sustainable mobility of the future


Munich. At www.project-i.com the BMW Group has created an online platform for information and news
concerning the sustainable mobility of the future. For an international audience, the English-language website
outlines how the BMW Group is mastering the challenges of sustainable mobility. It provides an in-depth, up-to-the-minute
insight into the various approaches and solutions, from the basic vision of e-mobility, specific test vehicles such as the
MINI E and the BMW ActiveE, right through to the revolutionary LifeDrive concept of the Megacity Vehicle. Emphasis is
also given to another key aspect of sustainable mobility: The development of solutions and services for the customer needs
of tomorrow.

In addition, the website offers an overview of the public discussion and general developments in the field of sustainable mobility.
The page incorporates relevant voices from the web, video clips and blog posts from around the world.

Via the integrated Twitter channel (www.twitter.com/bmwprojecti) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/bmw.project.i),
users can subscribe to receive the latest news, contribute their own relevant links, and join in the discussion.

www.project-i.com is the official project i website.






Best regards,
south

 

[SCOTT27]

This is possibly the closest rendition of the MegaCity Vehicle I have seen or yet to see because of how it uses the BMW "Layered Design" Concept and enhances the look three-dimensionally therefore reducing the inclination to add lines to enhance areas of the car and over complicate the clean looks of the design.
The Vision Efficient Dynamics uses this three-dimensional design language to enhance key areas of the Concept car in which are not suitable for series production.

which is why I have not been favourable to most of the VED renditions because they are over complicating the look by not thinking three-dimensionally with the design they are just adding lines to enhance the wheel arches etc.
This thinking will also be carried over to the production series of models beginning with the new X5 in which front and rear wheel arches are defined by one connecting character line that slices in the middle with both front and rear wheel arches being built outwards , defining the wheel arches but without adding additional lines to make them stand out.

If you can remember to when you were younger when you read that by this time we would all be living in the space age? your accomodation would have similar rings like the planet Saturn? And your car would fly and everything will be pure white?
Remember how you were engrossed by that vision of science fiction.

BMW MegaCity Vehicle incorporates that thinking it is purely generated from that era what would sustainable mobility look like in a futuristic setting.
The brief for this car is that it had to be "Visionary" because it is a huge project , even a gamble for BMW. Not only is this project high priority it is one of the most expensive ever created within BMW.

The MINI E which is already available to customers across the planet and soon the BMW 1er Active eDrive will join them are the test beds for feedback.
This is what is seperating BMW from it's competitors. They are field testing everything before putting a single car into production , everybody else is jumping on the concept right away because they have to be first.
What if it does not work?

Which is why BMW are serious about making the car a success from it's unveiling. The feedback from the MINI E gives BMW to ability to make the car perfect for the customer in terms of range and accessibility.

The MegaCity also introduces a very interesting future for BMW as a brand because it's carbon fibre structure will progress to future models because producing it for mass production will mean BMW will be able to make greater use of the material in other concepts.

The car is intensively lightweight , even the seats for four are specially made using lightweight frames with a very futuristic mesh type leather stretched over the frames inside it's spacious for four including MINI Clubman-esque rear hinged doors for passenger entry. It all builds up to an exciting futuristic ambience. Even the cabin is enhanced by wraparound glass and a panoramic roof. The visionary design inherits the layered approach first shown with the Vision Efficient Dynamics. Bringing the future to the present.

When you look at other concepts they are for aerodynamic puposes one shape and one form. MegaCity proves that you can move away from one form but still keep an unique perspective on making the car aerodynamic for the purpose. Because this car is an alternative drivetrain it does not mean it should forgoe typical BMW attributes when it comes to engineering.
The car will remain a BMW and for it's type and class of vehicle it will be made to handle well as a BMW should.

Vision Efficient Dynamics and the BMW MegaCity Vehicle are Brave New World automobiles at each end of the premium spectrum. And when they both debut in 2013 they will be the most cutting edge cars in terms of Visionary design , innovation and technology on the road and possibly the decade.

 

[bmwownage]

Nice. So a competitor to Smart. It's OK if something like this isn't RWD now

 

[Osnabrueck]

Not a competitor to smart. Will likely target a premium price point and a large amount of eco-cache.

This will be a significant milestone for fuel-efficnent vehicles via the heavy use of composite materials. I'm very excited to see where this is going.

 

[klier]

Smart? LOL, Smart is close to dead, and probably dead before this car even launches

Anyways, what Osna said