In 2025, the renowned Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este was once again not only the stage for the most spectacular classics in automotive history, but also the venue for the world design premiere of the latest high-performance model made by M: the BMW M2 CS. Against the glamorous backdrop of the lavish gardens of the historic Hotel Villa d’Este on Lake Como, we met the new BMW M Head of Design Oliver Heilmer for a chat about his career, his vocation, his inspiration, great design – and the new BMW M2 CS.
Oliver, thank you for taking the time to talk to us. In just a few words: please tell us what it is that you are doing at BMW?
Hey, my name is Oliver Heilmer. My new role is Head of Design BMW compact class, BMW Neue Klasse and BMW M.
Why did you become a designer?
I started to think about becoming a designer when I was eight years old. It began with a very iconic moment for me when my granddad came along with a BMW 3 series. And I somehow got infected by designs, by forms, by functions.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
So, there are a lot of sources of Inspiration. There's architecture, furniture, there's music and art. But one important thing is the dialogue with team members. It’s about getting different perspectives on the specific elements. And this spark of inspiration is the strongest when you experience it in the team.
What challenges are involved in designing a broad product spectrum that ranges from the compact class to BMW M?
So, the range is quite big. There are challenges, but I would like to say there are more opportunities. The wider your perspective is, the better you understand where you are standing. If you just looked at BMW M in a singular perspective, you might lose something from the outside. And the core products are always the core BMW vehicles that are setting up the seeds for our M products. So, to me it is tied together.
When will your influence on BMW M design first be visible?
On a daily basis, I am already involved in every process. And emotionally the influence is already there. It's going to be visible step by step. You are going to see the first cues probably next year. So, it’s a process. That's important to me, to be honest. It's not a one-man show. There is a big team behind it. A passionate team. They know what they do. It's more about getting them inspired, giving them the right cues, asking the right questions in order to change whatever needs to be changed in the future.
Could you share your thoughts on the design concept of the BMW M2 CS?
The M2 CS gave us a great chance in regard to the design, to create something really special. Overall, what we tried to achieve with this design is to enable the purest driving experience, to increase the aerodynamic downforce, lower the weight, lower the body stance which always helps a lot. And last but not least to create a package that is so different in terms of performance. So, the front bumper is entirely new. And every component in those air intakes is as thin as possible. Actually, they’re so thin that we had to reinforce it with this diagonal shape. So, it’s really purpose-driven. This gives the car a really determined expression.
The first impression of the M2 CS is very bold, impossible to ignore.
The body already is pretty outstanding. Just look at this colour concept. The exterior colour BMW Individual Velvet Blue metallic matches perfectly with these matte gold wheels.
High-performance and driving dynamics are, among other things, also about lightweight – how did the BMW M2 CS evolve in this respect?
When it comes to lightweight, we show it. We have the carbon fibre mirror caps and the cabron fibre roof. My personal favourite is the rear where we combined downforce with lightweight. The boot lid in a duck-tail shape is perfectly integrated. It’s something that is so outstanding, even when you look at it from further away. We are talking a lot about what is showing off and what is performance – this is just performance.
And it is the same when it comes to the interior. The M2 CS has carbon fibre seats. You can see it right when you enter the car. We have door sills with the specific M2 CS logo. The same goes for the seats. And the centre console is made from one piece of carbon fibre. And then we’ll have a little easter egg. We have a little insert in the door – as well made from carbon fibre. When you are in your garage or driving at night, the CS logo is shining through.
In just a very few words: how would you describe the very essence of an M CS model?
I would say two words: it’s bold and pure.
Oliver, thank you for talking to us.
ABOUT.
ABOUT.
Oliver Heilmer is the new Head of Design BMW compact class, Neue Klasse und BMW M. Before taking up his position at the helm of design in Garching, the Munich native held various roles at BMW AG. Among other things, he headed BMW's subsidiary Designworks in Newbury Park, California, and was responsible for interior design at the BMW brand for three years.
