The BMW Vision M NEXT in the wind tunnel

DRIVEN BY DESIGN.

The BMW Vision M NEXT: from sketch to Vision Vehicle.

Driven by Design.The BMW Vision M NEXT: from sketch to Vision Vehicle.

11. Jul 2019

The fact that nothing was left to chance in the design of the BMW Vision M NEXT is evident at first glance. Its emotion-stirring exterior design clearly announces the BMW Vision Vehicle’s performance potential. The striking proportions of the sports car are enhanced by a clear, pared-down surface language. This impression is reinforced at the front and rear ends in particular by the matt-neon shade Thrilling Orange, producing a vivid contrast against the exterior’s otherwise silk-matt Cast Silver metallic paintwork.

A MODERN INTERPRETATION OF CLASSIC DESIGN ICONS.

The expressive front-end design serves up a confident and modern interpretation of classic BMW icons. The signature BMW kidney grille is flanked on either side by triangular elements in Thrilling Orange, which serve to accentuate the air intakes at the sides and the integral headlights. In combination with the blade-shaped air intake below the kidney grille, this creates a cutting-edge racing aesthetic.

The soft outer curves of the kidney grille openings are reminiscent of a turbine’s air intake and give the front end added dynamic impact, while the colour gradient used for the inside of the two kidney elements creates a sense of depth. The grille openings are blanked off by a transparent layer with a laser-etched, illuminated pattern that seems to float inside – a highly sophisticated touch that gives added emphasis to this section of the car.

FUTURE-FOCUSED CHARACTER.

The BMW Vision M NEXT headlights are positioned on the outer edges of the front end, above the kidney grille. Arranged one above the other rather than side by side, their constituent elements represent a highly distinctive interpretation of BMW’s classic four-eyed front end. The headlights hand a debut to Laser Wire lighting technology, whereby glass fibres coated with phosphorous are used to produce headlight elements with a new, super-slim and extremely precise form. All of which further underlines the Vision Vehicle’s future-focused character.

LOW-SLUNG, BROAD AND EXTREMELY DYNAMIC.

The broad, low-slung rear end makes a stylistic statement with its distinctly sporty tone, while its colour scheme divides the car’s sculptural tail into two sections. The top section in Thrilling Orange creates a visual link between the coloured areas of the flanks, further adding to the impression of width. The area below is made from recycled carbon fibre and incorporates an aerodynamically-optimised diffuser. The design of the rear window takes its cue from the BMW M1. The three-piece louvres are made from glass and emphasise the horizontal focus of the rear-end styling.

GROUND-BREAKING DYNAMICS.

The low-slung, wedge-shaped sports-car silhouette of the BMW Vision M NEXT, the rewarding climb of its flank lines and the diagonal splash of contrasting orange colour endow it with dramatic forward-surging intent, even when stationary. The black side skirts, made from recycled carbon fibre, make the car look even lower on the road. The sports-car silhouette frames a small number of crisp lines running along its clearly-sculpted surfaces. The lines of its powerfully-contoured shoulders are also used to create the effect of the iconic Hofmeister kink, instead of incorporating it into the window graphic in the usual BMW fashion.

The design is broken up by a gill-like aperture that narrows as it sweeps back from the window surface to the tail, giving the car a more elongated appearance. A second look reveals another highlight in the form of the Air Flow. Located just in front of the rear wheels, this opening carefully channels onrushing air towards the rear end in a way that further improves the car’s aerodynamics.

A DRIVER-FOCUSED INTERIOR.

The classy, minimalist interior revolves entirely around the actively engaged driver, both stylistically and technologically. The interior appears as if cut from a single mould, with functional elements such as the air vents integrated almost out of sight. Its geometry is deliberately restrained in nature so the driver can devote their attention entirely to the driving experience. The seat shells are upholstered in a foam material with shape memory properties that moulds itself to, cushions and supports the body to optimum effect. The head restraints seem to hover above both seat shells, increasing the sense of lightness.

Taking pride of place in the interior, the BOOST Pod forms the interface between driver and vehicle. It brings together all of the control options and information across three distinct visual tiers in the driver’s direct field of view. The first plane is formed by the horizontally arranged steering wheel featuring two small displays. Behind this in the driver’s line of sight is a Curved Glass Display, a new addition whose transparent surface stretches around the steering wheel like a visor. The full-surface Augmented Reality Head-Up Display in the windscreen constitutes the third plane.

THREE-DIMENSIONAL MULTI-SPOKE DESIGN.

Precisely engineered gaps in the wheels’ intricate, three-dimensional multi-spoke design result in low weight, maximum rigidity and reduced drag, optimising the transfer of power to the road. The spokes’ open, three-dimensional architecture maximises cooling of the large brake discs at the front, while inserts optimise aero efficiency at the rear. The rear wheels on the BMW Vision M NEXT measure 22 inches in diameter, making them one inch larger than the front wheels and further emphasising the car’s wedge-shaped appearance.

The design of the BMW Vision M NEXT is the result of an internal competition. BMW designers competed against each other with their hand-drawn sketches and visualisations. The best designs were selected over several rounds until a draft was selected for implementation. The process from the first idea to the finished Vision Vehicle took about 18 months.