BMW GINA: Geometry in N Adaptions
To say Chris Bangle is a man who thinks beyond the event horizon of car design will be a complement I’m sure he is well deserving of. It is no wonder that his tenure with the Bavarian manufacturer were one of the most profitable for the marquee. Before Mr Bangle parted ways with BMW he did create a concept vehicle unlike no other before or since.
A concept car named GINA
The exterior looks similar to the current Z4 two seat roadster, albeit one with sleeker lines and a much smoother surface. In fact it resembles a very glossy almost glass like body with miniature grooves carved into it. However in terms of exterior appearances the car is less dramatic than BMW’s other offerings (read M1 Hommage). The car has the typical BMW styling with some added design cues. The GINA consists of only four panels a bonnet, two side panels for the doors and the boot.
Image credit: photo
However looks are always deceiving and with the GINA that is the understatement of the century. This is because when the car starts performing its morphing body work dance, it will leave you gobsmacked. It is like a watching a silver tuxedo on wheels. The entire car is covered in a fabric that gives it the afro mentioned high gloss appearance.
The butterfly doors are covered in that elastic fabric that stretches from door edge to the nose and when the doors are closed, it seems to have no doors fitted; this is because the fabric hides the door sills completely. The bonnet opens like a slit in the middle to reveal the engine and the internal parts. Again it closes to leave a seamless smooth surface that reveals no sills.
The headlamps resemble human eyes and they operate like eyelids when switched on, a little bit like the heart stopping scene in Godzilla. The taillights have a similar design though their sharp design and red hues are a little bit disturbing especially in the dark.
Z4 outside GINA inside
The interior combines the same morphing design of the exterior. Needless to say the GINA’s interior is minimalist when compared to other BMW models. However this is by design as the car’s interior must appear seamless. This ensures that the fabric flows with the interior covering it like a membrane and only activating functionalities as and when needed.
The odometers and steering wheel sit idle at the centre when the car is off. This allows the driver to enter and exit car easily. Turning on the ignition initiates a tilting motion that gets them in perfect position for the driver. The headrests respond in equal fashion rising out of the chair like small elegant grooves adjusting into the perfect position.
The motion of the entire interior is a little eerie, like a foreign alien object swimming under the car. The term skin crawling definitely earns a brand new meaning with this car.
How do they do it?
The unique material utilised by BMW is a flexible translucent synthetic fabric. This fabric is made from a polyurethane coated spandex that is water resistant and translucent. Think of it like some futuristic version of a diver’s wetsuit. The material is highly resistant to temperature change; it does not slacken or shrink and is not damaged from the constant movement of the car.
The fabric is stretched over a moveable frame made of an aluminium wire structure. This aluminium structure gives the car its basic shape. At points where movement is required like doors, the spoiler and ducts carbon struts are used to provide rigidity.
Morphed to drive
This car is made from a fabric that allows it to change its shape and form to suit speed and temperature. It also gives the driver the option to change its shape at will. Not yet like the sentient robots in the Transformers movies, but it is as close as you can get. The shape of the body is transformed using a copious array of electric and hydraulic actuators. The afro mentioned headlamps open when motors pull the fabric back allowing the lights to shine through the translucent fabric.
The spoiler located above the boot rises underneath the fabric to provide down force whilst maintaining the general look and seamless design that was being sought by the designers.
Fashion meets car design
Prada, Gucci and other world renowned fashion houses do not design cars and with good reason they deal with fabrics and not metal. However they would be very impressed with what the Bavarian manufacturer has done with the GINA. This car is definitely a unique concept that combines two seemingly incompatible materials to make a car that looks stunning and even more so drives just as well.
Image credit: photo
The GINA may never become a full production car but it sets a new trend for what can be done with new materials. The car rips up the rulebook that is car design, combining unconventional materials with alien like movement to provide us with a car that is a true definition of a concept car. The new material may prove very enticing for future BMW cars.
Imagine a BMW X5 that can transform into a 5 series with just a touch of a button making the transition from SUV to saloon. At the very least it will prevent BMW from inventing new niche classes (a la the X6). It may not be possible now or even maybe a decade from now but with this car BMW have shown the possibility exists.
Now if only BMW could make a car that can morph into a mansion as well then I would say goodbye to the mortgage payments and live inside this car forever. The GINA is the ultimate definition of poetry in motion both in design and execution.