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Thread: BMW Concept Coupe Mille Miglia 2006

  1. #1
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    BMW Concept Coupe Mille Miglia 2006

    New BMW concept car unveiled at the Mille Miglia 2006

    Modern technologies and dramatic historical styling combine in the new BMW Concept Coupe Mille Miglia.

    BMW has unveiled a brand new concept car prior to the 2006 Mille Miglia. With hints of today’s BMW Z4 Coupe and one of BMW’s most famous racing cars, the BMW 328, the BMW Concept Coupe Mille Miglia 2006 took pride of place in Brescia, Italy yesterday (May 10) as this year’s entrants were scrutineered ahead of the event.

    The Mille Miglia was resurrected in 1977 as an annual rally to celebrate one of the world’s great motor races. All vehicle models that competed in the original races between 1927 and 1957 are permitted an entry. Highlighting the 22 BMWs that have entered this year’s event, BMW’s latest concept looks back to these great racing cars. In particular the BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe that was driven into the record books and past the chequered flag in the 1940 race.

    It also looks ahead to future motor sport achievements, with a modified drivetrain and suspension from the new Z4 M Coupe providing the car’s power and control. A body 23 centimetres longer, and four centimetres lower, than BMW’s latest production sports car is set off by bespoke 20-inch alloy wheels on 245/40 R 20 tyres that complement the car’s powerful presence.

    The concept car looks to both the past and the future in its styling and construction; it pays homage to the outstanding achievements of the engineers who contributed to BMW’s successful motor sport heritage, whilst confirming the passion to construct dynamic cars from the most modern materials and processes available. This remains a fundamental concept for today’s BMW road and race cars.

    In the drive to win races and manufacture the ‘ultimate driving machine’, the techniques and materials may have changed beyond all recognition, but the drive and ambition remains the same.

    Steeped in History

    In the 1940 Mille Miglia, the winning BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe recorded an incredible, and thoroughly modern, 166.7 kmh average speed over the course’s 1,000 miles. This remains the fastest average speed for any Mille Miglia.

    The BMW 328 was one of the most successful competitive vehicles in BMW’s long motor sport history. Introduced in 1936 the racing specification 328 won its class in almost every race in which it competed between 1936 and 1940, and continued winning races in the 1940s and 1950s.

    In 2004, the BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe became the first car to win both the Mille Miglia (1940) and the modern-day classical version of the race.

    The design team responsible for the original 328 succeeded without the benefit of computers. Building models was the only option. But despite the digital revolution, modelling remains a fundamental part of the design process for today’s BMWs. The company’s designers remain loyal to this process as it connects them emotionally to the form of a new product. During the design of the BMW Concept Coupe Mille Miglia 2006, the designers took a step back in time and formed the car from plaster models rather than clay. Quite literally a more ‘hands-on’, labour intensive process. The result is a greater appreciation within the design team of why classic racing cars are perceived as more emotional and artistic objects than today’s computer-generated racing cars.

    The concept car’s hinged hard-top roof is a reference to the relaxation of the rules at Le Mans when racing cars moved from soft-top to hard-top construction as closed vehicles became eligible to race. This precipitated the development of the 328 Touring Coupe from its roadster origins, allowing the model to develop further as a lightweight, aerodynamic ‘bespoke’ racing car. Similarly, the new Z4 Coupe has been derived from the Z4 Roadster soft-top as a ‘behind-the-scenes’ project driven by the designers’ enthusiasm. This coupe development leading to the production of the new Z4 M Coupe Racing car.

    Thoroughly Modern Mille

    While the hinged roof structure recalls past events, the principle function of the hinged system, that also raises the cockpit, negates the requirement for doors (reducing weight) and increases torsional stiffness.

    The car benefits from an extremely lightweight chassis. The most modern design processes were used to ‘stretch’ an aluminium shell over a lattice frame. The body is also constructed from lightweight materials, with carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) clothing the entire vehicle. As a nod to the past this is painted in ‘fine silver’, a full-gloss paint colour with extremely fine pigments that hints to classic silver race colours.

    The large circular headlamps inspired by the shape of the 328 units are not integrated into the body of the car, but attached as flat elements. Modern LED technology facilitates this design function that frees up the designers to develop more flowing and unbroken body forms. This manifests itself on the Concept Coupe by uninterrupted bonnet and side panels.

    Inspired by BMW’s glorious motor racing heritage, the science of aerodynamics was addressed with thoroughly modern techniques and design resolutions. Side panels and the rear section of the car were designed to allow turbulence-free flow of air up to the tail where the airflow is separated. Carbon-fibre underbody fins and diffusers on the front and rear aprons also contribute to the car’s aerodynamics. Meanwhile air intakes in the A-pillars, arranged in a slim Z-line, direct cooling air from the six-cylinder in-line engine and contribute to developing downforce and reducing turbulence at the wheel housings.

    The Concept Coupe is powered by the multi-award winning BMW six-cylinder inline petrol engine that powers the new BMW Z4 M Coupe. Modifications have been made to the inlet and exhaust systems of the 343 hp unit to give the concept car more of a ‘racing’ sound at both idle and full throttle.

    The interior retains the functional simplicity prevalent in both 328 racing cars and Z4 production cars, but in a modern presentation. Only three materials are used; thin stainless steel, untreated cowhides, Lycra fabric. This purist form even extends to letterings, logos and symbols embossed into surfaces using laser technology.
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  2. #2
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    Wow, I did NOT see that one coming! Interesting, very interesting.
    http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31695
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  3. #3
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    WTF?

    Europe is going retro now huh?

    Wicked Car though.
    .....likes NASCAR

  4. #4
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    no sayin that its bad or anything but are we REALLY ready for somethign liek this? yes
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smokescreen
    WTF?

    Europe is going retro now huh?

    Wicked Car though.
    I agree to retro in my opinion they should've modernize it a little bit more
    ________
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    Last edited by hec16; 08-20-2011 at 09:00 PM.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by d-quik
    no sayin that its bad or anything but are we REALLY ready for somethign liek this? yes
    I think it's not a question of being ready or not. It's an exercise of style. A bit like they do in fashion events. Is anyone ready to wear that? Surely not, but it's a sign to where the design is heading.
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  7. #7
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    Another horrible design with Bangle's stamp on it.

  8. #8
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    I wonder why current designers aren't really able to put modern and beautiful into one car...
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
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  9. #9
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    I love it. The MM is one of my favorite cars and my favorite BMW. While this isn't quite the same beauty as the original, it's great to see that the MM is still revered by the company and that it still holds enough importance to be inspiration for new thinking.
    I'm going to eat breakfast. And then I'm going to change the world.

  10. #10
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    BMW Concept Coupe Mille Miglia #2
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    I'm going to eat breakfast. And then I'm going to change the world.

  11. #11
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    Its definetely different, not in a good or bad way, it looks nice but not quite amazing. It has some modernish lines but is mostly a recreation.

  12. #12
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    BMW Concept Coupe Mille Miglia #3
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    I'm going to eat breakfast. And then I'm going to change the world.

  13. #13
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    BMW Concept Coupe Mille Miglia #4
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  14. #14
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    Also, if you want to see just how well they updated the original, look here:
    http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum...ead.php?t=7750
    I'm going to eat breakfast. And then I'm going to change the world.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by ScionDriver
    Its definetely different, not in a good or bad way, it looks nice but not quite amazing. It has some modernish lines but is mostly a recreation.
    I totally disagree. It pays homage to the original with it's silhouette and overall styling, but the rear especially is thoroughly modern. The rear window is asymetrical and the single LED strip for the taillights is avante gard to say the least. The large LED panels on the front in place of the original headlights is a great way to keep the character of the original with modern technology. The headlights above are thoroughly modern and give the MM a more evil and aggressive look. The opening canopy top is a new twist on the original. I wish there were some pictures of the interior and of the structure of the opening top.
    I'm going to eat breakfast. And then I'm going to change the world.

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