At the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, BMW debuted the 4 Series Concept Coupe. To tell us more about the design of the new car and share some insights into the design process of the beautiful midsize coupe, we sat down with Karim Habib, BMW’s Head of Design.
Q: Behind us we have the new concept BMW 4 Series Coupe. Can you tell us what sets this Coupe apart from its 3 Series brother and tell us about the overall design theme of the 4 Series Coupe?
Karim Habib: The 4 Series Concept Coupe that we’re showing is our next endeavor into the Coupe territory, in this market segment. The important things with respect to the 3 Series or to the 3 Series Coupe of today is that the actual car is lower, wider, longer, has wider tracks than the 3 Series Coupe today and the 3 Series F30 that’s on road today as well. So all in all I think the package gives you a sportier, more dynamic, more elegant and more luxurious car, and with more presence – therefore a much better package.
Q: You talk about presence and when we see the car here alive, it does have a very dynamic presence that will be even more accentuated on the road, in its natural element. If we take a look at the car – I noticed some new design features for the first time for BMW, such as the closed kidney grille and some of the aerodynamic work with the mirrors and the side gills. Can you tell us more about these?
Karim Habib: Sure. You pointed exactly to some of the stuff that we want to show in a show car – that it has to do with Efficient Dynamics. You know that’s very important to us, obviously, and we as designers want to use that company philosophy as an opportunity, as a challenge to do stuff, whether it’s in details or in proportions, stuff that may be new solutions to designers.
And the kidneys are closed, but if you notice as well, we’ve played with the materials – you have a sort of a lighter aluminum material and a darker anthracite color and you also see the aluminum finish not only on the frontal surface, but also on the sides. Yes, it’s closed, but it also offers a little bit more surprises when you go around the car, so you can see the depth of it and the materials that change when you go around the car.
Q: We know that not only the driving pleasure and Efficient Dynamics are important to BMW. Are there any highlights we see on this Concept 4 Series Coupe that will influence BMW design language in the future?
Karim Habib: Like we talked about the kidney – how we treat the detail quality and the kidneys are something you would see maybe in the future – not exactly in this form, but it is a way for us to show how we do see details at BMW. Regarding the mirrors – yes, it’s something we do for the show car – we try to illustrate detail work a bit more amplified, but we’ re also thinking of how to design a mirror that is as lean as possible. Also the aerodynamic features that the mirrors can bring – as the mirror can actually be challenging aerodynamic. And with the aero blade we tried to show that you can use a mirror not only design wise to make something special, but also in terms of acoustic and aerodynamic efficiency, it also brings art.
Q: Overall, we know BMW for making dynamic, sporty coupes. What is your particular favorite angle to view this car?
Karim Habib: To me it’s the proportions. The proportion is not only something we do as designers, but it’s something we do as engineers and designers. And this is what I actually find more rewarding in a way, because it’s working with the engineers to create something that’s quite unique. And the proportions of this car – as I’ve mentioned it’s lower, it’s wider, longer, – about 30 mm longer that the 3 Series Coupe today but 15 mm more wheelbase – so it also creates a better stance, the wheels are more at the corner, more space inside.
-Courtesy of BMW Blog
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