GINA by BMW
06.18.08   |   Posted in: Tech   |   By: Andrea TuminoTags: Automotive, BMW, Chris Bangle, Concept Cars, GINA    
Chris Bangle, head of design at BMW and his team are pushing the boundaries of appearance and materials as well as functions and the manufacturing process with GINA. Instead of the steel or aluminum bodies of traditional cars, this beauty has a body of seamless fabric stretched over a movable metal frame which the driver can change at will. Theoretically, you could do things such as adjust your bumper inward to maneuver through a tight space.
GINA (Geometry and functions In ‘N’ Adaptions) has been in development for six years. It’s designed on the Z8 chassis and has a 4.4-liter V8 with a six-speed automatic transmission. The fabric skin is made of polyurethane-coated Lycra which is resilient, durable and water resistant. This sexy skin is translucent, allowing the tail lights to shine through the back. In the front, the headlights are revealed in a way strikingly similar to a cat opening its eyes, giving the car a stunning anthropomorphic quality.
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