All images ph. Enes Kucevic
In a year where most of the world was limited to domestic travel and advised to avoid using public transport due to COVID-19 restrictions, cars became the ideal mode of transport for road trips, staycations and mini-breaks. And as we moved away from taking planes to exotic locations to hopping in cars across the country, the desire to drive more ergonomic, luxurious and sustainable cars also rose. With the car fast becoming the third space after office and home, car designs have undergone significant revamp: the race to shape a more contemporary and sustainable definition of luxury, elegance and quality has begun.
For more than a century, BMW has changed how we think about design, pushing the boundaries of performance through pioneering feats of design and engineering. There’s a reason why BMW is the car of choice for the likes of Gigi Hadid, Pierce Brosnan and Eva Longoria and it likely lies in the brand’s commitment to driver-centric design.
“The BMW iX shows how we can give new technologies a very modern and emotionally engaging design. The car is technologically highly complex, but it feels very clear and uncomplicated,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President at BMW Group Design about the new model. He goes on to explain how they aimed to create “a mobile living space in which people will feel at ease,” highlighting that as the car shifts from being merely a means of transport, it will become more an extension of peoples’ homes.
These are undoubtedly transformative times for the car world. Recognising this, the design team took an innovative approach by developing the design from the inside out. In almost Marie-Kondo fashion, the designers attempted to conceal many of its interior features to give drivers a feeling of serenity. The speakers are integrated out of sight, cameras and sensors are likewise positioned discreetly and the BMW Head-Up Display’s projector into the instrument panel so it is almost invisible. Overall, the “technology stays in the background and only becomes apparent as and when the relevant functions are called into action,” in line with the minimalist aesthetic trend.
The realities of the coronavirus pandemic brought issues around climate change to the forefront which in turn, meant the emphasis on environmental responsibility in car design and carbon emissions took centre stage. The BMW iX responds to these issues with its focus on “a fresh interpretation of design, sustainability, driving pleasure, versatility and luxury.” BMW Group aimed to base the model on a new, modular, scalable future toolkit which was supported by optimised aerodynamics, savvy lightweight design, use of natural and recycled materials and low electric power consumption. Just as the world looks toward a more environmentally-friendly future in a post-pandemic world, car design has similarly drawn on technology and futuristic design elements to create more ethical, durable and high quality vehicles.
Credits
Photography: Enes Kucevic