BMW design supremo "Crazy" Chris Bangle has done it again.

Just when we thought his

flame-surfacing mojo had deserted him, it turns out that he's been hiding his masterpiece –
the subject of more rumours than the Rooney wedding and Fern Britton's girth combined –
from us for some years.
The GINA Light Visionary Model is the first car to sport a silver catsuit – imagine Olivia
Newton-John at a roller disco circa 1976 – made out of polyurethane-coated Lycra, covering
a moveable wire frame beneath. It makes the car look like a Z3 on its way to rob a bank,
but it can do all sorts of very cool stuff such as open its "eyes" (to reveal headlamps),
magically raise an invisible rear spoiler at speed, and do entirely without seams, its doors
opening forward and up, as if from nowhere. Best of all, if you want a look at the engine,
instead of opening the bonnet, GINA rips itself open from the centre, like Superman
preparing for a quick change on his way to a phone box. Wait until the LA customisers get
hold of this stuff.
In this video released to accompany the unveiling of GINA in the BMW Museum in Munich
last week, Bangle explained its genesis. "What do we need the skin of a car for anyway?" he
asked his team who, too timid to put their hands up and mumble, "Uhm, aerodynamics, Mr
Bangle? Children with knives?", went ahead and dutifully realised his vision of a more
"humanistic" car.
I am being flippant, but the truth is that GINA (which stands for "Geometric Infinite
Adaptation") is a stunning piece of work that could change the way cars are designed for
ever – but won't. Remember the TV series Manimal, in which Simon MacCorkindale could
change into an eagle one minute, a buffalo the next (one shuddered at the state of his
carpets). Imagine if our cars could do the same so that, one minute you are being tailed by
the cops in your VW Polo, the next moment you round a corner, press a button, and are at
the wheel of a Buick! That would keep the fuzz on their toes!
Sorry, it is just that, with GINA going straight from design studio to museum, I can't help
but think that BMW is sending out a bit of a "don't hold your breath" on this one. Actually,
perhaps a space alongside a pre-Second World War 328 would not be too inappropriate.
After all, for reasons best known to themselves, on closer inspection Bangle's team do
appear to have given GINA a split windscreen.

GINA - The BMW Group Design philosophy. Challenging established concepts, hazarding visions

Successful design arouses desire. In order to achieve this, it is more crucial than ever before that car manufacturers
create the conditions that allow customers to establish a close relationship with their cars. Therefore, designers seek
ways to promote and intensify people's identification with their car that reach beyond pure aesthetics. In the premium
segment in particular, customers demand cars that stir emotions and allow them to express their individuality. BMW
Group Design has set another deepened objective for designing new cars that moves today's consumers and their
demand for enhanced utility and more versatility to the top of their agenda. An innovative concept introduced by
BMW Group Design prepares the ground for this new approach: the GINA (Geometry and Functions In "N"
Adaptions) principle grants more freedom for car design. It allows the creation of products with a design and
functional range that express individuality and meet the wide variety of requirements of those who are using them.

In the 21st century, customers approach their purchasing decision with a high degree of assertiveness, clearly
defined requirements and subjective concept-tions - particularly when it comes to selecting their means of transport.

In recent years, the interests and priorities that motivated them have changed and, more importantly, they have
become considerably more diversified. This development will continue in the future. Today, the BMW Group is
already responding to the highly diversified range of customer requirements and heightened expectations by
providing services such as a substantially more varied product range, ever increasing possibilities for personalization
and requirement-oriented production among others.

Future customer requirements as a benchmark

By introducing the GINA philosophy, BMW Group Design presents ways of meeting these challenges in the future.
The philosophy expresses the readiness and ability of BMW Group Design to consider individual customer
requirements as an integral part of car development. Christopher E. Bangle, Head of BMW Group Design, speaks
with conviction when he says: "Personal customer requirements will broaden the context of our products and change
the core values that define our industry along the way." For more than ten years now, these issues have inspired
Bangle's ideas. Time and time again, these ideas have been motivating the BMW Group Design team to break new
ground and to find pioneering solutions. These results have spawned new customer expectations which in turn
inspires designers to develop further innovations.

GINA: Geometry and Functions In "N" Adaptions

The GINA philosophy offers designers as well as development and production specialists an opportunity to challenge
existing principles and conventional processes. Solutions that will benefit the car of the future are examined without
predefined rules and from as many perspectives as possible. This also involves questioning what is believed to be
set in stone. Does a car roof really have to rest on pillars and be bordered by windows? Do all functions have to be
visible at all times, even when they are not needed? How many personalization options does my car offer? Are there
any possible alternatives to the rigid body shell made of steel or plastic?

Questions like these lead to groundbreaking, cross-segmental solutions - and visions of the future of individual
mobility. An essential principle of the GINA philosophy is to deliberately integrate the potential of new materials and
pioneering, innovative constructions into the creative design process, and the idea of challenging existing
manufacturing methods and material concepts. BMW Group DesignworksUSA, a subsidiary of the BMW Group that
operates globally and caters to companies across the industry, has greatly inspired the design team at BMW Group
Design. The design agency's extensive experience with projects for a number of industrial partners outside of
automotive engineering, predominantly in the field of material development and production.

It is in the nature of such visions that they do not necessarily claim to be suitable for series production. Rather, they
are intended to steer creativity and research into new directions. This approach helps to tap into formerly
inconceivable, innovative potential that reaches far beyond the appearance of future cars and takes into account not
only materials and structures but also functions and manufacturing processes. The potential requirements of
tomorrow's customers serve as a benchmark. In addition to aesthetics, the GINA philosophy also deals with
ergonomics, the functional range and all other factors that rule customers' emotional relationship with their car.

With the development of the GINA Light Visionary Model, the BMW Group presents examples of visionary solutions.
For the first time, exemplary adaptations of various approaches described by the GINA philosophy are brought to life
to illustrate the potential impact of this concept on the future of automotive engineering. The limits of current material
properties and manufacturing processes are projected far into the future. All innovations that these cars present focus
on the variable adaptation of form and function based on individual and situation-related driver requirements as well
as the demands of the driving situation itself. Therefore, both the exterior and the interior are equipped with a variety
of components that differ significantly from conventional solutions, not only by the way they look but also in terms of
their basic properties.

For example, the GINA Light Visionary Model presents features such as a virtually seamless outer skin made of a
textile fabric that stretches across a moveable substructure. Functions are only offered if and when they are actually
required. The drastic re-interpretation of familiar functionality and structure means that drivers have a completely new
experience when they handle their car. Reducing the car to its essentials and adapting it to the driver's requirements
enhances the car's emotional impact and achieves a crucial objective of the GINA philosophy.

Visions spawn innovative concepts

The strategy of challenging what is established, exploring new possibilities and focusing on customer demands and
requirements has inspired the BMW Group to implement a wide variety of innovative concepts. It has also affected
the design of production cars in ways that are completely new and unprecedented by any other car manufacturer. A
wide range of innovations that have been acclaimed for their virtually revolutionary character is actually based on the
GINA philosophy. On the way from vision to production model, visionary ideas have been turned into new concepts.

Both the sculptural design presented by the BMW X Coupé concept car, for example, and the interplay of convex-
concave surfaces that has affected the design of all production vehicles, are derived from visions with an innovative
power. This power is generated by the unrestricted freedom that characterizes the quest for wider design
possibilities. In the example mentioned above, the natural material properties of the outer skin have been deliberately
incorporated into the design process. The design process has integrated the twisted surfaces and has used the
specific sculptural aesthetics of the convex-concave elements that are created by the material's reaction. The design
of the BMW Z4, which has been modeled on the BMW X Coupé concept car, is a striking example.

These visions could only be implemented because of the development of completely new manufacturing
technologies. As before, the objectives defined by the GINA philosophy have been achieved thanks to the special
expertise of production engineers and their ability to move beyond traditional methods. Their effort has allowed the
creation of a form language that has not only significantly enhanced aesthetic standards and the significance of
design as an expression of product substance, but also the manufacturing processes themselves.

Versatility in function and form stirs emotions

Some of the pioneering visions that are based on the GINA philosophy have also been implemented in the interior
design of concept cars such as the BMW CS1 concept car of 2002. This car's interior is equipped with control and
functional elements that become visible only if and when the driver wishes to avail of them. Thanks to a flexible,
Neoprene-covered instrument panel, the driver's attention can focus on the required functions. This situation-oriented
variability of form and function invites the driver to engage in a dialogue with his car. Using these functions, the driver
experiences an emotional reaction. This is caused by the fact that he can adapt the car's appearance to suit his
personal wishes. In this application, the intelligent deployment of flexible material dispenses with the need for
complex mechanical features. At the same time, the versatile appearance has a natural aesthetic appeal.

The control concept iDrive, first demonstrated by the BMW Z9 and refined in the BMW CS1 concept car has long
since become established as part of BMW production models. It is a perfect enhancement to the spirit of the GINA
philosophy, as it is guided by the principle of displaying only those functions to the driver that are relevant to the
individual driving situation. The cockpit adjusts to the driver's needs. As he handles the car by interacting with it, the
driver forms a strong emotional bond.

Integration of meaningful functions that are relevant to the customer

It is one of the GINA principles to challenge existing solutions in order to broaden the context, thus extending the
scope of possibilities for customers. In the engine compartment of the BMW CS1 concept car, the engine cover has
been replaced by flexible stretch material. A graphical display panel provides information on the particular
arrangement of the service functions, integrated zip fasteners facilitate easy, hands-on access to the filler caps of the
cooling water and wiper water tanks. A number of functions - cover, orientation and access to service points - are
integrated into one component in a logical and attractive manner. This deliberately minimalist approach to the
deployment of components is an active contribution to the protection of resources.

Rapid Manufacturing for more versatility

As a result of our interdisciplinary cooperation, we have developed a method that allows manufacturers to decorate
outer skin components that have been preformed by conventional methods with individually configured high-precision
contour lines prior to their reintegration into the manufacturing process. The GINA design philosophy has been
applied to Rapid Manufactu-ring to create an unparalleled method of manufacturing single components fast, cost-
efficiently and with a focus on individual requirements.

This combination of processes was first used during the production of hoods for the BMW Z4 M Roadster and the
BMW Z4 M Coupé. These models received their distinctive contour lines at a separate production stage which
differed significantly from conventional sheet metal processing. The lines were embossed into the hood with pin-point
precision by a robot-guided steel pin. This approach allows for entirely new ways of individualized production.

With Rapid Manufacturing, customer preferences can be implemented when car body elements and other
components are designed to the specifications of designers.

New materials and manufacturing processes create a natural aesthetic appeal

The cockpit surface of the BMW Concept Coupé Mille Miglia 2006, which has been influenced by the technology of
industrial origami, is another example of vision-based, revolutionary design. It has produced solutions that reflect
several guiding principles of the GINA Philosophy. The number of components is significantly reduced compared to
conventional cockpits while completely new methods of combining different materials have provided valuable
stimulation for the conception of innovative production technologies. The manufacturing process has deliberately
relied on the expertise and technical skills of highly-qualified specialists, whose competence is a prerequisite for the
practical implementation of design visions.

The exterior design of concept cars also reflects innovative concepts resulting from the practical implementation of
visionary ideas. Both the sculptural design presented by the BMW X Coupé concept car, for example, and the
interplay of convex-concave surfaces that has affected the design of all produc-tion vehicles (introduced for the first
time in the Z4), are derived from visions with an innovative power. This power is generated by the unrestricted
freedom that characterizes the quest for wider design possibilities. The design deliberately uses the interplay of
splines as character lines and the natural flow of stretched convex-concave surfaces.

The designer's metal processing ideas for the interior of the BMW Mille Miglia Concept Coupé were inspired by the
traditional Japanese art of paper folding. An inherently stable, three-dimensional structure was created from two-
dimensional V2A sheets of metal by means of a special laser cutting and folding processes. This technique produced
joints which were strategically employed for integrating ventilation functions into the cockpit without the need for
additional elements. The result was an innovative solution with a natural aesthetic appeal that was produced with a
minimum amount of tools.

The GINA principle: Priority for sustainable solutions

The GINA philosophy objective also includes the quest for sustainability on different levels. The search for new
materials and production technologies favors solutions that work with less raw material and energy. A minimalist
approach to the use of components and production stages yields ecological and economic benefits. As part of our
endeavor to create social sustainability, we are looking for production methods that rely on the expertise of highly
qualified specialists instead of expensive manufacturing tools.

With its goal-oriented research into new materials, the assessment of production processes without tools such as
Rapid Manufacturing and the incentive to incessantly challenge existing solutions, the BMW Group is already
equipped with a variety of tools that bring the implementation of the GINA philosophy to life for the customer.
Research objects such as the GINA Light Visionary Model demonstrate that the principles of the GINA philosophy
grant designers maximum freedom for approaching their subject with visionary thinking. This approach is used for
finding solutions that offer customers new possibilities of adapting forms and functions to suit a variety of personal
requirements and the driving situation in hand.

They pave the way for innovative ideas that can be implemented in concept cars in order to stimulate series
production.

This way, visions can create products that allow drivers to interact with their vehicle in ways that reach far beyond the
conventional individualization potential established thus far. The GINA philosophy allows BMW Group Design to
support and steadily enhance this interaction and help drivers build a strong emotional relationship with their car.
With its sensible and careful use of resources for products and their development, the GINA principle contributes to
the sustainability of future car generations. After all, the social significance of the GINA philosophy is a product of its
heightened application of social aspects both to the development processes and to the conscious reflection of
customer requirements.
BMW has unveiled its GINA Light Visionary Model concept car on June 10, 2008. The BMW Gina Light Visionary
concept car showcases the direction that BMW’s designs may take, and new materials and technologies that BMW
plans to adopt in the future.

The BMW GINA Light Visionary Model concept car uses fabric as the skin that allows
drivers to change the shape of the car at will, unlike rigid structures.

The fabric skin of the BMW GINA Light Visionary Model concept car is used to cover metal wires, which can be
moved to achieve different shapes using electro-hydraulic devices.

How does it all hang together? Well, wire mesh and carbon fiber.

The BMW GINA Light Visionary Model concept car allows the driver to change both the exterior and interior of the car
for as many number of times as desired. So you want a low-slung skirt - you got it. Want a spoiler, you got that too!
The headlights are revealed when the fabric moves apart, and the engine is accessed when the bonnet seemingly
splits to reveal its innards.
Another plus for the BMW GINA Light Visionary Model concept car is that its lighter and can be made out of materials
that require less energy to make them.

In a video on BMW-web.tv, titled BMW GINA Light Visionary Model: Premiere , Chris Bangles, Director of Design
BMW Group, says GINA is an acronym that stands for Geometry (shapes), function (how things work), N for Infinite
number of Adaptations. He adds, “The GINA philosophy is about flexibility. Thinking flexible. Acting Flexible.”

Earlier, BMW had also revealed a teaser video that shows the BMW GINA Light Visionary Model concept car being
transported to the BMW museum in Munich.
The BMW GINA Light Visionary Model concept car may or may not find its way into production, but it may be the
precursor of new material alternatives that are lighter and more fluid. The BMW GINA Light Visionary Model concept
car may also provide new design inputs because of its shape-changing abilities.
It's alive!
The very thing you will notice is of course the overall design. It looks like a cool
two-seater roadster. But you also notice that there is a big difference. It changes
the way it looks. You can make the car bold and big when e.g. it is standing still,
and change it to a sleeker and more aerodynamic version when you are cruising
the high-way.
The back end rises into a spoiler when you are driving fast or when you need
extra down-force, and unlike traditional raising spoilers this one appear as an
organic part of the car itself.
My absolute favorite feature is the headlights. In the normal position, when the
headlights are not active, i.e. when there is no necessity to illuminate the road,
they are hidden under the special fabric cover. As soon as the driver turns on
the lights, the contours of the front end changes. Activated by the metal
structure that lies beneath it, the previously closed fabric cover opens to the
right and left of the BMW kidney grille and reveals the BMW double head-lights.
It is like having eyes on your car.

If you need to do repairs or just look at the motor, the hood splits in two and
opens like a jacket.
And then you got the doors. They are sleek and straight when they are closed.
But, you open them by bending the surface of the car, which makes for a rather
stunning. The "wrinkles" are confined to the area between the front door edge
and the side panel. Once the doors are closed, the folds in material disappear
completely, leaving a perfectly smooth, stretched material surface.
But the shape-shifting behavior doesn't stop at the outer skin. You can change
the interior as well.

When the car is parked, the steering wheel and the round instruments - rev
counter, speedometer and fuel gauge, which are vertically arranged on the
centre console, are in idle position. This provides the driver with maximum
comfort upon entering the car. Likewise, the seat only assumes its optimized
functional position and shape if and when the driver sits down on it.

At that point, the headrest, previously firmly integrated into the seat's backrest,
rises up automatically. At the same time, the steering wheel moves towards the
driver and the instrument panel moves in the same direction.
One the whole, this is a spectacular car. But don't expect to see it on the road
anytime soon - or ever. It does drive, but it went directly from BMW Group
Design to their Museum in Munich, Germany. Here it will "live" for the rest of its
amazing existence.
More photos:
See Also
Like a pair of Spandex disco pants, the surface of BMW's latest concept hugs the curves and follows every
move of the car. Replacing sheet metal with a stretchy fabric, the concept rethinks the function and style of
a vehicle's body.

Noting that metal body panels aren't essential to crash protection, body stiffness or ride and handling in a
space frame vehicle, BMW designer Chris Bangle and his team envisioned a body structure that creates an
infinite number of shapes but still can't escape his signature flame surfacing design.

The fabric's pliability makes the body panels a dynamic part of the car. As the hood splits open down the
center, the fabric brushes across the engine cover, briefly stretching to the shape of the intake runners.
Opening the doors causes the fabric to ripple like the surface of a pond.

The headlights hide behind a crease at the front of the hood that spreads open like an eyelid. The whole act
takes on a Cars-meets-Chucky feel by making the car capable of winking. The taillights are unquestionably
less creepy, glowing from behind the fabric and disappearing when not in use.

The design concept carries the name BMW GINA Light Visionary Model, which becomes even more drawn out
when the GINA acronym is paid full lip service; it stands for "Geometry and Function in 'N' Adaptations."

Aside from putting panel gaps to shame, GINA entertains the fantasy of a world where you could change the
shape or color of your car in just hours or even seconds. It takes about two hours to stretch the skin over
the GINA concept while fenders shape-shift instantly by subtly moving the bars below the fabric.