BMW 3 Series Convertible wins iF Gold Award 2008 for excellent design

Dubai, UAE. Stretched dynamics, powerful elegance and fascinating
technical perfection: these are the qualities that also convinced the
jury to present the internationally acclaimed iF Product Design Awards
to the BMW 3 Series Convertible. During the 2008 CeBit technology fair,
the first BMW Convertible with a fully retractable hardtop was
announced as the winner of the iF Gold Award. This special prize is the
highest award the "Industrie Forum Design" presents. The BMW
3 Series Convertible is one of fifty winners of a Gold Award, which
were selected from a total of 821 winners of the iF Labels 2008. This
most recent award for BMW 3 Series Convertible is another milestone in
the BMW success story with iF Product Design Awards. Last year, the BMW
3 Series Coupe won a Gold Award. In 2001, the previous-generation BMW 3
Series Convertible received the exclusive trophy. The most recent
commendation shows that the BMW Design Team scored a winner yet again.
With retracted or closed roof, the long wheel base, horizontal shoulder
line and flat rear end make the BMW 3 Series Convertible a real
eye-catcher. With its overall arrangement and flow of lines, the
four-seater is an unmistakable representative of the characteristic
synthesis between technology and aesthetics that is so typical of BMW.
Its proportions express sporting elegance, while the flat shoulder, the
retracted seating position and the short windscreen guarantee the
intensely pleasant driving experience that has always been the hallmark
of BMW 3 Series Convertibles. Thanks to the intelligent, space-saving
solution for storing the three roof components, the low shoulder line
at the rear runs along in one uninterrupted, harmonious flow. Equipped
with a retractable hard top for the first time, the BMW 3 Series
Convertible retains the character, the line flow and driving experience
that have been this model's hallmark for over four generations.
"For our designers, the tradition of the BMW brand is one of the
most important sources of inspiration," explains Adrian van
Hooydonk, Head of BMW Design. "Nonetheless, every new design will
question the traditions that characterized the brand. All known formal
details are scrutinized to help determine whether they ought to be
retained, changed or given up and replaced by something new. At the
same time, state-of-the-art technologies are always a source of
inspiration." Not only is the electro-hydraulically retractable
sheet steel lightweight hard top perfectly integrated into the overall
design of the new BMW 3 Series Convertible, it is also distinguished by
its maximum comfort of control and minimum noise emission. The interior
design creates a link with the theme of stretched dynamism. The side
trim panels start at the instrument panel and continue past the front
seats to the rear seat armrests with an uninterrupted sweeping
movement. The center console with its lively, undulating form also
reaches into the rear. The flexible storage concept, which frees up an
impressive loading volume of up to 350 liters, underlines the BMW Design
Team's expertise in developing attractive and functional design
solutions. Spearheaded by Christopher E. Bangle, BMW Group Design has
consolidated its position among the elite of international design for
years. Bangle is firmly and solidly committed to innovation. It is part
of his strategy to open up more creative freedom for the design of
individual members of the BMW model range with the objective of
bringing alive the unique product personality of each model of the BMW
brand and allowing a closer identification with the customer. This way,
the creative scope has been broadened significantly. The vehicles thus
created, have assumed their rightful place among the masterpieces of car
design, as prestigious awards for a wide variety of current models of
the BMW range prove. One of the special achievements of the BMW Design
Team is the fact that every new model evokes passion for technology and
aesthetics. During the design process, progress and sustainability are
always in a dynamic equilibrium. "As designers, we wish to make
ownership of a BMW an experience. Our objective is to establish a
relationship between the people and the product which becomes closer
and closer over time," van Hooydonk explains.