New BMW concept car unveiled at the Mille Miglia 2006

BMW has unveiled a brand new concept car prior to the 2006 Mille Miglia. With
hints of today's BMW Z4 Coupe and one of BMW's most famous racing cars, the BMW
328, the BMW Concept Coupe Mille Miglia 2006 took pride of place in Brescia,
Italy yesterday (May 10) as this year's entrants were scrutineered ahead of the
event.

The Mille Miglia was resurrected in 1977 as an annual rally to celebrate one of
the world's great motor races. All vehicle models that competed in the
original races between 1927 and 1957 are permitted an entry. Highlighting the
22 BMWs that have entered this year's event, BMW's latest concept looks back to
these great racing cars. In particular the BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe
that was driven into the record books and past the chequered flag in the 1940
race.

It also looks ahead to future motor sport achievements, with a modified
drivetrain and suspension from the new Z4 M Coupe providing the car's power and
control. A body 23 centimetres longer, and four centimetres lower, than BMW's
latest production sports car is set off by bespoke 20-inch alloy wheels on
245/40 R 20 tyres that complement the car's powerful presence.

The concept car looks to both the past and the future in its styling and
construction; it pays homage to the outstanding achievements of the engineers
who contributed to BMW's successful motor sport heritage, whilst confirming the
passion to construct dynamic cars from the most modern materials and processes
available. This remains a fundamental concept for today's BMW road and race
cars.

In the drive to win races and manufacture the 'ultimate driving machine', the
techniques and materials may have changed beyond all recognition, but the drive
and ambition remains the same.

Steeped in History

In the 1940 Mille Miglia, the winning BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe
recorded an incredible, and thoroughly modern, 166.7 kmh average speed over the
course's 1,000 miles. This remains the fastest average speed for any Mille
Miglia.

The BMW 328 was one of the most successful competitive vehicles in BMW's long
motor sport history. Introduced in 1936 the racing specification 328 won its
class in almost every race in which it competed between 1936 and 1940, and
continued winning races in the 1940s and 1950s.

In 2004, the BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe became the first car to win
both the Mille Miglia (1940) and the modern-day classical version of the race.
The design team responsible for the original 328 succeeded without the benefit
of computers. Building models was the only option. But despite the digital
revolution, modelling remains a fundamental part of the design process for
today's BMWs. The company's designers remain loyal to this process as it
connects them emotionally to the form of a new product. During the design of
the BMW Concept Coupe Mille Miglia 2006, the designers took a step back in time
and formed the car from plaster models rather than clay. Quite literally a
more 'hands-on', labour intensive process. The result is a greater
appreciation within the design team of why classic racing cars are perceived as
more emotional and artistic objects than today's computer-generated racing cars.

The concept car's hinged hard-top roof is a reference to the relaxation of the
rules at Le Mans when racing cars moved from soft-top to hard-top construction
as closed vehicles became eligible to race. This precipitated the development
of the 328 Touring Coupe from its roadster origins, allowing the model to
develop further as a lightweight, aerodynamic 'bespoke' racing car. Similarly,
the new Z4 Coupe has been derived from the Z4 Roadster soft-top as a 'behind-
the-scenes' project driven by the designers' enthusiasm. This coupe
development leading to the production of the new Z4 M Coupe Racing car.

Thoroughly Modern Mille

While the hinged roof structure recalls past events, the principle function of
the hinged system, that also raises the cockpit, negates the requirement for
doors (reducing weight) and increases torsional stiffness.

The car benefits from an extremely lightweight chassis. The most modern design
processes were used to 'stretch' an aluminium shell over a lattice frame. The
body is also constructed from lightweight materials, with carbon-fibre
reinforced plastic (CFRP) clothing the entire vehicle. As a nod to the past
this is painted in 'fine silver', a full-gloss paint colour with extremely fine
pigments that hints to classic silver race colours.

The large circular headlamps inspired by the shape of the 328 units are not
integrated into the body of the car, but attached as flat elements. Modern LED
technology facilitates this design function that frees up the designers to
develop more flowing and unbroken body forms. This manifests itself on the
Concept
Coupe by uninterrupted bonnet and side panels.

Inspired by BMW's glorious motor racing heritage, the science of aerodynamics
was addressed with thoroughly modern techniques and design resolutions. Side
panels and the rear section of the car were designed to allow turbulence-free
flow of air up to the tail where the airflow is separated. Carbon-fibre
underbody fins and diffusers on the front and rear aprons also contribute to
the car's aerodynamics. Meanwhile air intakes in the A-pillars, arranged in a
slim Z-line, direct cooling air from the six-cylinder in-line engine and
contribute to developing downforce and reducing turbulence at the wheel
housings.

The Concept Coupe is powered by the multi-award winning BMW six-cylinder inline
petrol engine that powers the new BMW Z4 M Coupe. Modifications have been made
to the inlet and exhaust systems of the 343 hp unit to give the concept car
more of a 'racing' sound at both idle and full throttle.

The interior retains the functional simplicity prevalent in both 328 racing
cars and Z4 production cars, but in a modern presentation. Only three
materials are used; thin stainless steel, untreated cowhides, Lycra fabric.
This purist form even extends to letterings, logos and symbols embossed into
surfaces using laser technology.

Ends