Light weight innovation
Here at Pli we love lightweight designs so when I found BMW’s GINA Light Visionary Model, fabric skinned, concept car on Core77 last week I just sat there in awe. I have always admired BMW’s design department for coming up with innovative and challenging concepts, but also the way BMW aren’t afraid to translate them into production. Unlike GM for example, who bring out some great concepts but are still chucking 1970’s mechanics into their current offerings. Anyway I digress, the reason I posted the GINA concept is its the way it uses the lightweight fabrics flexible properties and an articulated space-frame to give the car life-like expression that could not be achieved out of convention metal or even plastic skins panels. The video below shows the concepts various party pieces in action, my favorite is the headlamps (2:20). Hopefully it won’t be to long before we something similar on the road.



Simon Andrews said (June 19th, 2008 at 2:51pm)
Wow. Very exciting to see something truly innovative in terms of vehicle material selection. The anthropomorphic references are fascinating; engine maintenance, or open heart surgery?
A solution to the age old problem of damage from car doors being opened onto other parked cars?
Let’s hope their ideas for alternative fuel sources are equally as innovative.
Peter Wardleworth said (June 20th, 2008 at 8:31am)
Ok this is quite special, but I would like to know how is handles a tight country lane…