Automotive

BMW recreates classic Garmisch concept car

BMW recreates classic Garmisch concept car
The Garmisch is a recreation of a classic concept by Marcello Gandini for the Bertone design house that was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1970
The Garmisch is a recreation of a classic concept by Marcello Gandini for the Bertone design house that was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1970
View 13 Images
Taken on as a personal project by Senior Vice President of BMW Group Design, Adrian van Hooydonk, the Garmisch concept recreates a legend
1/13
Taken on as a personal project by Senior Vice President of BMW Group Design, Adrian van Hooydonk, the Garmisch concept recreates a legend
The Garmisch is a recreation of a classic concept by Marcello Gandini for the Bertone design house that was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1970
2/13
The Garmisch is a recreation of a classic concept by Marcello Gandini for the Bertone design house that was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1970
The Garmisch reborn
3/13
The Garmisch reborn
Garmisch concept reborn: The original idea was not BMW’s, however, and was instead conceived by Nuccio Bertone and proposed to BMW as a way to consolidate the firms’ relationship
4/13
Garmisch concept reborn: The original idea was not BMW’s, however, and was instead conceived by Nuccio Bertone and proposed to BMW as a way to consolidate the firms’ relationship
Louvres on the rear pillars and a honeycomb-patterned mesh covered the rear window--contemporary “sports car” items in the early 1970s and a trademark of Gandini’s style
5/13
Louvres on the rear pillars and a honeycomb-patterned mesh covered the rear window--contemporary “sports car” items in the early 1970s and a trademark of Gandini’s style
Garmisch concept reborn: Today, all that remains of the original Garmisch are photographs and design notes from the original
6/13
Garmisch concept reborn: Today, all that remains of the original Garmisch are photographs and design notes from the original
Through the photographs and details known plus Gandini’s recollections, the new BMW Garmisch was created
7/13
Through the photographs and details known plus Gandini’s recollections, the new BMW Garmisch was created
The BMW Garmisch features a clean side profile that is not unlike most other sedans of the period
8/13
The BMW Garmisch features a clean side profile that is not unlike most other sedans of the period
Inside, the Garmisch featured a vertical radio on the center console, a large fold-out mirror for the passenger to use
9/13
Inside, the Garmisch featured a vertical radio on the center console, a large fold-out mirror for the passenger to use
The clean profile of the BMW Garmisch can be seen in this photograph
10/13
The clean profile of the BMW Garmisch can be seen in this photograph
Up front on the Garmisch, the signature BMW kidney grille was squeezed in and raised, creating a more vertical look for the grille
11/13
Up front on the Garmisch, the signature BMW kidney grille was squeezed in and raised, creating a more vertical look for the grille
Clay models brought the new BMW Garmisch concept to life and allowed designers to compare to the original
12/13
Clay models brought the new BMW Garmisch concept to life and allowed designers to compare to the original
The clay model of the Garmisch also served as a template for designers of the original concept to consider and offer input
13/13
The clay model of the Garmisch also served as a template for designers of the original concept to consider and offer input
View gallery - 13 images

BMW has resurrected an iconic and almost forgotten design at this year's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. Alongside – and in contrast to – the forward-looking Concept R18 shown by BMW Motorrad, the Garmisch pays homage to one of the industry's most influential automotive designers of the 1970s, Marcello Gandini.

The original Garmisch concept was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1970 after being commissioned by BMW and created as a one-off project by the famous Bertone design house, where Marcello Gandini was in charge of the design department.

The design encapsulated what made Italian designs the most expressive and sought-after at the time. Love it or hate it, it's the epitome of the automotive world in the early 1970s.

"The original idea came from Nuccio Bertone himself who wanted to consolidate our existing relationship with BMW by designing a surprise show car for the Geneva Motor Show," says Marcello Gandini. "We wanted to create a modern mid-sized coupe that was faithful to BMW's design language, but that was also more dynamic and even a bit provocative."

The Garmisch reborn
The Garmisch reborn

The Garmisch disappeared from history following the showing in Geneva – all that remains of the original are photographs and design notes, which, along with first hand accounts, were used by BMW's design team to create the concept shown at Villa d'Este.

The car features a clean side profile that is not unlike most other sedans of the period. Up front, though, the signature BMW kidney grille is squeezed in and raised, creating a more vertical look. This is flanked by squared headlamps while louvres mark the rear pillars and a honeycomb-patterned mesh covers the rear window – a trademark of Gandini's style.

The project to recreate it was driven by Senior Vice President of BMW Group Design, Adrian van Hooydonk. The car was one of several Gandini designs that inspired Hooydonk to enter automotive design. He discusses the project in the video below.

Source: BMW

Making of the BMW Garmisch Homage to Marcello Gandini

View gallery - 13 images
2 comments
2 comments
Gregg Eshelman
Are these images all the original or all the replica, or a mix of both? Please label them which they are.
Cleetus McTavish
It is hideous, no wonder it stayed as a concept!