Whose Idea Was This BMW Concept Car?

BMW’s concept car, GINA, stands out with its unique exterior

Concept cars are a way for manufacturers to showcase their future vision and creativity. However, sometimes, they can also reveal the manufacturer’s eccentricity. Although manufacturers consider these vehicles the culmination of their imagination, they can sometimes lead to creating truly unique cars.

Just search the internet for ‘unique concept cars.’ You’ll find many concept cars that make you wonder what they were thinking. BMW, a global premium brand, also introduced a unique concept car in 2008. That car was the BMW GINA, a two-seater convertible that became a global sensation due to a peculiar element you wouldn’t find in any other vehicle.

Did BMW’s concept car, GINA, have a fabric exterior?

The BMW brand introduced a concept car called GINA in 2008. At first glance, it may seem like a sleek two-seater convertible, but upon closer inspection, you’ll notice something is off. Unlike most conventional cars with sheet metal bodies, GINA’s body is composed of fabric. Just four pieces of cloth wrap the car’s entire body.

Apart from its fabric exterior, GINA’s design is similar to that of a regular car. It features the iconic kidney grille, a symbol of the BMW brand, and slim headlights that align with the BMW look of the time. The tail lights remain hidden until illuminated and are similar to those of the Nissan 350Z.

Thanks to the spandex material, the shape can be easily transformed

The exact material of the fabric that makes up the body is spandex.
Spandex is a synthetic polymer fiber containing more than 85% polyurethane, known for its exceptional elasticity. At the time, BMW stated that the spandex used on the body was highly durable and would not deform under high or low temperatures.

Moreover, Spandex is a unique type of fiber that allows a car’s body to be altered. The GINA concept car can change shape based on external conditions and speed, and the driver can control the shape as desired. The car’s shape can be changed by adjusting its internal frame, which causes the spandex body to stretch and shrink. Additionally, the car’s headlights blink like human eyes.

It would be challenging to mass-produce this car due to its unique design

Naturally, it would be difficult to mass-produce this car.
Due to the fiber material’s inherent limitations, it can easily be torn by sharp objects. Plus, outdoor conditions can be harsher than expected, and there’s no guarantee it won’t deform after a few years.

The BMW GINA concept car was led by Chris Bangle, the chief of BMW at that time. Bangle explained that the design was intended to break the conventional wisdom that “the outer panel of a car body should be hard.” Thanks to this, even today, BMW GINA continues to be mentioned when discussing unique concept cars.