BMW Does Retro: The 2006 Mille Miglia Concept

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BMW has unveiled a new concept car prior to the 2006 Mille Miglia. The car has hints of today’s BMW Z4 Coupe mixed with one of BMW’s most famous racing cars, the BMW 328. The bodywork is based on the legendary two-seater that Fritz Huschke von Hanstein and Walter Bäumer drove home the victory during the Mille Miglia in 1940. Under the skin, it’s powered by modified drivetrain and suspension from the new Z4 M Coupe.













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...Ummm, okay... I guess it looks cool?
 
don't do it BMW......

btw, what are the two leather "balls" in the back on the last picture? Are they meant to hold helmets or something?
 
That is so awesome. :) A bit on the bland side, but retro FTW!

I suppose it helps that I was already familiar with the 328 MM before seeing this thing...for reference:
5040331002mini2l1ci.jpg


Although personally, I prefer the looks of the open-top versions...this is the "Streamline" version:
44376031img02209404rd.jpg


...and this is my personal favorite of the three, the non-Streamline 328 open-top :) :
bmw3288zv.jpg
 
Hear that? I'm clapping in applause. Very good work. Interesting, retro-futurism at its best, and very much like the Chrysler Antlantique concept car.
 
I always loved that old 328. I saw a flawless one at a car show a couple years ago. Absolutely stunning. If the new Mustang is any indication, retro can score big if you do it right...
 
An hour later, and I'm still looking at them... is that diagonal slash down the back a tail light, by any chance? I'd give them another standing ovation if it were! :lol: Audacious!
 
niky
An hour later, and I'm still looking at them... is that diagonal slash down the back a tail light, by any chance? I'd give them another standing ovation if it were! :lol: Audacious!
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+1. This car is my new desktop. :D

It would never happen, but what if BMW suddenly went retro with its lineup? Like, a reborn 2002, a reborn 3.0CS, etc....or even the return of the black grille and separated headlights on the 1/3/5/6/7-series cars? :sly:

If they could make the styling work, I'd love to see it happen. :)
 
I think it looks too retro - more like something Boyd Coddington would come out with. Ford got away with it with the GT and VW with the Beetle but they were both based on really iconic shapes.

IMO people are getting tired of the whole retro thing.

I'm sure this will be one that never gets beyond the concept stage.
 
It may not, at that... but as to "too retro", I disagree. It's retro with interest. Many of the "retro" designs you see nowadays are too simplistic or slavish (take the Miura, for example... or the Challenger concept). This one has hints of the 30's in it, and hints of retro-futurism, sculpture, fashion, and some ultra-modern touches added.

That it's not a clone of any historical vehicle... despite the name... makes it all the cooler, for me.

Maybe Wiesmann can make it. 👍 :lol:
 
It'll never get made, it's a concept built to gain attention and as a styling exercise.
 
I don't like the headlights, but that's the coolest damn Bavarian I've seen in a long time.
 
The thing I least like about this car is the "canopy" door. It's just....I don't know. I never liked them on anything.

It is an interesting styling exercise, but...It's too "'30s"-looking. perhaps it should be a roadster.

and it should also be longer.

I must be spoiled by '30s cars like the Cord and Auburn.
 
TheCracker
MO people are getting tired of the whole retro thing.
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I don't know about that one. The retro thing seems to really have taken off in the US, and having a car-driven culture like ours with so many iconic designs, it is hard to say that retro-futurism will just dissapear. But, I completely see your point, and I think there are plenty of people in the industry who have began to shift away from it to some extent.

The biggest question on my mind right now is how retro the new Zeta cars (besides the Camaro) will be once they debut at Los Angeles or Detroit in late 2006 or early 2007. I'd love to see a classic look return to the Impala, but I don't think the looks of the '62 would work out well by today's standards. The same can be said of the Grand Prix, but that will probably just be a four-door version of the new retro-GTO, which shouldnt be too bad...
 
I dig it, but again, I've seen a 328 before, so I was expecting that when I read the topic title.

I do think the slash is meant to be a tail light.
 
YSSMAN
The biggest question on my mind right now is how retro the new Zeta cars (besides the Camaro) will be once they debut at Los Angeles or Detroit in late 2006 or early 2007. I'd love to see a classic look return to the Impala, but I don't think the looks of the '62 would work out well by today's standards. The same can be said of the Grand Prix, but that will probably just be a four-door version of the new retro-GTO, which shouldnt be too bad...
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Not to thread jack, but if you look at the black plastic in the rear of a 2003 Impala it resembles the shape of the 1960's back bumper. Plus, it has the 4 headlights/4taillights combo with reverse lights inside the inner taillights like the '61 had.
 
YSSMAN
I don't know about that one. The retro thing seems to really have taken off in the US, and having a car-driven culture like ours with so many iconic designs, it is hard to say that retro-futurism will just dissapear. But, I completely see your point, and I think there are plenty of people in the industry who have began to shift away from it to some extent.
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I'm not so sure people are buying them just because they are retro. I think it has more to do with the car inside the retro-wrapper. Barring the Beetle, which so obviously sold because of it's styling, I think the success behind the new Mustang, PT Cruiser, HHR, 300C, and even the new Mini (and similarly, the lack of it when compared spectacular flops like the SSR and T-Bird) is more behind there qualities as cars than the styling. For example, if Lamborghini was to release the Miura concept, I can honestly say it would flop, because it is too retro. Similarly, Dodge is going to have to clean up the Challenger if they ever want to sell it. In addition, the GTO being such a sales failure had more to do with lack of value than it had to do with the car not being styled like it's predecessors in my opinion.
 
The New Beetle was a flop, totally, it didn't sell nearly as many as predicted and you see 7 or 8 new Mini's to every new Beetle. I think if Lamborghini released hat Muira concept it would be a huge success and every model would be sold almost as quick as it was announced. It would have to be limited production, that magic 400 cars number comes to mind because what good is expensive retro if it's expensive, everyone has it in my circle, retro.
 
95GTIVR6
don't do it BMW......

btw, what are the two leather "balls" in the back on the last picture? Are they meant to hold helmets or something?
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I think those are helmets.

Very interesting concept. 👍
 
live4speed
The New Beetle was a flop, totally, it didn't sell nearly as many as predicted and you see 7 or 8 new Mini's to every new Beetle.
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It's completely the opposite in the U.S.
 
Well regardless of that, it apparently still didn't meet expected sales numbers.
 
I wouldnt necessiarily call the New Beetle a failure as it is one of J. May's biggest design successes, and really did create the whole reto-futurism design change. Without the New Beetle we wouldnt have had cars like the Chrysler PT Cruiser, Chrysler 300C, Dodge Charger, Dodge Challenger, Ford Thunderbird, Ford Mustang, Chevrolet SSR, Chevrolet HHR, Chevrolet Camaro, etc...

The New Beetle may not have been a sales success, but it was successful to create a movement that we are seeing the effects of today.
 

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