BMW Tii Concept

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This looks to be the "M1"

The name has already been taken, so Tii seems more appropriate.

I know it's a lot of info, but it's all good info. Pictures down the road.

2007 Tokyo Auto Show

Based on the new BMW 1 Series Coupé being presented to the world public for the first time at the Tokyo Motor Show 2007, this fascinating design study is the consistent evolution of BMW’s compact two-door with a clear focus on uncompromising sportiness. With its aerodynamically optimised body, a wide range of lightweight features serving to minimise the weight of the car and its axle load distribution, as well as an interior tailored specifically to the ambitious driver, this concept study clearly offers a high level of driving dynamics right from the start.

Character:

• Design study based on the BMW 1 Series Coupé with an uncompromising focus on motorsport.
• BMW Concept 1 Series tii as a young interpretation of classic BMW brand values.
• Implementation of specific requirements for motorsport ensured through the design of the car.
• Design study following the tradition of BMW’s compact, light and extremely
sporting coupés. The characteristic features of models particularly
successful in motorsport have gone straight into BMW Concept 1 Series tii.
• BMW Concept 1 Series tii underlines the extremely sporting potential and the youthful, temperamental character of the BMW 1 Series. The design study raises the focus on pure driving pleasure already associated with the BMW 1 Series Coupé to an even higher standard.

• As the fifth concept car presented by BMW in 2007 alone, BMW Concept 1 Series tii clearly demonstrates the exceptional bandwidth covered by the world’s leading manufacturer of premium cars. Following the BMW M3 Concept Car, the BMW Concept CS and the BMW Concept X6/BMW Concept X6 ActiveHybrid, BMW Concept 1 Series tii stands out as a unique symbol of maximum driving pleasure also in the compact segment.

Exterior:

• Through its unique, completely different design, BMW Concept 1 Series tii clearly emphasises its outstanding potential in driving dynamics.

• Optimised aerodynamics on the body with individual, distinctive design of the front air dam, side-sills and rear air dam. Special gurney flaps generating additional downforce on the rear axle.

• Further enhancement of agility and efficiency through consistent lightweight engineering using carbon components inter alia on the engine compartment lid, the mirror caps, and the inlays for the front air intakes at the side. Significant reduction of weight versus series production cars.

• Sporting, accentuated, contrasting and, at the same time, typical BMW colour scheme on the exterior and interior. The body colour Alpine White is combined with the very dark carbon structure of the CFP elements, with further highlights added in Blue.

• BMW Concept 1 Series tii takes up striking features of former motorsport models in many of its details: fins along the engine compartment lid to optimise the flow of air, contrasting colour scheme on the engine compartment lid, decal strips on the roof of the car and the rear lid in contrasting colour, visible, open towing fixture.

Interior:

• Authentic interpretation of specific motorsport standards through the concept of the interior design as well as colours and material design.
• Sports bucket seats with integrated headrests and side airbags, three-spoke sports steering wheel and gearshift knob with alcantara cover, model-specific door linings, door closing handles and armrest on the driver’s side.
• The contrasting colour scheme (Black, White, Blue) and the various functions and features derived from motorsport also characterise the interior of BMW Concept 1 Series tii.
• The white rev counter highlights this instrument of particular significance in motorsport, the sports steering wheel with its white spokes and trim taking up the exterior colour scheme.
• Use of dark alcantara on the door linings and the instrument panel prevents reflections and accentuates the driver-oriented design and configuration of the cockpit. Alcantara on the seats, the steering wheel rim and the gearshift knob optimises side support and, respectively, the driver’s grip.
• The newly developed structure tissue for the footwell accentuates the sporting and functional character of the interior.

The BMW Concept 1 Series tii.

Agility, lightness, youthfulness and superior sportiness – all these features are presented and highlighted impressively in BMW Concept 1 Series tii.

Based on the new BMW 1 Series Coupé being presented to the world public for the first time at the Tokyo Motor Show 2007, this fascinating design study is the consistent evolution of BMW’s compact two-door with a clear focus on uncompromising sportiness. With its aerodynamically optimised body, a wide range of lightweight features serving to minimise the weight of the car and its axle load distribution, as well as an interior tailored specifically to the ambitious driver, this concept study clearly offers a high level of driving dynamics right from the start. BMW Concept 1 Series tii thus offers a very highly concentrated rendition of the brand’s sporting genes, at the same time proving the dynamic character of BMW’s compact two-door in offering the ultimate in driving pleasure.

In its design, BMW Concept 1 Series tii clearly takes up the traditional features and characteristics of successful BMW sports cars in the past: At very first sight the beholder will see features which made numerous BMW Coupés an outstanding success on both the road and the race track back in the 1960s and ’70s. These were cars characterised by compact dimensions, low weight with perfect balance front-to-rear, as well as powerful engines conveying their superior muscle to the rear wheels.

Particularly the BMW 02 introduced back in 1966 was acknowledged as the epitome of supreme agility and thrilling, highly dynamic driving characteristics based on these success factors. And now the new BMW 1 Series Coupé represents the same philosophy: Light, agile, and powerful, this compact two-door with its unparalleled, ultra-sporting handling provides an unprecedented experience at the wheel. The similarities between these two models result in particular from the concept of the car, BMW Concept 1 Series tii bringing out all these strengths and clearly demonstrating how much the development principles applied more than four decades ago are still most appropriate today in creating sports models truly fascinating in every respect.

Traditional and modern: lightweight construction as the basic principle, CFP as the solution.

BMW Concept 1 Series tii combines visual features carried over from the past with the most advanced technology in development and production. Particularly the basic principle of the car rests on traditional values, while high-tech materials and applications are used in the implementation process.

To save weight and ensure a harmonious balance of axle load, selected components on BMW Concept 1 Series tii are made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFP): Apart from the engine compartment lid and the mirror caps, the inlays on the side air intakes in the front air dam, the gurney flap on the rear lid, and the inlay in the rear bumper are all made of this extremely light and exceptionally strong material.

From a distance the components made of CFP would appear to be black – it is only at closer sight that the fine carbon-fibre structure of the surface covered by transparent, matt paintwork becomes visible. The dark surface of the CFP engine compartment lid reduces the reflection of sunlight and promotes driver concentration in the process. The wide, white sunglare strip at the top end of the windscreen serves the same purpose, preventing any dazzle effect when the sun is low on the horizon.
Black, white and blue – typical BMW colours all the way.

The contrasting effect resulting from the Alpine White paintwork and the dark CFP components results from fundamental functional requirements. But at the same time this contrasting colour scheme is also a major styling feature characterising the look and appearance of BMW Concept 1 Series tii. Indeed, to really accentuate the appearance of the car, BMW Concept 1 Series tii comes with decal stripes extending from the front headlight units all the way to the air flow lip on the rear lid, the gurney made of CFP and particularly large in size covering the entire body of the car. On the engine compartment the stripes come in white, on the roof and the rear lid they continue in black.
A third colour is used at less exposed points to provide yet another optical highlight: This is the colour blue proudly displayed on the brake callipers, on one of the five wheel bolts on each rim, and on the towing fixture in the front air dam which – as is generally the case with cars in motorsport – is not covered by a cap or seal. The contrast of black and white and the discreet use of features finished in blue creates a trinity of colours also taken up by the exterior and generating an extroverted but well-balanced effect also because the choice of colours is the same as on BMW’s brand logo, thus bearing clear testimony to a great heritage.

Front-end design: aerodynamics optimised to the last detail. Not only the colour scheme, but also the design of the car sets BMW Concept 1 Series tii distinctly apart from the standard versions of the BMW 1 Series Coupé. Indeed, the unique character and class of the design study is visible immediately from every angle and perspective: Apart from the components made of CFP, the front air dam, the side-sills and the rear bumper as well as the rear lid are all brand-new in design. The objective in this design process was to optimise the car’s aerodynamic qualities, consistently reflecting the extremely dynamic commitment of BMW Concept 1 Series tii.

To meet the particular requirements made of such a car, the structure of the front air dam differs significantly from the air dam in regular production models: The particularly muscular side air intakes are coated inside with CFP and the front air dam comes on both sides with so-called air splitters.

These air guidance elements standing out slightly to the front ensure a specific downward flow of air, part of the air flow going into the side intakes, the rest beneath the car.

Yet another feature carried over from motorsport and serving to optimise the flow of air is the arrangement of fins on the engine compartment lid.

These air guidance strips extending along the outer edges of the engine compartment lid promote the car’s aerodynamic qualities and enhance driving stability at high speeds. The positive effect ensured in this way was already proven back in the mid-1970s on the BMW 3.0 CSL.

The BMW kidney grille also comes in special design on BMW Concept

1 Series tii, omitting the kidney grille bars otherwise found on the BMW 1 Series Coupé and other production models. Instead, the cooling air flowing into the car goes through a wide honeycomb grid.

Yet a further sign of distinction is the dark trim bars on the headlights additionally highlighting the striking dual round headlights behind clear glass so typical of BMW.

Side view: classic silhouette, muscular design.

The BMW 1 Series Coupé comes with all the proportions so characteristic of BMW Coupés for many decades. The defining feature is the so-called three-box architecture, the clearly chiselled distinction between the engine compartment, the passenger cell, and the luggage compartment.

Together with the greenhouse moved far to the back and the gently tapered roofline extending to the rear end at a striking angle, the long engine compartment lid gives the car a truly unmistakable silhouette. The combination of the muscular car body and the light-looking roof structure, finally, gives this compact two-door a particularly dynamic and sporting look from the side.

The side view of BMW Concept 1 Series tii is further enhanced in its sportiness by the side-sills developed specifically for this design study:
The side-sills are particularly muscular in design, the light contour edge rising slightly towards the rear accentuating the wedge shape of the silhouette and giving the entire car an even lower and more dynamic look. The round opening in the side-sills directly in front of the rear wheel also provides a clear sign of sporting performance, acting as a further element in optimising the flow of air and at the same time guiding the beholder’s view to the rear wheels, where the power of the engine is conveyed to the road.

BMW Concept 1 Series tii comes on 18-inch light-alloy rims in five-spoke design and a dark chrome colour scheme developed specifically for this design study.

Perfect flow of air determining the design of the rear end. This clear focus on optimum aerodynamics continues into the design of the rear end, where the body of BMW Concept 1 Series tii is again specially designed for a smooth flow of air and the specific requirements of outstanding driving dynamics. The air contour lip on the rear lid, the so-called gurney, is far larger than on the “regular” BMW 1 Series Coupé. Indeed, through its shape and dimensions this component also made of CFP offers all the qualities required for generating maximum downforce on the rear axle at high speeds to give the car even greater driving stability.

The inlay in the rear bumper is likewise made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic, its three-piece structure taking up the graphics of the air intakes at the front end of the car. The diffuser split by two bars, in turn, ensures a controlled flow of air also along the lower part of the car, reducing air swirl at the rear to a minimum. Interior design continuing the car’s sporting line. The interior of BMW Concept 1 Series tii is certainly an ideal place to experience pure driving pleasure, with the emphasis consistently on sporting qualities and performance. This is borne out, first, by the colour scheme carried over from the exterior and, second, by a wide range of features derived directly from motorsport and thus offering supreme function in perfect control and management of the car.

While the interior takes up the black-and-white contrast of the car’s exterior finish, the balance of colours is precisely the other way round: Like the dark CFP elements on the exterior, white-painted surfaces inside the car add highlights at a few carefully selected points – the grab handles on the doors and the spokes on the sports steering wheel. Even so, the visual effect created in this way is striking and powerful, since these features are not only important eye-catchers, but are actually used relatively often in practice.

The colour blue provides a clear focus on the driver within the interior, blue seat seams and a blue decal ring at the bottom of the gearshift lever knob providing visual highlights most befitting the BMW brand. A further point is that the seat belt on the driver’s seat also comes in this colour.

The seat belts on the other three seats, by contrast, are in silver, which is also the colour of the seat seams. Clearly, this distinction is restricted to the look of the seat belts as an eye-twinkling sign as to which of the four seats is the most appealing in a car of this nature.

Tailored to the driver, built for driving pleasure.

The interior design of BMW Concept 1 Series tii is tailored specifically to the driver, applying principles known to offer an intense and successful driving experience also in motorsport.

Dominant use of dark colours within the interior, for example, makes it easier for the driver to concentrate fully on the road and the traffic around him.

The surface trim on the A-pillars and roof lining in anthracite forms one unit with the instrument panel, the door and side panels.

Finished in black alcantara, the instrument panel – like the dark engine compartment lid on BMW Concept 1 Series tii – helps efficiently to avoid any reflection of light which might impair the driver’s concentration.

The design of the instrument cluster also reflects the usual style and focus in motorsport, the white face of the rev counter with its red indicators attracting even more attention than the dark face on the speedometer.

The sports steering wheel is the perfect interface between man and machine. Finished in alcantara all round, the steering wheel rim offers particularly good grip, giving the driver maximum precision at the wheel even in fast manoeuvres and when suddenly changing direction.

The seats in BMW Concept 1 Series tii are yet another new development for sports motoring: Finished in a combination of alcantara and leather, the sports bucket seats offer perfect stability at the side. Further highlights are the integrated headrests and side airbags. And last but not least in this context, the rear passengers also enjoy a sporting and low seating position.

The model designation on the door cutout strips rounds off the individual ambience within BMW Concept 1 Series tii. The linings in the footwells, finally, are made of a new, particularly hard-wearing textile tissue reminiscent in its surface structure of the CFP components. Traditional values, modern concept, unique result. Outside and inside, from every perspective and in all its details, BMW Concept 1 Series tii conveys a clear message: the objective to offer uncompromising driving pleasure. So in developing this design study, BMW’s engineers, designers and other specialists took the opportunity to combine traditional values with the latest technology. In the process they benefited from the new BMW 1 Series Coupé offering a modern car concept authentically presenting the sporting roots of the brand.

Precisely this is the underlying character further enhanced by BMW Concept 1 Series tii following a clear-cut philosophy with no cause for moderation – on the contrary: BMW Concept 1 Series tii shows impressively which highlights were applied in the car’s development and what potential the BMW 1 Series Coupé has to offer in terms of sporting performance.

The looks and appearance of BMW Concept 1 Series tii bear out all the fascination of motorpsort, the heritage of the BMW brand giving the designers additional inspiration. In particular, they focused in the design process on BMW’s compact two-door models in the 1960s and ‘70s, cars which at the time made an important contribution to the development of the brand and BMW as a company, becoming the very epitome of unparalleled driving pleasure.

Indeed, these cars owed their success to features typical of BMW even at the time and still offering a unique thrill today: low weight, powerful engines, supreme agility.

These factors for success therefore still apply in today’s world. But at the same time the demands made by the customer have changed significantly, as have the potentials offered by modern technology and BMW’s model range.

The number of segments in which BMW is represented today is larger than ever before. So the brand offers Sheer Driving Pleasure in all kinds of different manifestations. But the concept of Sheer Driving Pleasure remains just as up-to-date and popular as before, coming out particularly in the BMW 1 Series Coupé: No other car offers equally dynamic driving characteristics, simply because no other brand offers comparable heritage and experience in the production of sporting and compact two-door models.

Here's the pictures.

motor3.jpg


motor4.jpg


motor12.jpg


More pictures at 1 Addicts.

Smaller and lighter than the 3-series Coupe, and more power. Sounds good to me!
 
Didn't read any of the article as it's miles long, but judging by the pictures... it's ugly as hell but I love the interior, and based on that I forgive it for being ugly and it's cool. I'd even consider driving one.
 
What's with the Zebra interior? Can I get my instrument cluster and steering wheel one color please? Otherwise I'd say this car is going to be VERY good. Definately the best Bangle design so far.
 
Why can't BMW just do a rectangular tail light? I think I'm going to write van Hooydonk about this.
 
Yeah, the back seems to be saying "I know you don't like Bangle design, so this is what we came up with"

Stick with something, dammit. If people didn't like Flame Surfacing, I'm sure you could've gone a more progressive direction. Instead they got scared by the huge negative attitude they got and went back to pushing their pre-Bangle design house.
 
It's still a very good looking car, and the design studio has been getting better since Bangle came and radically uglied it. It's always just those damn lights. They always irk me. They always look so cool when illuminated, but are just so strange in daylight.
 
I totally agree with the back end, which seems to be one key area that they are struggling with. I have always hated cars that have the trunk shutline determine the shape of the taillight. The red is a graphic that is masked ontop of the car in most cases, and should be independant from minor things like trunk shutlines.
 
That M-style bumper does wonders for the 1er's front fascia. 👍

I'd love to own one of these in a few years.
 
Yep it does. I never really liked the 1-series styling either. Looks a bit like a monochromatic, mini-fied, M3 :yuck:
 
Glad I'm not the only one who thinks the 1-Series Sedan is hella ugly. I much prefer the hatch.

And the 'Tii' doesn't even sound like a BMW. Who came up with that?!
 
I had no idea about that. Thanks for the info. +Rep

In that case it sounded stupid in the 70s and it still sounds stupid now.
 
It was an even sportier version of the 'ti' which BMW had been using to denote sporting (pre-Mpower) versions of their cars. I think it was because they added a mechanical fuel injection to the car instead of the standard carbs.
 
I actually like it. Maybe change the hood to white with black stripes and make both gauges the same color and this car would be sweet. And where are the 4 tailpipes?

Should be very fast. Lighter than an M3. Any news on the engine? Surely they won't put a V8 under there. Is the I6 from the old model a possibility?
 
Awesome. 👍
Not a fan of the paint job but the car itself is awesome.
I'd like to see them use one instrament or the other (I'd rather see them use the white guages). None the less, with proper guages and paint this car would easily be a stunner. As is, it just has a bit of the ugly bug but that's something to easily be cured when this goes onto the market.
I can't wait to see and hear more about this car. :drool:
Maybe a Best Motoring challenge will come along and show where this thing stacks up against some of the other RWD coupes/sedans? I hope so. :trouble:
 
I guess I'm a crazy person, but I really like it. The problem is, part of me wants to hate it, because I know its going to be waaaaay too expensive for what you get (assuming of course they make it). I guess I'm still in the camp that wants a stripper 128ci, but I'd like it with that interior from the concept please!
 
It's nice to see BMW pay lip service to weight reduction and the interior is pretty nice. But without some mechanical improvements, its basically a showcar with some dress-up parts... something you might see a tuner company at a SEMA show do.

The stripes are stupid. And the unpainted CFP hood is so 'me too', I had to wince.

Still, its a good sign that BMW has real performance aspirations for the 1. The 'Tii" name is a nice touch for those who know. But if they are indeed serious, there are some things that a production car will need:

Real tires. Not RFTs.
Real mechanical LSD.
Hydraulic steering rack.
Chassis bracing for track work.
Shorter gearing.

Hmm. All things the M people typically do. 💡


M
 
It's nice to see an affordable M come back to the scene. A few years down the road I may need to run at this one. 👍
 
I guess I'm a crazy person, but I really like it. The problem is, part of me wants to hate it, because I know its going to be waaaaay too expensive for what you get (assuming of course they make it). I guess I'm still in the camp that wants a stripper 128ci, but I'd like it with that interior from the concept please!

It must be a West Michigan thing...

But somehow I don't see any M version of the 1 coming any time soon, especially seeing that the car seems more like a tune job than an actual "stock" BMW car.

exigeracer
I6 tiwn turbo.

A turbo M? Does this mean that BMW will go against their NA M promise or that this car won't exist?
 
Yeah, the back seems to be saying "I know you don't like Bangle design, so this is what we came up with"

Stick with something, dammit. If people didn't like Flame Surfacing, I'm sure you could've gone a more progressive direction. Instead they got scared by the huge negative attitude they got and went back to pushing their pre-Bangle design house.


that car is designed using flame surfacing, but doesn't have the bangle butt (7 and 6 series)


I totally love this car I would love to own one if they ever make it
 
But somehow I don't see any M version of the 1 coming any time soon, especially seeing that the car seems more like a tune job than an actual "stock" BMW car.

A turbo M? Does this mean that BMW will go against their NA M promise or that this car won't exist?

I doubt we'll see an official, bona fide M branded car based on the 1-series. Not during the E87 life cycle at any rate. The fact that they dusted off a 30 year old name plate to put on this concept car more or less proves they don't want the top dog 1er to be associated with the M brand.

Not only does using the 'Tii' name keep the 1 away from the letter 'M', which BMW has been slowly pushing upmarket, it frees up any "uberfied" 1 from having to keep any promise on NA only engines.

If this thing sees production, it will probably be an additional model that will be a 'near M'. 135Tii does have a nice ring to it. It's less clumsy sounding if you say "tee-double-eye" rather than "tee-eye-eye".

The thing I find peculiar is, at least for the North American market, the 135i is already going to be priced so close to the 335i, I wonder if people are going to swallow an even more expensive model (easily $40k+), no matter how fast it is.

But then again, 10 years ago, no body thought the market would support a $50,000 3-series either.


M
 
You could probably get the same or better performance (at least in a straight line) just from chipping the stock 135i.
 
I have no doubt that BMW could easily sell this car or any other of the same kind here in the States.
I could be wrong but as BMW has become more and more powerful here in the U.S. I've noticed two different kinds of people buy the same cars for totally different reasons...
That is to say, many people (like those here on the GTP) buy beamers for the driving experience. However, there are many here in the U.S. who have no appreciation for the brand other than to say "I drive a BMW and so I'm better than you."

Status symbol v. Sporting legend.
Either way I'm sure there are plenty of people (atleast in my little town) who would love to say "I have the top of the line 1 series."
 
You could probably get the same or better performance (at least in a straight line) just from chipping the stock 135i.


well if this went into production and you chipped , it would be better ;) .... people who buy car like these don't look at straight line speeds, they like to see how it performs on the back roads in Europe ;)
 
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