BMW
Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe
BMW
and Pininfarina are two of the most tradition-swathed names in the motoring
world. Each is a byword for cutting-edge technology, style, dynamics and
aesthetics. With the BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé, the two time-honoured
companies are unveiling the outcome of their first collaboration at the
Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2013. The BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé is
a one-off and represents the exclusive interpretation of a luxurious BMW Coupé
as seen through the eyes of Pininfarina. Working in close consultation, the two
design teams have created a new automotive persona brimming with character and
ready to join the high-end luxury class - typically BMW while sporting the
distinctive signature of Pininfarina.
With
the BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé, the BMW Design team took up exclusive
design aspects such as luxury and elegance and fed them into a creative
exchange with long-established specialist car designer and manufacturer
Pininfarina. In this elaborately created one-off, the renowned companies BMW
Group and Pininfarina joined forces to bring an idea to fruition: "The
appeal of this collaboration with Pininfarina is that you get another, very
different and special angle on facets like luxury and exclusivity," notes
Karim Habib, Head of BMW Design. "The Italian company, after all, has
always been a byword for these criteria in particular, demonstrating time and
again its keen sensitivity and exceptional finesse in these areas. In Pininfarina
we have found the ideal partner to lend shape to this vehicle concept."
The
BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé adds a new dimension to the BMW claim to
exclusivity. This painstakingly created one-off captivates the viewer at first
glance. Liberal surface areas and taut contours are the distinguishing elements
of an elegant car body. Typical BMW proportions - a long wheelbase, stretched
bonnet and set-back greenhouse - imbue the BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé
with imposing dynamics even when stationary. At the same time the car exudes
balance and harmony: BMW values such as technology, dynamics and precision are
complemented by the skilled craftsmanship of Pininfarina to create a very
special holistic experience. "The BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé has an
extraordinary impact. It expresses hallmark BMW values such as luxury and sheer
presence in a highly elegant form," says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice
President BMW Group Design. "I admire the reductive clarity and precision
in Pininfarina's design. Their expectations for the end result have been just
as high as ours, and their understanding of design perfectly complements the
BMW design DNA for a vehicle of this kind."
The
interior of the BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé takes up the accomplished
fusion of modern elegance and authoritative dynamics as displayed by the
exterior. Here the melding of sportiness, exclusivity and comfort makes for a
unique interior experience. The fluid underlying geometry of the interior
design by BMW takes on an individual character courtesy of the Pininfarina
touch. With a special colour concept, choice materials and geometrical details
in the doors, centre console and dashboard binnacle, Pininfarina lends further
emphasis to signature BMW elements such as the driver focus and layering
principle, while accentuating the sporty character of the interior with a fine
instinct for cutting-edge and elegant details alike.
The
four-seater luxury coupé rolls out an exclusive ambience to welcome driver and
passengers. The front and rear seats from the Pininfarina drawing board embrace
all occupants with sporty side supports while providing the highest levels of
comfort. From the driver's seat, a sideward glance will initially reveal the
hallmark BMW driver focus: all driving-related functions and controls are
slightly angled towards the driver to be within optimal ergonomic reach. The
horizontal alignment of the surfaces and lines of the dashboard create an
expansive sense of space. The doors take up the flow of lines and invest them
with greater dynamics as they follow their course, while the door handles cite
the incisive shape of the tail lights as well as the side-panel embellishments
as they bring these styling cues into the interior. The rear of the cabin
likewise boasts spacious design, with legroom in the back seats of the BMW
Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé almost on a par with that of a large luxury sedan.