BMW has offered a glimpse into the future with the unveiling of the Vision M Next concept in Munich.
Described as a “progressive hybrid sports car that makes a very clear and confident statement, in terms of both appearance and interaction,” the car takes inspiration from the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car.
The Vision M Next uses a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drive system to shuffle between electric all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive, with either all-electric propulsion or the power of a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.
According to BMW, the powertrain produces 441kW (600 hp) of power which allows a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.0 seconds and a top speed of 300km/h.
With a fully charged battery, the Vision M Next is capable of a pure-electric driving range of 100km, which will cover the majority of daily journeys.
In terms of design, it’s low-slung in the classic sports car style with a wedge-shaped silhouette and gullwing doors.
The front and rear ends are finished in the matt-neon shade Thrilling Orange, producing a vivid contrast against the exterior’s otherwise silk- matt Cast Silver metallic paintwork.
Apparently, this provides “an added air of modernity and emphasises its inherent dynamism.” That’s deep.
BMW’s signature kidney grille has also been reimagined and is flanked on either side by triangular elements in Thrilling Orange, which serve to accentuate the air intakes at the sides and the integral headlights.
Interestingly, the Vision M Next features a highly distinctive interpretation of BMW’s classic four-eyed front end headlights with the debut of Laser Wire lighting technology. It uses glass fibres coated with phosphorous to produce headlight elements with a new, super-slim and extremely precise form.
The car will ride on 22-inch wheels at the back and 21-inch wheels up front which further emphasise the car’s wedge-shaped appearance. While on the rims, BMW says the three-dimensional multi-spoke design has been precisely engineered for maximum rigidity, low weight and reduced drag.
The key fob is on the endangered species list, facial recognition technology allows the car to unlock automatically as the driver approaches. The gullwing doors are operated via a touch sensor.
Inside, it’s another minimalist interior with a focus on keeping all the controls and information in the driver’s line of sight. There’s a rectangular steering wheel in front of two curved screens and a full-surface augmented reality head-up display incorporated into the windscreen.
There is speculation that the Vision M Next could evolve into the first dedicated M model since the M1.
More: All News
