One cannot say that there is a lack of quality models by BMW. The company gained a great reputation throughout decades, producing amazing performance and luxury cars. Nevertheless, besides the successful production cars that the German manufacturer presents on its shelves, there is another interesting area experimental prototypes, engineering studies, and near-production models that BMW never presented. They were either meant to test out something completely new or to check whether BMW can penetrate the particular sector of the market. Being impressive both in appearance and in engineering solutions, some of the vehicles never saw the light due to certain reasons.
The listed BMW’s projects show how hard the path from prototype to production model can be. Engineering ambitions are not enough, the company needs to consider many other factors like cost of manufacturing, expected demand, possible competition in its own range, economic situation, and even the fit of the particular model to the whole range. Some of the ideas were ahead of their time, while others had to suffer because of bad timing. All in all, these projects tell about the concepts and models BMW once considered for its production range.
1. 1949 BMW 331
BMW recovered from WWII and Alfred Böning, who was chief engineer at that time, suggested developing the 331, also called 531. He assumed that the main desire of people after the war will be having an economical car, and he designed compact prototype with motorcycle engine of 600cc and a four-speed gearbox. The design of the car reminded pre-war 327 BMW model and it was a pretty realistic and understandable idea for that time of economical crisis.
Why It Never Reached Production:
- Designed for post-war economy
- Used BMW motorcycle engine
- Compact four-speed configuration
- Management rejected the proposal
- Luxury 501 received priority
Despite the practical reasoning behind the project, company management overruled Böning’s proposal and chose to pursue the luxury 501 model instead. While economy cars would ultimately establish BMW on a firm financial footing in the late 1950s, Böning’s early vision was temporarily set aside. The 331 remains an intriguing historical marker showing how close BMW came to launching a motorcycle-powered economy car immediately after the war.
2. 1963 BMW 700 by Colani
Designed by Luigi Colani, 1963 BMW 700 by Colani became an amazing experiment with lightweight automobiles. Compact coupe was built on a base of aerodynamic body and a quite modest 697cc flat-twin engine taken from 700 Coupé. It weighted only 440kg (970 pounds) and had the remarkable drag coefficient of 0.22Cd and top speed of 125mph.
What Made It So Radical:
- Extremely lightweight construction
- Aerodynamic 0.22Cd body
- 697cc flat-twin engine
- Claimed 125mph top speed
- Full plastic monocoque concept
Besides the advanced features, there were several structural solutions like dashboard bar that supported the body. Although the car was promoted as the innovative idea of full plastic monocoque, the construction was considered too innovative for BMW’s management of that time and only one prototype survived. So, the Colani concept became the proof of how much speed could be achieved with the help of lightweight and aerodynamic design.
3. 1967 Bayer K67
Together with the plastics manufacturer Covestro (at that time it was a part of Bayer group) BMW designed the revolutionary K67 prototype. The car was developed by Hans Gugelot, and the main idea was to develop alternative body panels from polyurethane that would make the body corrosion-resistant and easy-to-repair after minor collisions.
K67’s Experimental Features:
- Innovative polyurethane body panels
- Corrosion-resistant exterior construction
- Easier minor-impact repairs
- 850kg lightweight design
- Five prototypes were constructed
Except the innovative body, the car had wing mirrors with built-in indicator lights and the regular mechanical parts of 2000 CS. Weighting 850kg (1,874 pounds), K67 could allegedly run up to 118mph. The information about the experiment was obtained by BMW and Bayer, however, production of the car was never realised. The project became a proof of the fact that innovative materials could radically change the future of automobile industry.
4. 1972 BMW E25 Turbo
Designed to celebrate 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, BMW E25 Turbo became one of the most outstanding concept cars of BMW. The futuristic design was created by Paul Bracq and the mid-engined sports car featured gullwing doors and wedge-shaped body. The impressive power unit was the 276bhp turbocharged engine taken from 2002 Turbo.
Performance And Design Highlights:
- Mid-engined sports car layout
- Gullwing doors added drama
- 276bhp turbocharged engine
- 0–62mph in 6.6 seconds
- Top speed reached 155mph
With such power unit, the BMW E25 Turbo could reach 62mph in 6.6 seconds and maximum speed of 155mph. BMW built two functional cars instead of launching them into production. However, the design and the engineering solutions greatly influenced the BMW M1 supercar that appeared in 1978. This way, the project was not lost, since many of its ideas have been used in the future model.
5. 1987 BMW 750iL Goldfisch
BMW engineers decided to try pushing the performance abilities of the flagship 7 Series to the extreme limit and have developed the BMW 750iL Goldfisch. The experimental car got really powerful engine of 6.7-litre V16 and required serious modifications of the E32 platform, including rear-mounted cooling system.
Goldfisch Engineering Highlights:
- Massive 6.7-litre V16 engine
- Rear-mounted radiator system
- Distinctive cooling gills
- Manual transmission configuration
- Claimed 174mph top speed
Because of the unusual cooling system, the car had distinctive gills in the rear that is why it was called Goldfish. The modified 7 Series was supposed to reach 174mph and become an impressive engineering demonstration. However, BMW executives believed that the market of luxury performance sedans was too narrow for such an innovative car and decided not to release it into production.
6. 1989 BMW M5 Cabriolet
1989 BMW M5 Cabriolet became the most tempting missed opportunity of BMW. Based on the E34 M5, the prototype converted the high-performance sedan to a two-door cabriolet. Its folding roof should have disappeared under the rear deck; thus BMW could preserve its exterior and give its clients the pleasure of open-top driving.
Why BMW Abandoned It:
- Based on E34 M5 platform
- Two-door convertible configuration
- High-performance M5 powertrain
- Planned Geneva Motor Show debut
- Risk of internal competition
BMW was going to present the car at the 1989 Geneva Motor Show, but the management reconsidered its plan. They became afraid that M5 Cabriolet could become their competitor of the profitable 3 Series Convertible. Thus, the project died before its presentation due to the danger of losing the market share.
7. 1990 BMW M8
The 1990 BMW M8 was conceived as an extreme performance version of the E31 8 Series, taking the already sophisticated grand tourer into much more aggressive territory. At its center was a 6.0-litre development of BMW’s V12 engine capable of producing an astonishing 632bhp. A six-speed manual transmission was selected to complement the enormous power output, while engineers targeted a potential top speed of around 190mph.
M8 Prototype Performance:
- 6.0-litre V12 development
- Approximately 632bhp output
- Six-speed manual gearbox
- Targeted 190mph top speed
- Extensive aerodynamic modifications
BMW also gave the prototype distinctive exterior modifications, including fixed headlights, wider wheelarches, performance tyres, and a subtle rear spoiler. The car was essentially a technical showcase demonstrating what BMW could accomplish when performance restrictions were pushed aside. Unfortunately, the global recession of the early 1990s arrived at exactly the wrong time. BMW executives determined that the market for such an expensive, highly specialized performance machine would be too small to justify putting the M8 into production.
8. 1991 BMW E1
Before BMW launched the i3, it was investigating the possibilities of electric mobility and created BMW E1 prototype. The car was powered by a 37kW electric motor and battery pack located under the rear bench seat. Being rear-wheel drive, the prototype allowed BMW to check whether electric powertrain would suit the driving characteristics of the car.
Early Electric Innovation:
- 37kW electric motor
- Rear-wheel-drive configuration
- Four-seat compact interior
- Up to 125-mile range
- 75mph claimed top speed
The testers were really impressed with the car, but the market conditions of the early nineties were very different from the modern ones. There were no incentives, charging infrastructure was poor, batteries were expensive and there was no consumer demand. BMW therefore did not release the model into production, but the project helped the company to start further investigations in the area and in 1993 BMW built Z15 prototype.
9. 1996 BMW ZBF 7er
This BMW project was created to show the future development of BMW’s luxury design. The concept was called Zukunft BMW Family (in English Future BMW Family) and was developed by Z3 designer Joji Nagashima. At that time BMW planned to acquire Rolls-Royce and the ZBF 7er concept became the exploration of the ultra-luxurious design of 7 Series.
Futuristic ZBF Features:
- Oversized kidney grille design
- Hand-formed custom body panels
- Bespoke 20-inch tyres
- Exterior cameras replacing mirrors
- Early iDrive-style controls
There were many elements of futurism contained in the design such as cameras rather than mirrors, flush door handles, and a precursor to what would come to be known as BMW’s iDrive interface. The rear seating area featured an especially luxurious interior based around technological and comfort features. While the BMW ZBF itself was never manufactured by the automaker, its influence is clear in the 2001 model year BMW 7 series known as the E65.
10. 2000 BMW M3 Touring
The BMW M3 Touring of 2000 was designed with a single question that had plagued the minds of performance fans over the years in mind. Could BMW manage to combine the engineering prowess of the M3 with the utility offered by the estate version of the car? With the E46 range of cars in mind, BMW managed to build one prototype of the Chrome Shadow metallic color.
M3 Touring Prototype Details:
- Based on E46 M3 platform
- Practical estate body style
- Single prototype constructed
- M3 rear axle integration
- Chrome Shadow metallic finish
BMW M3 Touring prototype proved that it was possible to make a high-performance wagon. However, financial difficulties stopped the company from manufacturing of the particular car. Similar to many other BMW’s non-produced models, this concept became the evidence of BMW’s ambitions and readiness to explore different ideas. From 1949 BMW 331 to electric E1 and extreme M8, all those concepts became the basis for future developments and inspired BMW engineers.
