BMW will wow the Geneva Motor Show with this, the Vision ConnectedDrive Concept. Its looks are, thankfully, sharper than its name.
The concept not only previews the styling of the next BMW Z4, but is also thought to be the precursor to a smaller roadster, about the size of the Mazda MX-5.
That means you could soon be behind the wheel of a BMW that looks just like this. For now, the concept showcases some amazing future-gazing technology.
The advancement most likely to hit BMW options lists soon is the 3D head up display, which overlays imagery onto real world objects in front of the car to warn of danger. The full colour system makes reading information second nature, so it's less distracting.
In fact, the purpose of much of the ConnectedDrive Concept is to try and solve the problem of information overload in modern cars; there's so much info available to drivers that it can become confusing.
So, the interior is divided into three 'layers', each distinguished by a different colour and illuminated by fibre optics. The red layer highlights safety information, the blue layer infotainment and the green layer comfort.
Sounds complicated, but the idea is to make the reams of information a driver has to take on board easier to digest.
There's no information on how the car is powered yet, but we wouldn't be surprised if it had the same setup as the EfficientDynamics Concept unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009. That was powered by a diesel hybrid system, capable of 75mpg yet offering supercar performance.
The new concept's doors don't open in the traditional fashion, but instead slide down into the body in the same way those of the BMW Z1 did. BMW acknowledges this nod to its heritage, but also says that the doors help the driver become more at one with the surroundings, as you can drive it with the doors down.
We'll see the new concept for real at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
im not so sure about this mad lighting but its a pretty good looking lets hope the god bits make it into production
