BMW is one of those companies that gets respect and guff in big, heaping piles around here. They certainly make plenty of spectacular, iconic cars, from the 2002 to E30s to the 507 to even the little Isetta. They also sometimes seem to generate a following of arrogant, parking-line-ignorers. Two sides of the big BMW coin.
Today, however, BMW is very very okay in my book. Because they took real serious-business company time to make this wonderful rendering of a four-year old's dream car.
That four-year old gearhead is Eli, and Eli's dream was of a 19-engined (Porsche engines, which BMW must have forgotten to notate), 42-wheeled BMW monster with a trunk full of toys. And three driving positions, and all kinds of other good stuff only four-year old minds can emit.
BMW did say they wanted a crack at this, and I'm delighted they actually followed through.
It's an impressive machine, the BMW 4219Eli. Lots of road presence. BMW's vision isn't too far off my quick sketch, but realized much, much better. We both went for a low, long, multi-engine pod approach, but they really fleshed out the concept, with massive, fenders and wheelwells that stack wheels 3 per half-shaft and still manage a purposeful, flowing look. Also clever is the air intake for the play-in trunk, a very nice feature that I'm sure any toddler not interested in asphyxiation would enjoy.
There were other great entries as well. Let's look at some!
Claiborne's design is sleek and retro-futuristically lovely. I love the BMW roundel wheels, especially.
Will Ryan's drawing doesn't have quite enough wheels yet, but is lovely and rendered in a way I need to remember works well the next time I fussily over-shade something.
RazoE's is like a locomotive!
American4Hoon's is somewhat hearse-like, but the layout is wildly well-considered.
Leoz96. Engines. Chicks. Toys.