BMW Gallery

Still officially top secret, but shown here in this grainy picture, this is the future for BMW design. Spied being unloaded at BMW’s Munich museum, the only detail available about the car is that it is called the GINA, Light Visionary Concept. Likely to be built out of carbon, it is tipped combine high performance and fuel economy.

And it’s not just great looking cars that BMW’s design team have produced. This Z4 Coupe concept also allowed the firm to debut a matt finish paint at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show. The unique, plastic based paint is expected to be made available soon.

Revealed at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Z9 concept previewed the 6-Series sports coupe. It featured lightweight materials and a 3.9-litre V8 turbodiesel engine. This Convertible version was certainly striking but the Coupe was even more dramatic with doors that incorporated a conventional opening and a gull-wing mechanism too.

Produced to explore the absolute limits of the X5, the Le Mans concept featured a V12 engine from BMW’s 24hr race-winning car. It had a huge bonnet scoop plus all manner of wings and skirts. Stiffened and lowered suspension, 20-inch wheels and a stripped out cabin with four bucket seats completed the changes. It wasn’t luxurious – but it was certainly the ultimate X5.

The X-Coupe was the forerunner to the 1-Series compact hatchback – but you would never have guessed that when it was unveiled at the 2001 Detroit Motor Show. Based on a 4x4 chassis from the X5, it was certainly a large machine. Under the bonnet lay BMW's 3.0-litre diesel engine but beefed up to produce 450Nm of torque.

Unveiled at the Mille Miglia road rally in Brescia, Italy in 2006, this stunning concept was based on the Z4 M Coupe and commemorated the BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe race car which won the 1940 Mille Miglia (thousand mile) race. It had a modified 343bhp straight six with exhausts tuned to sound like a racer, a hinged hard top roof and LED headlights.

Clearly inspired by the historic M1 sportscar, the new Homage shows that BMW’s design team isn’t afraid to reinterpret its vast heritage… Its surprise unveiling at this years Villa Concours D’este show in Italy  to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original. It is rumoured to be under consideration for low volume production.

Unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show in 2007, BMW’s CS was acclaimed for its sleek looks, and aggressive shark like nose. Described as a spiritual successor to the 8-Series, the car is a rival to the Mercedes CLS.