BMW GINA Concept Car

This is the new BMW GINA Concept Car. The GINA is a roadster concept wherein the use of sheet metal found on bodies of production vehicles has been replaced with a special, flexible, highly durable and extremely expansion-resistant fabric material that stretches across a metal structure.

Unlike traditional cars, various aspects of the bodies substructure are moveable and can be shifted by means of electro-hydraulic controls, changing the shape of the outer skin and overall design. One interesting example of this feature, becomes apparent in the headlight arrangement. When the headlights are not active they are hidden under the special fabric cover, as soon as the driver turns on the lights, the contour of the front ends changes revealing the headlights, looking a lot like a character out of the Pixar movie “Cars”.

The whole point of this exercise is to prove that rigid body panels (as they are today) are not a necessary design element and do not significantly improve the overall safety of the automobile. Most crumple zones are 100% dependent on good frame design and materials.

This fabric design also enforces a more green and cost effective approach to automobile design. I just look forward to no more fender benders.

Source: Yanko Design