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BMW i3

Don't ask me what it is about this car specifically, but I am obsessed with it. It's a technological marvel of engineering and styling.  Starting with the most embarrassing shot of the day, here is the side profile of the i3.

As you can (mostly) see, the shape of this vehicle is very different.  Much of the design is driven by the underlying engineering. Unlike almost every single vehicle for sale, this car uses a carbon fiber frame, which surrounds the lithium-ion batteries.  BMW likes to stress the modular nature of the car.  The frame for example is the "Life Module" - since it surrounds and protects the passengers.  More interesting than the marketing monikers is the actual construction, which is indeed modular.  

Weight: Carbon fiber has many notable qualities: rigidity, weight and cost are chief among them.  Long used in racing, automakers have been working with and trying to make it work for the last 15 years.  Forming, binding and layering carbon fiber is very different from stamping sheet metal and has consumed hundreds of millions of R&D dollars.  The material is ideal for this model since electric cars tend to be heavy due to the weight of the batteries.  In addition to having a carbon fiber frame, most body panels of the vehicle are plastic, which also saves weight.  How much does it weigh?  An astounding 2,600 lbs.  A Toyota Prius weights about 2,900 lbs., a 328i about 3,300 lbs. and a Chevy Volt about 3,700 lbs.

Styling: Like a Tesla Model S, the BMW i3 has a very low center of gravity due to the location of the batteries below the passenger floor.  Having the mass down low enables a more boxy design without the inherent handling effects.  While I did not have a chance to drive the i3, various press accounts are very positive.  Because the car is so new and groundbreaking, BMW decided to make it look new and groundbreaking as well.  Since the aim of the "i" line of vehicles is to minimize environmental impact, much of the interior materials are recycled or made from renewable resources, such as plant fibers.  While that sounds questionable, the materials look and feel great in person.  The top and bottom of the door panels are made of plant fibers. It's strange and strangely appealing.

Due to the strength of the "Life Cell", BMW was able to do without a B-Pillar, the removal of which allows for small suicide doors to access the rear seats.  As you can see below, the bottom of the door frame shows the raw carbon fiber.

 

The instrument cluster is electronic as to be expected. Even here, BMW chose an unconventional route by having a floating primary display for the driver and another, larger, display that floats in the center and controls navigation, radio, etc.  As the BMW press photo below shows, the dash has a horizontal wood accent running across it that provides a start contract to the otherwise large, gray dash.

           Courtesy of BMW

Note to Daimler, Stop Producting smart

There is no denying that purchasing the smart brand of cars from the Swiss company that procuded Swatch watches has been an absolute disaster for Daimler. Few automotive brands have had so little success and survived. It is time for Daimler to stop keeping this brand afloat.  It has been time to dismantle or preferably sell the brand for some time now, yet Daimler smart keeps the brand on life support.

The idea was attractive in 1994 when Daimler (then Mercedes Benz) decided to acquire the company.  A fun, urban runabout that could be easily customized. In a sense, the car would be a fashion accessory – similar Swatch brand watches.  It was an ambitious project. The joint venture had a complicated management structure and planned to make the production a point of differentiation whereby suppliers would be largely responsible for designing major parts of the cars and would have to install the parts in the assembly plant. The initial hopes for a hybrid powertrain did not come to fruition due to the associated costs and complexity.  The projects’ cost overruns and internal squabbles resulted in the Germans taking complete control. By all accounts, the project has been a financial disaster and losses are estimated at over €100 million annually.  Models have been limited to mostly different versions of what is now called the Fortwo.  The cars never garnered enthusiasm in the marketplace or automotive press.  With fewer than 100,000 annual worldwide sales, smart remains a niche player.  Penske Automotive Group decided to sell its US  franchise back to Mercedes-Benz USA in February 2011.

Unfortunately, the brand soldiers on.  Ahead of the 2012 Paris Auto Show, the company released images of a new concept vehicle the forstars.  Clearly a concept car, it will be powered by the existing electric motor used in the fortwo.  If past history is any guide, Daimler will commit more resources in the forms of R&D and advertising to the brand in the hope of creating a profitable business.  Past history would also suggest this to be a futile effort.

 

                        Courtesy: Daimler Benz AG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posters of Geneva

 The Geneva Auto Show, or Salon International de l’Auto in French or Internationaler Auto-Salon Genf in German, differs from other auto shows. For one, it’s not that big. While still covered by the automotive press, it’s fairly small compared to the main European auto show in Frankfurt/Paris. The Geneva show is special, cute and upscale. All sorts of odd things tend to make it to Geneva.

Typically, local auto makers dominate local auto shows. This is true for Detroit, Tokyo and Frankfurt/Paris. You rarely see major product unveilings from Japanese firms in Detroit. Because Switzerland does not have any mainstream auto manufacturers, all manufacturers seem to be comfortable introducing new models there, including niche players such as Fisker and Rinspeed.

Timing also works in Geneva’s favor. Geneva’s March date allows European manufacturers another avenue to introduce new vehicles, which might otherwise have to wait until the fall (for Frankfurt/Paris) or be introduced independently. 

Apart from the actual vehicles showcased, the Geneva Auto Show tends to produce nice posters promoting the show. This is something they are clearly proud of, which is why they publicize them on their website, going back to 1905.  Below are some of my favorites.

       

All images courtesy of The Geneva Auto Show