BMW Makes Morphable, Fabric-Covered Car

Yesterday BMW unveiled their GINA Visionary Model, a fabric-covered vehicle that can change shapes with the push of a button.

Chris Bangle (head of design at BMW) and his team actually built GINA -- which stands for "Geometry and functions In 'N' Adaptions" -- six years ago, but BMW kept it under, er, wraps until Tuesday. It's built on the Z8 chassis and has a 4.4-liter V8 and six-speed automatic transmission. BMW says the fabric skin - polyurethane-coated Lycra - is resilient, durable and water resistant. It's stretched over an aluminum frame controlled by electric and hydraulic actuators that allow the owner to change the body shape. Want a big spoiler on the back? Wider fenders? No problem. "The drastic reinterpretation of familiar functionality and structure means that drivers have a completely new experience when they handle their car," BMW says.

Neat idea BMW, but what's up with the gaudy silver skin? You put all that effort into building a morphable, fabric-covered car and don't even use denim? You got no class.

A TON more MUST SEE pictures and a video, along with links to much longer articles, after the jump.

BMW's fascinating GINA Light Visionary Model design study [37signals]
and
BMW builds a Shape-Shifting Car Out of Cloth [wired]

Thanks Michael P, Meg, and Manivo, now lets head on down to the BMW Museum in Munich and joyride the hell out of that mother