BMW is celebrating the impact of Italian design to its history with a special exhibition in Munich
- The BMW Museum in Munich will host an interesting exhibition with Italian-designed models.
- It will include concepts and coachbuilt specials penned by Giugiaro, Michelotti, and Gandini.
- Other exhibits bear the signatures of fabled Italian design studios like Zagato and Pininfarina.
If you’re a fan of German engineering with a touch of Italian flair, you’ve likely noticed that many BMW models have had a hand from Italian designers. Now, the Bavarian automaker is paying homage to this fascinating chapter of its history with a new exhibition at the BMW Museum in Munich.
The display will feature several iconic concept cars and coachbuilt specials that have shaped the brand’s design language over the years.
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Titled “Belle Macchine: Italian Automotive Design at BMW”, the exhibition will showcase 23 historic vehicles, along with design sketches from the BMW Archive and other related exhibits. These vehicles span a wide range of time, from the 1930s to the 2010s, highlighting the influence of Italian design on BMW’s aesthetic evolution.
The cars on display were created by some of the most influential names in automotive design, including Giorgetto Giugiaro, Giovanni Michelotti, and Marcello Gandini. BMW also teamed up with famous Italian design studios such as Zagato, Pininfarina, Bertone, and Italdesign to bring these visions to life.
One of the stars of the exhibition is the Gandini-designed BMW Garmisch. This model, which had a profound impact on the design of BMW’s original 3-Series and 5-Series sedans, is a particularly intriguing part of the collection. Although the original concept was lost to history, BMW has recently crafted a faithful recreation, which was approved by Gandini himself before his passing.
BMW Garmisch
The exhibition will also feature rare classics, like the 1959 BMW 3200 Michelotti Vignale coachbuilt prototype, which epitomizes the elegance of mid-century automotive design. Other noteworthy models include the 1966 BMW 3000 V8 sedan (nicknamed “Glaserati”) and the 1969 BMW 2800 GTS Frua concept, both designed by Pietro Frua.
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In terms of more recent history, the exhibition will spotlight the 1991 BMW Nazca M12 supercar, created by Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Italdesign. Additionally, visitors will get a glimpse of the 2012 BMW Zagato Roadster, based on the previous-generation Z4, and the gorgeous 2013 BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe from Villa d’Este.
While the past will take center stage, BMW will also feature more modern concepts influenced by Italian design philosophies. Notable examples include the 2008 M1 Hommage, a one-off homage to the iconic Giugiaro-designed M1 supercar, and the 2023 Vision Neue Klasse concept, which nods to the “Italian-flavored” Neue Klasse sedan from 1961. The Vision Neue Klasse concept represents BMW’s upcoming design language, which will be applied to all its production models in the coming years.