Q&A with Chris Bangle of BMW
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

BMW is not a follower. Under the design reign of Chris Bangle, it provoked a highly emotive reaction a few years ago by a fresh and courageous take on premium car design, and by introducing the world to ‘flame surfacing’. The car maker is certain to raise a few eyebrows again with GINA, an animated cloth car that looks ahead to the future of the automobile.
W*: Where did the initial idea for GINA originate from?
Chris Bangle: The concept was the outcome of a project at our Designworks that addressed how non-car designers would design a car. It was then transported to the main studio in Munich and developed further into a demonstrative car.
W*: How did you come to a cloth outer skin conclusion?
CB: The cloth can change your mind about what a car can be. It also makes its own perfect geometry. The flexible textile offers designers a significantly higher degree of freedom in terms of design and functionality. Plus, it does what the exterior is supposed to do which is to protect the car, give it the aerodynamics and the right aesthetic.
W*: You say GINA has been the brand's doctrine for over a decade, but what is the philosophy behind the car?
CB: GINA, the German acronym roughly translates to geometry and function in an infinite number of alternatives. It was born out of the idea that change doesn’t have to come from a fixed approach.
We are going to have to find new ways to adapt to how the world sees cars, what they want from them and over what lifespan. And the part that will take over is that you can consume but you have to be responsible. In this context, we have to offer a product that is more about lifestyle and personalisation statements. The idea that variation drives consumption has been one of the dominant factors of the world of design. We need to get some of the individuality of the consumer as well as the producer into the product.
W*: How do you introduce personalisation?
CB: There is no real difference in how GINA lives with you, but it differs in terms of what it could be for you, how you could change things, even to the point where you can change the shape of the exterior.
W*: What impact did GINA have initially on the company?
CB: It was like a lightening rod triggering discussions on where this could lead in terms of production and manufacturing. We questioned if mass assembly is the only way. It lead to rapid manufacturing, a way of digitally creating car parts for a fraction of the cost, that were stiffer and it made them available to more customers which we never thought we could do.
The bonnet of the Z4 M was our first digitally produced piece of hardware for a production car. This technology is called GBK, GINA im Blechkleid, or GINA in metal cloths.
W*: Has GINA influenced BMW design?
CB: Absolutely. When you enter GINA, the car wakes up around you and you can choose what functions to display. The BMW iDrive system is about the spirit of the GINA philosophy.
Also, the team worked with an origami master to explore ways of giving metal the origami treatment. In the Mille Miglia concept interior, for example, we have created a 3D structure from 2D sheets using special laser cutting and folding processes.
W*: How will GINA impact on the future?
CB: If our idea is that cars can only look like one thing then we can only make them in one way. But if we free our minds, then we can perhaps start to look at methods that use less energy, require less chemicals, cause less waste and are more flexible in getting products that customers want.
We have to decide what we want from our cars. It would be wrong to say BMW’s future is cloth cars, but it does make you think about cars differently - that's the whole idea behind it.
-
Venice Biennale 2024: a guide to the artists announced so far
Keep up-to-date with our ongoing list of who’s representing who at the Venice Biennale 2024 – here's what we know so far
By Martha Elliott • Published
-
New Nike book is an inspirational handbook for the next generation of creatives and athletes
New Nike book, ‘After all, there is No Finish Line’, features eye-catching black-and-white imagery and speculative fiction and essays that ponder design, innovation and sport
By Pei-Ru Keh • Published
-
Sophie Bille Brahe interprets the signet ring with a new initials jewellery
Sophie Bille Brahe’s new initials jewellery is ‘a personal way to express an eternal feeling of love’
By Tilly Macalister-Smith • Published
-
Peugeot’s sparky 308 gets hybrid power and handsome lines
The Peugeot 308 proves that mass-market design needn’t be dull, blending hybrid power with sharp lines and excellent detailing
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
BMW Motorrad brings out the big guns for its newest cruisers
BMW Motorrad R 18 Bagger and Transcontinental set the tone for high-voltage cruising with a brand collaboration with speaker specialist Marshall
By George Chapman • Last updated
-
Dacia’s new Manifesto concept is a true outdoor utility vehicle
Utilitarian auto brand Dacia sets a bold new agenda with its Manifesto, a concept car pitched at the active outdoor market
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
The sun sets on traditional supercars at California’s Monterey Car Week
Monterey Car Week, the world’s most prestigious car gathering, is showcasing ever-more extravagant special editions, coachbuilt cars and all-new electric concepts. Here are seven key machines from 2022
By Rory FH Smith • Last updated
-
Is McLaren’s GT a sports car, a tourer, or the best of both?
The McLaren GT is a capable all-rounder dressed up in svelte supercar clothes. It might also be the last of its type
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
Rolls-Royce puts the Phantom back on its lofty pedestal
A mid-life refresh ensures the flagship Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II is at the top of its game, a last hurrah for traditional engines before an electrified future
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
Prodrive’s new racing simulator is shaped by Callum to be front of the grid
The racing simulator shapes up – this new design from Prodrive and Callum is honed for the high-end games room
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
The Cupra Formentor is a dark star for bright minds
For all its moody styling, the Cupra Formentor – from the SEAT spin-off brand – is a compact, swift and fun-to-drive crossover
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated