2011 BMW 328 Hommage

Back in the ’30s BMW unveiled the 328 - the most successful and best-looking sports car of the moment. The car’s success was given by its impressive design parameters: systematic lightweight construction, aerodynamic lines, opti-mum engine types and outstanding suspension technology.

And as a celebration of the car’s 75th anniversary BMW will unveil at this year’s Mille Miglia the 328 Hommage, a model that translates the principles and the character of the vehicle of that time into present times and offers a possible interpretation of how the designers of that time, Fritz Fiedler and Rudolf Schleicher, might have built the BMW 328 in the present day using current technology.

"With the BMW 328 Hommage, we wish to pay homage to the passion and inventiveness of the fathers of the BMW 328", explains Karl Bäumer, CEO of BMW Group Classic. "They created an icon, which is consid-ered a milestone in the history of the automobile."

Updated 05/23/2011: After BMW has revealed the first details on the 328 Hommage earlier this week-end, now is time to see the concept in action at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. At the same event the concept won the title of "best of show" in the "Concept Cars and Prototypes" category. Hit the jump for the video.

The exterior

The BMW 328 Hommage weights only 1720 lbs and that’s because major parts of the exterior and interior are made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP). The exterior design language uses the same treatment that was applied for the Vision ConnectedDrive Concept.

The concept gets an extremely wide and flat front end with generous surfaces and a powerful appearance. A carbon fiber bonnet and low-reaching sidewalls will ensure an excellent stability for the 328 on the road. As a result, the vehicle appears to be even flatter and more dynamic as a whole.

And of course that in order to distinguish it as a BMW model, the 328 Hommage will feature a vertically mounted kidney grille dynamically incorporated into the flat silhouette. The kidney grille bars are more prominently curved than the kidney grille surround itself.

The vehicle displays the extremely round and appealing design of the original BMW 328 kidney grille when viewed from the side. At the rear the 328 Hommage is defined by large vents and openings and circular tailpipes. The concept sits on two-part light alloy wheels.

The interior

The interior gets fine leather, matte and high-gloss black polished aluminum and numerous details derived from motor racing, offering a hint of the BMW 328’s most successful motor sports career.

A slightly asymmetrically designed windscreen marks the area in which the driver and co-driver sit. High-gloss aluminum safety buckles are combined with leather and different carbon fiber elements. The interior of the 328 Hommage is defined by two large surface areas – so-called layers: one of them extends towards the driver, reveals the entire driver’s workplace comprising steering wheel, control elements and scoop, thereby separating the driver and co-driver areas from each other, while the second one begins next to the scoop, making a sweep towards the co-driver, then to float freely in front of him.

The engine

 

BMW revealed no details on the concept’s technical specifications. All they said is that the 328 Hommage will use a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine. More details will be revealed soon, but as the concept has no chances to be put into production and it is just a design exercise this details are not very important.

When can I buy one?

Well, never. The BMW 328 Hommage was created in order to pay tribute to an impressive classic car and has no chances to be put into production.