The BMW Group chose the Paris Motor Show 2016 to present the BMW Concept X2. This new addition to the compact segment has a distinctive design that stands apart from that of the other X models and also draws on the BMW Group’s history of coupe-making. The result is a compact concept exuding urban sporting appeal.
“The BMW Concept X2 is a vehicle for active people looking for a combination of enjoyment and practicality,” explains Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design. “The concept displays a new and exciting facet of the BMW brand within the compact segment.”
The design, says BMW, is, "a successful blend of dynamic appeal and solidity." It certainly appears dynamic and solid. The overall low-slung proportions, small greenhouse, long hood, and slick back end make for a modern, fresh look, from all directions.
It definitely looks like the sporty coupe-like vehicle BMW was going for. The large wheels, long wheelbase and forward slanting C-pillar help.
The upper section of the car's flanks is dominated by sporty design elements. The elongated roofline and slim window graphic create a stretched feel. The greenhouse tapers towards the rear, forming an athletic shoulder.
The window graphic surrounds and integrated two-piece mirror bases (both made from brushed aluminum) add an extra touch of class. The thickness of the aluminum profile plays a contrasting role here. The window graphic is rounded off by a dynamic interpretation of the hallmark BMW Hofmeister kink. Like the logo on the C-pillar – a classically sporty coupe design cue straight out of the BMW history books – this represents a singularly unmistakable detail. The large, air-channeling roof spoiler in body color lies flat over the blackened rear window. Extending from the C-pillars, it gives the rear of the BMW Concept X2 its sporty contours.
Focusing for a moment on more detailed features, the surfaces of the car’s flanks bring together large, smoothly modeled sections with precise edges, showcasing the car’s athletic presence. The dramatic surfacing also emphasizes the almost squared-off wheel arches familiar from the car’s BMW X stablemates. In them sit large, 21-inch light-alloy wheels, whose striking, double-spoke, bi-color design with a strong sense of three-dimensionality continues the contrast between dynamic appeal and solidity into the car’s details. Tyres with chunky treads point to the potential for fun off the beaten track, while door sills in body colour with integral hexagonal elements set the seal on the robust appearance of the car’s sides at their lowest point.
The front-end design of the BMW Concept X2 also fuses dynamic elements with a robust use of forms. Clearly contoured volumes and subtle edges create a front-end impression with presence and sporting appeal in abundance.
The heavily raked windshield appears to extend seamlessly into the dark panoramic roof and teams up with the newly interpreted double kidney grille and large air intakes to give the front end a slow-slung look. The hood and front end look enormous, though that could be because of the windshield's curvature, but regardless, the car will have incredible presence when seen coming at you down the road.
The kidneys turn the familiar trapezoidal shape of BMW grilles on its head and instead widen from top to bottom. This clear statement accentuates the unique nature of the BMW Concept X2, as well as the width of the front and the car’s solid stance. Graphically modeled and heavily angled bars within the kidney grille create an undeniable “shark nose” effect, bringing additional depth and sculptural richness to this area of the car. One hopes this all makes it to production, because they're undeniably attractive.
The flat contours of the headlight tubes help to give the classical BMW twin circular look a more hexagonal form. The laser light technology used by the headlights enables very slim light graphics, while the blue X in the center of the hexagonal tubes adds a further technical accent.
The front of this sleek beast is dominated by the large central air intake below the traditional - but extremely large - kidney grille, which is functional, since it helps to quench the Concept X2's thirst for cooling air. The smaller, triangular air intakes on either side highlight the car’s broad stance. The robust, horizontal slats of the air intakes provide a solid counterpoint to the dynamic design of the front and add further detailed emphasis of the front-end’s traditional X-model character.
The rear of the BMW Concept X2 rounds off the exterior design in distinctive style. Width-accentuating elements such as the slim rear window and horizontal lines reduce the perceived height of the BMW Concept X2 and underscore its sporting pretensions. From this angle you can also see how the rear window emerges elegantly from below the air-channeling spoiler and underlines the car’s sporting character. The prominent tapering of the glasshouse along the sides of the Concept X2 also catches the eye, forming a powerful shoulder area, allowing it to highlight the car’s broad, muscular stance.
Let's hope this design - or most of it - makes it to market. This looks like a nearly complete design study, so it's likely a 2019 design at the latest.
