BMW 3 Series Convertible wins iF Gold Award 2008 for excellent design
Ole Jordan, the sole agent of Mini, Land Rover and BMW, announced that BMW 3 series convertible has won If Gold Award 2008 for excellent design.Stretched dynamics, powerful elegance and fascinating technical perfection: these are the qualities that also convinced the jury to present the internationally acclaimed iF Product Design Awards to the BMW 3 Series Convertible. During the 2008 CeBit technology fair, the first BMW Convertible with a fully retractable hardtop was announced as the winner of the iF Gold Award. This special prize is the highest award the “Industrie Forum Design” presents. The BMW 3 Series Convertible is one of fifty winners of a Gold Award, which were selected from a total of 821 winners of the iF Labels 2008.
This most recent award for BMW 3 Series Convertible is another milestone in the BMW success story with iF Product Design Awards. Last year, the BMW 3 Series Coupe won a Gold Award. In 2001, the previous-generation BMW 3 Series Convertible received the exclusive trophy. The most recent commendation shows that the BMW Design Team scored a winner yet again.
With retracted or closed roof, the long wheel base, horizontal shoulder line and flat rear end make the BMW 3 Series Convertible a real eye-catcher. With its overall arrangement and flow of lines, the four-seater is an unmistakable representative of the characteristic synthesis between technology and aesthetics that is so typical of BMW. Its proportions express sporting elegance, while the flat shoulder, the retracted seating position and the short windscreen guarantee the intensely pleasant driving experience that has always been the hallmark of BMW 3 Series Convertibles. Thanks to the intelligent, space-saving solution for storing the three roof components, the low shoulder line at the rear runs along in one uninterrupted, harmonious flow. Equipped with a retractable hard top for the first time, the BMW 3 Series Convertible retains the character, the line flow and driving experience that have been this model’s hallmark for over four generations.
“For our designers, the tradition of the BMW brand is one of the most important sources of inspiration,” explains Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Design. “Nonetheless, every new design will question the traditions that characterized the brand. All known formal details are scrutinized to help determine whether they ought to be retained, changed or given up and replaced by something new. At the same time, state-of-the-art technologies are always a source of inspiration.”
Not only is the electro-hydraulically retractable sheet steel lightweight hard top perfectly integrated into the overall design of the new BMW 3 Series Convertible, it is also distinguished by its maximum comfort of control and minimum noise emission. The interior design creates a link with the theme of stretched dynamism. The side trim panels start at the instrument panel and continue past the front seats to the rear seat armrests with an uninterrupted sweeping movement. The center console with its lively, undulating form also reaches into the rear. The flexible storage concept, which frees up an impressive loading volume of up to 350 liters, underlines the BMW Design Team’s expertise in developing attractive and functional design solutions.
Spearheaded by Christopher E. Bangle, BMW Group Design has consolidated its position among the elite of international design for years. Bangle is firmly and solidly committed to innovation. It is part of his strategy to open up more creative freedom for the design of individual members of the BMW model range with the objective of bringing alive the unique product personality of each model of the BMW brand and allowing a closer identification with the customer. This way, the creative scope has been broadened significantly. The vehicles thus created, have assumed their rightful place among the masterpieces of car design, as prestigious awards for a wide variety of current models of the BMW range prove.
One of the special achievements of the BMW Design Team is the fact that every new model evokes passion for technology and aesthetics. During the design process, progress and sustainability are always in a dynamic equilibrium. “As designers, we wish to make ownership of a BMW an experience. Our objective is to establish a relationship between the people and the product which becomes closer and closer over time,“ van Hooydonk explains.
The BMW 3 Series has recorded impressive sales results since its introduction in the Middle East, selling a total of 3,054 units in 2007 alone. Available in several trim packages, the 3 Series has established itself as the quintessential luxury sports sedan, being voted ‘World Car of the Year’ in 2006.
Available with a 272 hp straight-six, a 3.0-litre straight-six with Twin Turbo technology producing 306 hp, and a 420 hp V8 engine in the BMW 330i, 335i and M3 respectively, the BMW 3 Series will cater to all individuals seeking unique design, driving dynamics, safety, and environmental responsibility in an exceptional package.
