Face to face with the Interior Designer of BMW i8
05 Aug 2014|7,930 views
Anyone who's into the BMW brand should know by now that sustainability is the keyword that resonates strongly with the car manufacturer. BMW i - a sub brand of the Bavarian automaker - currently comprises of the BMW i3 all-electric vehicle and the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid supercar, which clearly combine both sustainable designs and environmental practices without compromising on style and efficiency.
SGCM: So tell us, in your very own opinion, what's the difference between premium and sustainability?
DM: I think it's not about being different. I reckon both these words are all about quality. In a way, premium is a quality for a car that has good materials and comfortable while sustainability is a quality that shows that the product was created without damaging the earth or the environment.
SGCM: Which car was harder to design? The BMW i3 or the BMW i8?
DM: The challenge for the BMW i3 was that we designed the interior from scratch. Hence, combining certain aspects of the cabin such as the dashboard with the steering wheel and the gear lever wasn't easy. The challenge for the BMW i8, on the other hand, was focusing on being sporty. The lines on the inside had to communicate smoothness and speed. It's a totally different approach.
SGCM: Are there any areas of the i8 that you would redesign if given another chance?
DM: We have very strict design processes to create consistency in our cars. More importantly, a design is only good if it can fufill a function. Thus, I don't see a reason to redesign either cars because the forms of both cars follow function.
SGCM: What is the most difficult aspect in the interior design of the BMW i8?
DM: We had to rethink on how to control the movement of the butterfly doors and how the driver can reach the door handle when he's seated inside the car without having the need to stretch.
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SGCM: Is there a signature design trait that BMW i cars possess that mainstream BMW cars do not have?
DM: For BMW cars, the unique corona rings form the daytime driving lights but for the i3 and the i8, we wanted something clean and clever. So we reduced the complexity and created a single gesture U-shaped daytime driving lights. Additionally, from the side of BMW i cars, there is a streamflow that tapers nicely to the back that mainstream BMW cars do not have.
DM: It's meant to be a mega city vehicle, which also means that it's a better solution to have four occupants on board. This way, both rear passengers will have more space. We wanted to emphasise on comfort rather than maximum capacity.
SGCM: What is your favourite design element of both the BMW i3 and BMW i8 and why?
DM: For the BMW i3, it's definitely the dashboard because it's groundbreaking. It's a framework that's much lighter than any other dashboard in the market. For the BMW i8, it's the floating rear pillars because it's a new trend that has both form and function.
SGCM: Is there a reason why the gear lever in the BMW i3 is situated differently from the BMW i8?
DM: The goal of a mega city vehicle like the BMW i3 is about commuting in an interior that reminds you of a living room. It must always be comfortable and that's why the gear lever is situated at the right hand stalk. In the BMW i8, however, it's about being sporty. Therefore, the gear lever should be located at the classic centre console area.
SGCM: Which is your favourite car, then? The BMW i3 or the BMW i8?
DM: I feel more affiliated to the BMW i8, definitely. It has the looks of a sports car and spectacular elements like butterfly doors and floating roof pillars. Plus, when you enter the car, there is a contour lighting system that makes it extremely futuristic.
Anyone who's into the BMW brand should know by now that sustainability is the keyword that resonates strongly with the car manufacturer. BMW i - a sub brand of the Bavarian automaker - currently comprises of the BMW i3 all-electric vehicle and the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid supercar, which clearly combine both sustainable designs and environmental practices without compromising on style and efficiency.
SGCM: So tell us, in your very own opinion, what's the difference between premium and sustainability?
DM: I think it's not about being different. I reckon both these words are all about quality. In a way, premium is a quality for a car that has good materials and comfortable while sustainability is a quality that shows that the product was created without damaging the earth or the environment.
SGCM: Which car was harder to design? The BMW i3 or the BMW i8?
DM: The challenge for the BMW i3 was that we designed the interior from scratch. Hence, combining certain aspects of the cabin such as the dashboard with the steering wheel and the gear lever wasn't easy. The challenge for the BMW i8, on the other hand, was focusing on being sporty. The lines on the inside had to communicate smoothness and speed. It's a totally different approach.
SGCM: Are there any areas of the i8 that you would redesign if given another chance?
DM: We have very strict design processes to create consistency in our cars. More importantly, a design is only good if it can fufill a function. Thus, I don't see a reason to redesign either cars because the forms of both cars follow function.
SGCM: What is the most difficult aspect in the interior design of the BMW i8?
DM: We had to rethink on how to control the movement of the butterfly doors and how the driver can reach the door handle when he's seated inside the car without having the need to stretch.
SGCM: Is there a signature design trait that BMW i cars possess that mainstream BMW cars do not have?
DM: For BMW cars, the unique corona rings form the daytime driving lights but for the i3 and the i8, we wanted something clean and clever. So we reduced the complexity and created a single gesture U-shaped daytime driving lights. Additionally, from the side of BMW i cars, there is a streamflow that tapers nicely to the back that mainstream BMW cars do not have.
SGCM: Was there a reason why the BMW i3 was designed to be a four-seater (two at the rear) and not a five-seater with a rear bench seat?
DM: It's meant to be a mega city vehicle, which also means that it's a better solution to have four occupants on board. This way, both rear passengers will have more space. We wanted to emphasise on comfort rather than maximum capacity.
SGCM: What is your favourite design element of both the BMW i3 and BMW i8 and why?
DM: For the BMW i3, it's definitely the dashboard because it's groundbreaking. It's a framework that's much lighter than any other dashboard in the market. For the BMW i8, it's the floating rear pillars because it's a new trend that has both form and function.
SGCM: Is there a reason why the gear lever in the BMW i3 is situated differently from the BMW i8?
DM: The goal of a mega city vehicle like the BMW i3 is about commuting in an interior that reminds you of a living room. It must always be comfortable and that's why the gear lever is situated at the right hand stalk. In the BMW i8, however, it's about being sporty. Therefore, the gear lever should be located at the classic centre console area.
SGCM: Which is your favourite car, then? The BMW i3 or the BMW i8?
DM: I feel more affiliated to the BMW i8, definitely. It has the looks of a sports car and spectacular elements like butterfly doors and floating roof pillars. Plus, when you enter the car, there is a contour lighting system that makes it extremely futuristic.
Photos by Low Fai Ming
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