BMW CS1 Concept
At this year’s Geneva Motor Show, BMW unveiled its CS1 Concept Car, telling the public that it offers ‘a first glimpse of the design philosophy which might characterise the exterior of a “small” BMW in future’. It’s already known that BMW will soon be producing a small model to be designated ‘1-Series’ and the CS1 thus has clues to what it could look like.
The 4-seater CS1 concept car with a convertible bodystyle is clearly a genuine BMW but at the same time, it boasts its unique, independent character most clearly.
In its design, the CS1 combines elegant agility with powerful dynamism. The broad shoulder line, flowing side-sills and muscular wheels with their extra-large and clearly visible brakes suggest performance and endurance.
The traditional dual headlights are set off against one another in dynamic arrangement, surrounded by the new but already very popular light rings as yet another distinctive BMW design element. A small “window” between the two headlights offers a glimpse of the bi-xenon headlight technology. The glass covers on the headlights extend over the front edge up to the engine compartment lid, providing the impression of eyes wide open. Together with the powerful-looking front airdam with its wide air intake scoop, these “eyes” give the CS1 an alert, refined and dynamic look.
The philosophy of light, carefree elegance is also borne out by the interior of the CS1. There are absolutely no opulent, bulky components, the designers being inspired instead by the world of fashion and modern architecture. The result is an ambience truly fresh and modern in every respect. Both classic and modern materials are used consciously in their ideal form, expressing their character also through their design. Surfaces finished in fabric and leather replace the usual heavy components, not only saving space, but also providing an extremely generous feeling and experience inside the car. And at the same time BMW’s designers prove that weight reduction need not detract from the car’s elegance and flair.
The CS1 consistently maintains BMW’s new interior and control philosophy featuring iDrive management for the driver. This allows the driver to concentrate on the actual process of motoring. The various functions offered are masterminded conveniently and safely by just a handful of controls. All the driver has to do is briefly press the Controller in the centre console and the monitor previously concealed will come out of the cockpit, facing the driver’s line of vision directly from above. This enables the driver to set all functions required for comfort, communication, navigation, information and entertainment within a matter of seconds, without having to first look for the appropriate controls and buttons.
An aluminium crossbar with both a light and solid feeling forms the central axis in the cockpit. It is supported visibly by two wing-like swinging arms rising up out of the centre tunnel and extending to the two sides of the cockpit at either end. Covered with soft neoprene, the two swinging arms offer a particularly attractive touch. The right-hand arm is flexible and, whenever required, provides access to the bag-like glove compartment right behind.
Dome-like surfaces appearing to hover in space above the aluminium crossbar round off the cockpit. Covered in fine, flexible neoprene, these surfaces freely encompass the free space created in this way. Beneath this “roof”, there is adequate space for the free-standing controls and instruments, the speedometer and tachometer attached directly to the steering column. These two circular instruments vary in size, thus taking up a design element already well-known from the cockpits of BMW motorcycles. They are surrounded by discreet light rings reminiscent themselves of the headlights’ new look.
While being a short car, the CS1 is a BMW through and through also in its drive concept. The CS1 has a longitudinally-mounted engine and the drive wheels are at the rear, giving the sort of dynamic driving characteristics so typical of BMW and ensuring optimum weight distribution at the same time. One might add that this drivetrain also provides clear differentiation with the other small member in the BMW family, the Mini, which has FWD…
The CS1 is powered by BMW’s 85 kW/115 bhp 1.8-litre 4-cylinder engine with VALVETRONIC. The Sequential Manual Gearbox shifts gears within fractions of a second via paddles on the steering wheel, relieving the driver of the usual chore of engaging or disengaging the clutch. Driver power is conveyed to the road by 18-inch light-alloy wheels with tyres measuring 215/45 at the front and 235/40 at the rear.
Within its body, the CS1 again proves that design, technology and function interact hand-in-hand. The engine compartment, for instance, is partly covered by flexible, heat-proof tissue and partly by fire-resistant carbon-glass fibre plastic. The flexible cover houses “cold” units and systems such as the air filters, the cooling and brake system indicated graphically on the reflecting surface. The “hot” components around the engine, for example the exhaust system, are housed beneath the carbon-glass fibre cover.
