The BMW I Vision Dee is a glimpse into the future. And I’m not just talking about what it looks like. A look at the concept shows BMW’s view of the future of driving. And thankfully, we were one of the lucky few journalists to not only get some seat time, but also 1:1 with the UI designer behind it.
In our short time with the Vision Dee, a few things have become clear. The flame finish is dead. This design concept, which has been part of BMW since the 2001 7 Series, has served the brand well, but BMW is making it clear it’s time to move on. In its place are minimal and almost gentle forms and folds that feel directly connected to the E21 generation 3 Series.
The other is the return to classic BMW proportions. This critical design ethos, which has served BMW for decades, was driven by performance. However, pedestrian safety standards (among other things) seemed to take that away from BMW as a brand ethos. Without a massive chunk of metal up front, those standards don’t have to be met with two feet of plastic and rubber in front of the front wheels. This will apparently allow BMW to return to that classic ratio we’ve known for decades and has been the hallmark of cars like the E21 and E30.
