BMW 3 Series Convertible wins iF Gold Award 2008 for excellent design.

BMW 3 Series Convertible wins iF Gold Award 2008 for excellent design.
"Industrie Forums Design" will present the prestigious award at the opening of
CeBIT in Hanover/Germany.

Munich/Hanover. Stretched dynamics, powerful elegance, 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. On 4 March, 2008, the opening date of the CeBit technology fair,
the first BMW Convertible with a fully retractable hardtop will be announced as
the winner of the iF Gold Award. This special prize is the highest award the
"Industrie Forum Design" will present. 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.
If you have any further questions, please contact our:

Corporate Communications

Dirk Arnold, Product Communication BMW Cars
Tel: +49 89 382 12325, Fax: +49 89 382 20626

Kristina Weith, Product Communications, Design and Concept Cars
Tel: +49 89 382 26707, Fax: +49 89 382 20626

Media website: www.press.bmwgroup.com
E-mail: presse@bmw.de