Hitting the spot: BMW Group Design and BMW Group DesignworksUSA pick up five honours in the 2013 red dot awards. International jury recognises the excellent design quality of the BMW M6 Gran Coupe, BMW M135i, BMW 3 Series Touring, BMW R 1200 GS and NeilPryde Bayamo racing bike.

Munich. The BMW Group can add another chapter to its successful history in the red dot awards, with BMW Group Design and BMW Group DesignworksUSA taking home five of the internationally renowned distinctions in the “red dot award: product design 2013” competition. The BMW M6 Gran Coupe, BMW M135i, BMW 3 Series Touring and BMW R 1200 GS motorcycle were granted red dot design awards in the “Automotive and Transport” category in acknowledgement of their excellent design quality. The Bayamo racing bike, a collaboration by BMW Group DesignworksUSA and sports group NeilPryde, received the award in the “Outdoor, Leisure and Sports” category. The awards will be presented at the red dot gala, taking place in the Aalto Theatre in Essen, Germany on 1 July 2013. The guest list is expected to include more than 1,200 international figures from the worlds of industry, politics and media.

The red dot award was first presented in 1955 and is one of the world’s most respected product design prizes. The jury of 37 internationally acclaimed design luminaries presents the award in recognition of outstanding achievement across the most diverse fields of creative endeavour. And the competition continues to hold considerable appeal, with a total of 1,865 independent designers and large companies from 54 countries putting themselves forward for the red dot award: product design 2013. In all, 4,662 entries were received in the 19 categories.

Five submissions from BMW Group Design and BMW Group DesignworksUSA earned red dot awards for design quality excellence. The design of the BMW M6 Gran Coupe, for example, embodies an exceptional harmony of athletic and aesthetic appeal. Hallmark M design features influenced directly by technical considerations – such as cooling air requirements, chassis geometry, weight balance and aerodynamics – open a clear window into the performance capability of the BMW M6 Gran Coupe. The front of the car is dominated by its large air intakes, standard Adaptive LED Headlights and an M kidney grille designed especially for this model. From the side, the first four-door Coupe in the BMW M GmbH ranks is clearly distinguishable from the BMW M6 Coupe. The low roofline flowing smoothly into the rear, the swage line – which takes in the door openers – and side windows extending well into the C-pillars accentuate the dynamically stretched silhouette. The extremely lightweight, impressively strong high-tech material CFRP is used in the construction of the roof. Its visible carbon structure provides an eye-catching feature, as does a dynamic recess in the centre of the roof.

The BMW M135i also presents a compelling proposition as the first BMW M Performance Automobile in the premium compact segment. Aerodynamically optimised body elements such as the front apron in hallmark M design, top performance figures and stand-out efficiency within the competitive field all bear witness to the harmonious interplay of drivetrain, suspension technology and aerodynamic balance with subtle sporting looks that is the hallmark of M models. Exclusive interior fittings augment the car’s elegantly sporty look.

The BMW 3 Series Touring adds variability and lifestyle qualities to the core values of the brand. The stretched silhouette and sloping rear window exude a feeling of speed even before the car has moved a muscle, while the smoothly downward-sloping roofline and large tailgate hint at the versatile nature of the interior. Like the BMW 3 Series Sedan, the front end of the Touring represents a consistent example of design development and – through the single stylistic unit of headlights and kidney grille – precise design. One of the stand-out aspects of the interior is its “layering” treatment of volumes, i.e. the interplay and offsetting of various layers of the cabin architecture which, together with the customary BMW driver focus, puts all important functions within easy reach.

The new BMW R 1200 GS makes a persuasive case for itself with its well-resolved combination of unmistakable design language and wiry off-road stature. Its familiar GS design platform helps make the new version of the world’s most popular touring enduro a case study in how to take the styling of an iconic motorcycle to another new level of perfection.

Also garnering an award was the Bayamo high-performance racing bike, the third collaboration between BMW Group DesignworksUSA in Asia and sports group NeilPryde Bikes. Its frame is made of high-grade carbon fibre, lending the bike outstanding strength coupled with extremely low weight. This characteristic dichotomy is also found in the frame’s profile, which appears substantial and flat when seen from the side yet thin and light from the front and rear. For optimal aesthetics and aerodynamics, all the drive train and shifting cables are routed within the frame. The graphics package created by BMW Group DesignworksUSA, furthermore, provides options for personalising the bike.

The BMW Group has enjoyed plentiful success in the red dot award over recent years. In 2012 BMW collected 11 accolades, including two special “best of the best” prizes for the BMW AirFlow2 helmet and Husqvarna Nuda 900 R motorcycle. In 2011 the BMW 6 Series Convertible and BMW X3 received awards, with the BMW 5 Series Touring capturing the “best of the best” title.