BMW Invades Shanghai, Wave 2: Never Seen In Asia Before, The BMW Vision ConnectedDrive Concept.

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Honestly, I have no idea what this is. I googled it and found this great article, written after the concept was shown in Geneva. From what I can see, it’s more than a concept. It’s a vision of a concept. A vision that will most likely give Ray LaHood nights of distraction. BMW Vision ConnectedDrive concept gallery after the jump. Right this way ..

Without further hairdo, we let the blurb speak for itself. Knowing you, you’ll head right for the pictures.

“With the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive concept car being presented at the Auto Shanghai 2011, BMW is offering a glance into the future of intelligent networking between driver, vehicle and environment. Expressive design and innovative technology reflect the vision of BMW ConnectedDrive and the potential that can be unleashed through a targeted exchange of information for optimizing comfort, safety and Infotainment inside an automobile. Using typical BMW design vocabulary, the two-seater roadster prototype epitomizes the focus on driving pleasure. Captivating light effects symbolize the flow of information permitting the use of innovative BMW ConnectedDrive functions. With groundbreaking driver assistance systems, a novel display and operating concept as well as innovative technical solutions for connecting with the world of Infotainment, the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive offers a glance into a future driving experience that has been further intensified thanks to intelligent networking.”






Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

More by Bertel Schmitt

Comments
Join the conversation
 3 comments
  • 1996MEdition 1996MEdition on Apr 04, 2011

    No thanks. Just give me 3 pedals, a tach, and OP & temp gages and I'll be fine.

    • See 1 previous
    • Shipwright Shipwright on Apr 05, 2011

      I agree. The least amount of extraneous technology the better, especially in a two seater. After all this is supposed to be a sports car not a video game/home theatre.

  • 28-Cars-Later I'm getting a Knight Rider vibe... or is it more Knightboat?
  • 28-Cars-Later "the person would likely be involved in taking the Corvette to the next level with full electrification."Chevrolet sold 37,224 C8s in 2023 starting at $65,895 in North America (no word on other regions) while Porsche sold 40,629 Taycans worldwide starting at $99,400. I imagine per unit Porsche/VAG profit at $100K+ but was far as R&D payback and other sunk costs I cannot say. I remember reading the new C8 platform was designed for hybrids (or something to that effect) so I expect Chevrolet to experiment with different model types but I don't expect Corvette to become the Taycan. If that is the expectation, I think it will ride off into the sunset because GM is that incompetent/impotent. Additional: In ten years outside of wrecks I expect a majority of C8s to still be running and economically roadworthy, I do not expect that of Taycans.
  • Tassos Jong-iL Not all martyrs see divinity, but at least you tried.
  • ChristianWimmer My girlfriend has a BMW i3S. She has no garage. Her car parks on the street in front of her apartment throughout the year. The closest charging station in her neighborhood is about 1 kilometer away. She has no EV-charging at work.When her charge is low and she’s on the way home, she will visit that closest 1 km away charger (which can charge two cars) , park her car there (if it’s not occupied) and then she has two hours time to charge her car before she is by law required to move. After hooking up her car to the charger, she has to walk that 1 km home and go back in 2 hours. It’s not practical for sure and she does find it annoying.Her daily trip to work is about 8 km. The 225 km range of her BMW i3S will last her for a week or two and that’s fine for her. I would never be able to handle this “stress”. I prefer pulling up to a gas station, spend barely 2 minutes filling up my small 53 liter fuel tank, pay for the gas and then manage almost 720 km range in my 25-35% thermal efficient internal combustion engine vehicle.
  • Tassos Jong-iL Here in North Korea we are lucky to have any tires.
Next