When BMW birthed a copper-toned autonomous baby during its 100th anniversary party last month, we hadn?t spent enough time with this audacious concept car. We’ve since learned more about it, so allow us to share additional details of the company?s Vision Next 100 Concept as well as some insight from BMW chief designer Karim Habib, who helped craft it.

Flexing Fenders

Lots of cars evoke muscularity, and yet metal bodies are static. This BMW has what ought to be named Active Bicep Control, in that the fenders stretch like tight skin over all four wheels. A complicated mess of rods and actuators slides the orange fender extension outward like a telescoping lens, moving the diamond-shaped cutouts fixed to the surface along with it. Ideally, BMW would build the entire assembly?steering, fender, actuators, magic sauce?as a single unit through additive manufacturing (also known as 3-D printing). The rear fenders would also flex to provide rear-wheel steering, although they?re not operable on this car. BMW could have avoided this complexity by mounting the front wheels further inboard and running standard skirts over them. That would have solved the drag problem but ruined the car?s wide stance, and handling?should the concept ever trudge over 5 mph?would have suffered. In any case, these fenders are both trippy and functional, or could be if manufacturing techniques catch up with BMW?s dreams.
Vertical Kidneys

The bucktooth kidney grilles, when combined with the low-rid...