BMW Builds a Cloth Car

Fox News ^ | June 10, 2008 | Gary Gastelu

[AngieGal]

They say beauty is only skin deep. Tell that to GINA.

Instead of a metal or plastic body, BMW's latest concept, the GINA Light Visionary Model, drapes a flexible fabric material over a moveable wire mesh frame, creating a nearly seamless surface that can alter its form at the whim of the driver.

[School of Rational Thought]

You are thinking of the V-8, aka the V - Gina.

[LiberConservative]

What a gorgeous and elegant car. It looks almost alive in the video.

[derllak]

I am? Thanks for setting me straight. :P

I thought the car was kinda ugly, but watching the video makes it seem pretty cool. Flattering that they named it after me too. :)

[MississippiMan]

Wow, that’s cool. WATCH THE VIDEO!

She oughta be screaming fast as light as it must be. Coupled with that BMW feel, it should be special.

I almost bought a 550i a few months ago. Decided that luxury and features were more important than the incredible driving feel and went with the Lexus LS460 instead.

MM

[Pearls Before Swine]

With a name like that, I see a future for it in target marketing to Hillary’s disaffected followers. I think they could get into a GINA.

They'd find it even easier if it were named the HUMA.

[Virulas]

What a wonderful innovation. If you ever get into a fender bender you can forget the thousands of dollars spent at the body shop and work it out with a hot iron!

Did anybody ever see the Saturday Night Live commercial featuring the “Adobe”? Something tells me the sticker price on the GINA would be substantially higher than the one for a car made mostly of clay.

[stefanbatory]

what happens if you live or work in the city? let us assume for the sake of argument that this city is rather socialist in bent and therefore riddled with crime. what would happen if a “youth” were to redecorate your car with his switchblade or lighter?

[DariusBane]

good question, and one i was pondering. Seems like the concept is great but material may be lagging. Need some kind of nano technology skin that is liquid like terminators. Otherwise a punk with a pocket knife can ruin your day. But you could replace the skin of the whole car for a couple grand. Great concept though for sure. Wonder if it will resist penetration, would hate to have a tree branch go through the hood and into my chest! Or of you skid sideways into a tree branch will it go through the door and through you?

[JerseyHighlander]

Looks like they are designing to pass crash safety tests and NOT to the possible real world conditions you mentioned.