BMW M started a mini-series not long ago, focusing on the production process of its iconic models. The first episode was focused on how the first sketches of a future model are being drawn up and now we’re taking a closer look at how they are being shaped up, thanks to clay. Yes, clay is still being used to design cars even in today’s high-tech world albeit it is combined with a particular set of tools that get things going a lot faster.
The video below follows the transition from sketch on a page to clay model – and this requires artists who can turn a bold vision into something tangible. Robert Cornacchia is one such person, and in the following video he shows how BMW’s unique designs are transformed into something life-sized and fully three-dimensional. To put things in his own words: “M Design is characterized by the high performance, power and dynamic and the feeling of creating something extraordinary.”
BMW is one of the last automakers to rely on the production of life-size clay models, and because they offer an incomparable way of studying a new car in development, BMW M is reluctant to do away with them. They are the only way the presence of an entire vehicle can be experienced and its proportions fully appreciated. The job of the clay modeller is to wed the designer’s idea and the developer’s technical specifications without losing the unique vision of the new BMW M5.
The BMW M5 combines the functionality and perfection of racing car with the breath-taking appearance of a high-performance sedan. The highly emotional process of rendering it in clay requires razor-sharp concentration, profound dedication and intense passion. All of these elements are embodied in the BMW M5 with every curve, every contour and every edge of its dynamic and elegant exterior and you can check out how it’s done in the video posted below.
