The Goodwood Festival of Speed, held annually at the historic Goodwood House in West Sussex, England, is a celebration of motorsport and automotive excellence. The 2024 edition of this illustrious event also gave us another look at a remarkable classic: the BMW Garmisch. This concept car, originally designed in 1970 by the renowned Italian designer Marcello Gandini for Bertone, was meticulously recreated by BMW in 2019, honoring both its legacy and its visionary creator.
The Original Garmisch: Italian Design Meets Bavarian Engineering
The BMW Garmisch debuted at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show, combining the blend of Italian flair and German precision. Marcello Gandini, the mastermind behind the design, was already famous for his work on iconic cars like the Lamborghini Miura and the Alfa Romeo Carabo. The Garmisch was Gandini’s attempt to showcase a bold, futuristic vision for BMW, featuring a striking geometric design, a distinctive kidney grille, and a unique louvered rear window.
Despite its avant-garde design and positive reception, the original Garmisch concept car was lost after its debut, leaving behind only a few photographs and sketches. It remained a tantalizing “what if” in the annals of automotive history until BMW decided to resurrect it nearly half a century later.
The Resurrection: A Modern Homage to a Classic
BMW’s decision to recreate the Garmisch was driven by Adrian van Hooydonk’s desire to honor its design heritage and celebrate Gandini. The project, led by BMW’s design team under the guidance of Adrian van Hooydonk, involved painstakingly reconstructing the car using the scant archival material available. BMW reached out to Marcello Gandini, who provided invaluable insights and details about the original design.
The recreation process involved modern techniques, like 3D printing, and materials, but the team remained faithful to the car’s original specifications. Every detail, from the exterior’s sharp lines and surfaces to the interior’s unique features, was meticulously reproduced. The louvered rear window, the prominent kidney grille, and the crisp, angular bodywork all harken back to Gandini’s visionary design.
The front end features a distinctive interpretation of BMW’s kidney grille, which is integrated into a sleek, angular fascia. The slim, horizontal headlights and clean lines create a sense of modernity and sophistication.
The revived BMW Garmisch, based on the 2002 tii like its 1970 predecessor, isn’t entirely composed of BMW parts. The Steve Saxty book “BMW’s Hidden Gems,” reveals that the sleek coupe utilized door handles from a Fiat X1/9, purchased on eBay for $360. Behind the plexiglass front covers are headlights from a Fiat 130 Coupe. A former BMW mechanic aided the team in tracing the origins of Bertone’s lost showcar and identifying its unique components. The wheels, originally Cromodora CD27s made famous by the Fiat X1/9 Corsa, were also sourced from eBay. These rims were modified with bespoke center caps and polished stainless steel discs, completing the car’s distinctive look.
The Autovox radio in the resurrected BMW Garmisch is likely the only component that doesn’t function perfectly. A member of the BMW Classic team acquired it from an Italian radio restorer, and it still crackles, much like the original unit used in Bertone’s concept. The period-correct Bertone badge was found at a car show, adding to the car’s authenticity.
Recreating the Garmisch logo presented a challenge, but the script was successfully reproduced after being found in a blueprint. This meticulous attention to detail ensured that the reborn Garmisch retained the character and essence of the original concept, celebrating its legacy in every aspect.
Unveiling at the Goodwood Festival of Speed
The revived BMW Garmisch showed up in Goodwood alongside some of the most exquisite and historically significant automobiles in the world, and stood out as a testament to BMW’s commitment to preserving and celebrating its design legacy. The recreation of the BMW Garmisch serves as a bridge between the past and the present, linking the innovative spirit of the 1970s with contemporary design and engineering prowess. It is a reminder of the timeless appeal of thoughtful, bold design and the enduring power of collaboration between visionary designers and daring manufacturers.
[Photos: Klapped.Media]
