BMW creates stunning tribute to 328
Batmobile-esque roadster concept chalks up 75th anniversary of iconic 328 racer, which still holds the average-speed record for the Mille Miglia circuitBMW all but stole last weekend's Villa d'Este Concours in Italy by wheeling out this eye-catching tribute to its iconic 328 racer, which this year notches up its 75th anniversary.
The 328 Hommage reprises the open-topped, two-seater configuration of its ancestor, but its design is a skilful mix of old and new styling cues that make for a genuinely offbeat one-off.
It follows three years after BMW used the same venue to reveal the stunning M1 Hommage, designed to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the mid-engined M1.
"With the BMW 328 Hommage, we wish to pay homage to the passion and inventiveness of the fathers of the BMW 328," said BMW Group Classic CEO Karl Baumer. "They created an icon which is considered a milestone in the history of the automobile."
Although the basic configuration reflects that of the original 328, the concept is a state-of-the-art device that makes extensive use of lightweight carbonfibre-reinforced plastic. In fact, the material's carbon-weave pattern is also used as a design cue, rather than being hidden behind layers of paint.
Unashamed nods to its ancestor include knock-off wheel nuts, an elongated twin-kidney grille and a single-headlight face -- in contrast to the twin-headlight look that's now a BMW trademark. Also decidedly retro are the faux bonnet tie-down straps.
Other classic old-school racecar elements include the absence of doors and twin humps behind the passenger compartment.
Notwithstanding its overwhelmingly retro theme, the 328 Hommage also has much in common with the cutting-edge Vision ConnectedDrive roadster that debuted at this year's Geneva motor show.
So while there won't be a production version of the car, it's fair to expect that some of its design elements may filter through to future showroom offerings.
Technical details relating to the 328 Hommage are as yet scarce, but what we do know is that its propulsion comes from a 3.0-litre straight-six engine.
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