The BMW 328 Hommage celebrated, commemorated, and modernized the iconic 328, marking the automobile’s 75th anniversary in outrageous trend. Thought of by some to be one of the best sports activities automobile of the Thirties — and an enormous success for BMW — the unique 328 arguably set the bar for all BMWs that got here after. Futuristic steps for the time, like utilization of light-weight metals and new suspension know-how, contributed to the 328’s distinctive efficiency and in-period accolades. It’s solely becoming that BMW’s successor to one of many biggest was assembled with unparalleled consideration to element. Right here’s the way it occurred.
Design Origins: How the BMW 328 Hommage Was Born
The 328 Hommage was birthed by Karl Baumer, president of BMW’s basic automobile division, again in 2008. On the time, Baumer initially envisioned an M1 reference piece. Whereas that by no means materialized, the identical thought got here Adrian van Hooydonk’s in 2011. Now, Adrian had truly pushed an authentic 328, and the automobile had left an impression on him. Core BMW philosophies shined brilliant with this pre-war gem, as evidenced by his phrases to Steve Saxty in his e book BMW by Design.
“Its mild weight, six-cylinder engine, and rear-wheel drive actually impressed me,” he says. With Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este across the nook and the once-budding idea automobiles class now a extremely popular attraction, BMW spun off the present ConnectedDrive idea into what we all know as we speak because the 328 Hommage.
“Across the nook” might need been burying the lead a bit, although. The Hommage turned an outlined aim in January 2011, simply 4 months earlier than Villa d’Este. Designer Christopher Weil took first crack on the 328 Hommage. Although the ConnectedDrive idea had solely simply taken kind, Weil borrowed generously and in simply the proper locations. “I believed folks won’t notice it was the identical automobile if I modified its character by tweaking the proper elements,” he says in Saxty’s e book.
He claims that he revised the principle physique line and adjusted the rocker panel beneath the place the door can be. In fact, one other distinction was the dearth of doorways completely — “no price range,” Weil explains. Additional tweaks included an clearly redone grille with different-styled lights.
Constructing the 328 Hommage: Z4 Roots, Carbon Fiber Shell, and Classic Soul
After design will get sorted, BMW units to work constructing the wild idea. Carbon fiber physique panels, fiberglass (made to seem like carbon fiber) trim items, and alloy wheels styled after the 328’s authentic holed-wheel model gave the automobile the right mix of up to date and classic. Gross car weight was simply 780 kg — round 1720 kilos. Saddle leather-based upholstery was chosen for its uniquely “aged” properties. When time got here to breathe life into the automobile, BMW selected to work with California-based coachbuilders Metalworks.
Underpinning the 328 Hommage, appropriately, is BMW’s roadster of the day. A Z4 take a look at automobile pulled from the automaker’s personal Oxnard, California emissions take a look at facility with 63,000 kilometers already on the clock. Stripped and lengthened, the chassis proves to be the right match for added reinforcements and the carbon fiber tub mendacity beneath the sheet steel — erm, sheet carbon fiber — of the Hommage. In fact, this sort of resourcefulness didn’t actually contribute to a lot value financial savings. The 328 Hommage was nonetheless a multi-million greenback mission. Take into account the bespoke alloy wheels, CFRP development and — most significantly — customized glass, which idea automobiles almost by no means get as a result of it’s in order that costly to fabricate.
Legacy of the 328 Hommage: A Preview of BMW’s Design Future?
Lastly, in Could 2011, the 328 Hommage landed at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, full with different idea automobile neatness like leather-based straps flanking the outside and a show comprising twin iPhones. How far we’ve come! Regardless, it stands as we speak as an superior reference to a automobile that arguably made BMW what it’s as we speak and has been for many years. And, hopefully, a style of what’s to come back for the unique 328’s a hundredth anniversary. Wish to study extra concerning the 328 Hommage? We suggest trying out Steve Saxty’s glorious e book, BMW by Design. Or, try the remainder of his BMW books — they’re all worthwhile.
