3 questions to Domagoj Dukec, Head of BMW Design

The least we can say is that we did not return empty-handed from our getaway to the Villa d’Este, on the shores of Lake Como, where the traditional Concours d’Elegance was held this weekend. organized by the BMW Group. Not content with having discovered the Concept Touring Coupé (a Z4 hunting station wagon presented on this occasion, see photo below), with having seen dozens of exceptional cars parade, we also spoke with many people , including the head of BMW design, Domagoj Dukec, to evoke in particular the aforementioned showcar, but not only…

“At BMW, we need niche models because our credo is driving pleasure”

Why did you wait until now to make a Z4 Coupé? After all, there has already been a Z3 Coupé and also a Z4 Coupé based on the first generation?

” It’s a good question. Before embarking on the realization of a project, we carry out a profitability study. However, you know very well that 2-door models, convertibles or coupes are finding fewer and fewer buyers. On a Series 4, we can multiply the bodies. We can make a 4 Series Gran Coupe. And without investing too much, without it costing too much, you can make a 4 Series Cabriolet. But even these models are not very profitable. The Z4 is already a niche vehicle, a roadster. At BMW, we need niche models because our credo is driving pleasure.

The Z3 Coupé sold some 13,000 copies, which is not much. If you want to mass-produce a model like this, the development cost is too high. Difficult to make a return on investment by selling 10,000 units.

At the Villa d’Este, we are not here to talk about our daily business. It is about presenting one-offs (single copies). We have the opportunity to have fun, to get out of the frames. And that’s part of the communication around the future “Neue Klasse” platform because BMW is a company that loves to play with contradictions. It is believed that a vehicle can be both elegant and sporty. Or even responsible but luxurious. Likewise, if a car is practical, that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Or, just because a model is exclusive doesn’t mean it has to be big. This Concept Touring Coupé is a bit of all of these things at the same time. It can only accommodate two passengers but there is room in the trunk. It has a functional yet elegant design. But she is also athletic.

BMW regularly stirs up controversy on social media. Why this? Why that ? Why is this item so big? BMW divides. This car, however, even if it is steeped in contradictions, and that makes it a real BMW, it appeals to almost everyone”.

The first car that the Concept Touring Coupé made me think of, even more than the Z3 Coupé, was the Ferrari FF, especially seen from the rear. And I quickly realized that I was not at all the only one to see a similarity with this model. Is it wanted?

“Absolutely not, it’s a coincidence. Why it looks like it is a question of proportions. Already, the Z4 has a long hood because the engine is placed in the front central position. It sits just behind the wheels. It’s the same for all front-engine Ferraris. Regarding the rear part, the thing is that since there are not many shooting brakesit is normal that you see there a reference to the only few cars of the same kind that exist.

Here we didn’t have many possibilities anyway. We had a car that was already there. Even whether we were going to make a model type fastback like the Z4 Coupé or a shooting station wagon like the Z3 Coupé, there was nothing strategic about it. We tested both options and found that it was the latter that worked best and best matched the proportions of the roadster”.

“We don’t just make cars that are aesthetically pleasing, they have to make sense at the same time”

Which BMW inspires you the most?

“There were two that marked my childhood, the cars of the 80s: the E9 and the E24 (the latter being the very first 6 Series in history, and the E9, its ancestor, editor’s note). Because they are cars that make a strong impression on the road. Like Mercedes, even if it’s two different things. There are Mercedes which are more statutory, more comfortable. And BMWs that are a little bolder, more dynamic. They influenced my aesthetic.

Today, I find the i3 to be very inspiring as well. I didn’t design it, it wasn’t my job, but I like the fact that a company like BMW, even if it produces models that customers expect, it is able to launch a car that doesn’t doesn’t look like a BMW but becomes one in its own right. We don’t just make cars that are aesthetically pleasing, they have to make sense at the same time.”

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