Lucien Rosengard

(1881-1973)

(also spelled as Rosengart) - French engineer born in Belleville, was called upon by BMW in 1928 to modernize Dixi 3/15; the car has been called BMW 3/15 type DA2 (German: Deutsche Ausführung) 1929; it had bigger windows, changed radiator and more space inside. The BMW slogan was: Bigger inside than on the outside; sedan, coupe, cabrio (convertible) and roadster were produced

Rosengard - an excellent engineer,  went to produce small cars himself - first in Neuilly, France, under the name Rosengart ; using the whole parts of Austin Seven, later producing French versions of German Adler cars; his built in 1937 Supertraction was a 2-door sports cabrio with a kidneys like front grille; Rosengard spent the war in the USA and his factory did not produce cars during the time, after the WWII, he returned to France and tried to launch a new small car - Ariette (1947-1954) and the bigger and modern break - Vivor (1950-1955),  production at the factory near Paris ceased in 1955; today, the city of Plerin (Brittany) has a street named after him

<BMW Dixi 3/15 DA-2 <<final assembly hall of the BMW 3/15 in Berlin in 1929; <<< Lucien Rosengard in 1932 - a portrait by Eduard Vuillard, oil (fragment), private coll. <<<< Rosengard's initials on a wheel hub on the car he was building <<<< Rosengart LR4 N2 from 1932, with the max. speed of 80 km/h, but the brakes only on its rear wheels <<<<< Rosengart Automobiles logo with an L joining T 

Paul Jaray

(1898-1974)  

never a BMW designer, Paul Jaray had an enormous influence on BMW designs of 1930-ties; born of Hungarian-Jewish descent in Vienna as one of five children of Adolf Jaray, a merchant, in the family which originated in then Hungarian city of Temesvár (Austro-Hungarian Empire, today in Romania: Timişoara), his grandfather Sigmund Jaray (born Sigmund Jeitteles) was a sucessful interrior designer and furniture manufacturer in Vienna, his older brother Sandor a sculptor; Paul Jaray was educated at Realschule in Vienna and after studies in Maschinenbauschule he worked shortly for the aircraft bilder Flugzeugbau Keller& Wouwermans, Vienna and later at the Prague Technical University, where he was an assistant to Professor Rudolf Dörfl (1855-1938); Jaray's first patents are from this period; he worked later as the chief design engineer for the aircraft builder Flugzeugbau in Friedrichshafen and from 1915 at Luftschiffbau Zeppelin; Jaray invented a new construction bicycle called J-rad, with front wheel smaller and moved forward, after about 2000 of J-rads were produced (1922-1923), the production had been halted because of  serious accidents caused by braking of the longer than in other bikes fork of the bicycle (caused by cheaper but faulty steel used), some of the J-rad bicycles are still in use - mostly in the Netherlands; after this affair Jaray moved permanently to Switzerland opening an office in Brunnen (1923);  in 1927 he founded the firm Stromlinien Karosserie Gesellschaft, which created numerous designs for a streamlined body for already established car producers of all big names; after the WWII he lectured at Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), Zurich, died in St. Gallen in Switzerland.

Jaray collaborated with Dixi in Eisenach, before the factory has been taken over by BMW: it is there that he build his one person aerodynamic car prototype incorporating his original streamlining ideas patented in 1922; most of Jaray's prototypes were later built by Alfred Ley at Rudolf Ley Maschinenfabrik AG in Arnstadt (Thuringia)

< DiXi prototype from 1923 with body by Jaray (buiilt by Gläser in Dresden, picture from the book by Horst Ihling, “Autos aus Eisenach”, Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart, 1999) <<< drawing from the Jaray's 1922 patent <<<< Jaray's car built by Alfred Ley, ca 1925 and its patent drawings <<<<Paul Jaray at the presentation of Maybach SW 35 in 1922 (third from the left, with a sheet of paper in hands)

Josef Ganz

(1898-1967)

  German designer of Hungarian-Jewish descent, born in Budapest of German father and Hungarian mother, Ganz has been active in the 1920's and 1930"s and had an important contribution for the ideas of the time; he has been contracted by BMW in July of 1931 as a consultant and participated in the creation of the first version (so called AM1 - Ausführung München) of  BMW 3/20 (1932)

already in the 1920's Ganz had originated an idea of the cheap car in Germany and Maikäfer (in German: May Beetle) he designed for Adler, and another one called Standard Superior designed in 1931 for Standard (owner: Wilhelm Gutbrod) looked like a  prototype of and has been called in the adverts of 1934 as Volkswagen; arrested by Gestapo in May of 1933 under trump up charges, released in June 1934, Ganz emigrated to Switzerland, lived later in France (after 1949) and Australia; his ideas were continued by Tatra cars and later by the Nazis

<  photo comes from www.ganz-volkswagen.org/book_project.htm. << Standard Superior 1933 *<<< advert from 1934

Fritz Fiedler

(1899-1972)

born in Potsdam, Fiedler studied at Technische Hochschule Charlottenburg (Berlin), after studies worked as a constructor at Deutschen Kraftfahrzeugwerken, Berlin, he became a chief constructor for the car maker Stoewer in then German city of Szczecin (Gebrüder Stoewer, Fabrik für Motorfahrzeuge, Stettin) and later, after a short period as the chief constructor at Horch in Zwickau, Fritz Fiedler went to BMW (1932) to become the head of the BMW car development in the 1930's - at the time when BMW 303 (1933), BMW 315 (1934), BMW 326 (1936) and the legendary BMW 328 (1936) were built

after the WWII while Germany has been divided into four occupation zones and BMW was not permitted to produce cars, Fiedler worked from 1945 in England helping to produce Bristol 400, which was derived from BMW 327 (German engineer was called there Dr. Fiedler); upon his return to Germany in 1949 he went to Opel where he was a chief constructor and later, in early 1950's returned again to BMW: he was responsible for the engine development and went to be the BMW AG chairman 1955-1956, he retired in 1971

<< BMW 328

Rudolf Schleicher

more a constructor and an inventor than a car stylist - Rudolf Schleicher had an important influence on the BMW cars of the 1930's; as a young engineer he came in 1922 to Munich and from 1923 he had been already responsible for the motorcycle development at BMW, he also won several races as the factory motorcycle rider; he left in 1927 for Horch and returned in 1932 to BMW; Schleicher constructed 6 cyl. (straight six) engines for BMW and worked closely with Fiedler in the 1930's contributing to the novel construction of the cars of that era; in the late 1930's; later Schleicher as the head of the BMW Racing Dept. had an important influence on the new BMW sports cars; he led the BMW BMW motorcycle production during the WWII (the car production at BMW stopped in 1942 because of the Germany's war effort); some of the engines designed by Schleicher in the 1930's remained in production until early 1960's; after the war Schleicher established his own firm producing car components (as camshafts): Schleicher Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG in Munich

< Schleicher on a motorcycle ca 1922 << Rudilf Schleicher  <<< first BMW 6-cyl. engine 

Peter Szymanowski

(also spelled as Szimanowski) German designer of Polish descent, was the head of the body design at BMW in the mid-1930's and early 1940's, after the WWII head of the design at BMW (>>see below), Szymanowski is credited for the BMW 328 body - one of the first cars tested for its aerodynamics in a wind tunnel; BMW cars of the late 1930's were ahead of their time both: technically and aesthetically

< BMW 326 design from 1936, first car with the body designed by Szymanowski using the wind tunnel << a contemporary drawing of BMW 328, one of the icons of the brand constructed by Fritz Fiedler with the body by Szymanowski

Wilhelm Meyerhuber

(1888?-1978?)

started his career at Opel - he stayed for some time in the US at the General Motors; Meyerhuber came to BMW in 1937, he became the head of the newly created in 1938 BMW design department, he proclaimed the first artistic car design idea - he called it "Künstlerische Gestaltung" (Artistic Creating) ; BMW  formed then design bureaus in Hamburg and Köthen (Saxony) emlpoying 20 designers; in the years 1940-1942 the first clay model of the car scaled 1:1 has been made for  BMW 385 - the car which was never produced because of the war

<BMW design department in the 1930's  << Peter Szymanowski ?, Wilhelm Meyerhuber and a model-builder Karl Schmuck at the BMW 335 projects (1940)

Reinhard von Konig-Fachsenfeld    

    (1899-1992)

German aristocrat born in Stuttgart, educated at Gymnasium in Stuttgart and Technical University there; as a young man he was a race car and speed record driver, working at the same time as an aerodynamics engineer to improve car performance. He worked mainly for Mercedes on their record making cars of the 1930 s.

Konig-Fachsenfeld designed the body of the famous BMW 328 Wendler Stromlinie Coupe, the car he built in 1937 for the industrialist Hans Klepper with the Wendler coach builder designer - Helmut Schwandner; Wendlers Stromlinie Coupe of which probably only two existed incorporates revolutionary ideas of Alfred Jaray

 in summer of 1938 Konig-Fachsenfeld tested a car prototype built together with Professor of aerodynamics Wunibald Kamm (see below); this so-called  third Kamm-Wagen (K-3) or also often called the first Kamm-Coupe, was based on the chassis of 328 model, while other Kamm-cars used Mercedes mechanics; rather bulky and big, Kamm-Coupe had a drag coefficient of only 0.25 compared to  the 1940 BMW 328 Touring Mille Miglia Coupe with coefficient 0.35, and most of today's cars rate above 30

being the last descendant of an ancient  family, Konig-Fachsenfeld established in 1982 a foundation opening his 16 c. castle in Aalen (Baden-Württemberg)  to the series of annual cultural events called “Koenigswege”, which are still held each year throughout the summer

<Konig-Fachsenfeld  (left) and Friedrich Meyer beat the world speed record on the DKW in 1930<<  BMW 328 Wendler Stromlinie Coupe from 1937 <<<  first so called BMW Kamm-Coupe - K-3 from 1938 <<<< Konig-Fachsenfeld in 1980-ties

Wunibald Kamm

(1893-1966)   

German aerodynamic pioneer born in Basel (Switzerland) moved as a child to Germany because of illness of his mother; after a degree in engineering followed by doctoral studies, he worked at Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (1922-1925), Schwabische Huttenwerke (1925) and the German Aviation Test Centre (1926-1930). In 1930, Kamm became Professor of Power Engineering and Vehicle Engines at Stuttgart Technical University, where he founded  the Research Institute for Power Engineering and Vehicle Engines Stuttgart (FKFS), which allowed him to carry out research of aerodynamics, where Kamm-cars were produced: research cars with streamlined shape for the low air resistance; four experimental cars were produced between 1938 and 1944, two of them based on the BMW mechanics

together with Reinhard von Konig-Fachsenfeld, Wunibald Kamm designed in 1938 the car called K-3, usually called first Kamm-Coupe (look at more info above at  Konig-Fachsenfeld) and in 1944, the so called the second Kamm-Coupe, smaller, lower car, with airplane like tails; both cars were  based on the chassis of the BMW 328

interned in after the WW II by the French, Kamm was handed over to Americans and taken for 10 years to the US, where he continued his research, upon his return to Germany in 1955, he lectured until 1958 at the Batelle Institut in Frankfurt am Main, when he retired because of poor health; died in Stuttgart

< BMW 328 based K-4 from 1944 << Wunibald Kamm in the 1950-ties

Peter Szymanowski  

already before the war Szymanowski worked as a body stylist for BMW (> see above);

 in late 1948 Szymanowski returned to BMW and soon became the BMW chief designer (1949-1955); he designed BMW 501 and 502 and a prototype of the small car never produced called E331;

in his beautiful designs Szymanowski drew heavily from the BMW pre-war tradition, which he himself  to large extend created, apparently not being able to point new directions in the fast changing world; BMW has been facing a strong American dominated competition and has been searching for its own imago, the decision was to build upon tradition; Szymanowski had full support of the BMW board - the paralel prototype of BMW 501 ordered in 1949 at Pininfarina has been rejected - there was fear that its modern features will quickly age - at the time BMW chose to look classic

Albrecht Graf von Goertz

(1914-2006)

 German born aristocrat, Von Goertz spent his youth at the family estate near Hanover; he first worked as a banking clerk in Germany and while Hitler raged his Nazi policies - in England; in 1936 he decided to leave London for the US, where he lived doing simple factory and car repair jobs at the same time creating in 1939 his first car: Paragon - a custom car from a Mercury automobile; after the WWII and his service in the US army in the Pacific, he studied at Pratt Institute; he then drew attention of the designer giant Raymond Loewy (see below>), with whom he worked for Studebaker; in 1953 Goertz established himself in New York as an independent designer (Goertz Industrial Design Inc.); at the instigation of the BMW American importer and on BMW order, Goertz designed two legendary cars -  BMW 503 and BMW 507, both cars because of the strength of the German mark at the time, were too expensive to really succeed on the US market;  Japanese sources do not confirm his contribution for Nissan in the creation of the celebrated Datsun 240Z, nor is his Porsche 914 involvement was ever confirmed (both suggested by Wikipedia); what is certain that he designed a number of objects for several world firms and at the end of his career has drawn a grand piano for Steinway & Sons

Raymond Loewy

(1893 - 1986)  

classic American designer, who literally designed America of the 1940's and 1950's; born in Paris as a son of an Austrian immigrant and a French mother, fought in WWI with the French getting decorated and obtaining the rank of a captain, arrived to America in 1919, naturalized in the US 1938, a patron of von Goertz for a  time in the late 1940's  - Loewy designed in 1957 a modernized prototype of Goertz'es BMW 507; the car has been built for Loewy's personal use in France by a small coachbuilder Carrosserie Pichon et Parat (owners: Bernard Pichon and André Parat) in Sens, Burgundy; coachbuilders known at the time for their unique French cars body versions as Panhard Tigre and  Salmson 2300;  Loewy's prototype of BMW 507 has been donated by him to the collection of The Petersen Automotive Museum, LA, CA, where it still can bee seen

< BMW 507 by Raymond Loewy

<<<< US patent for the Loewy's BMW 507

Wilhelm Hofmeister 

(1912-1978)

German designer who was at first the collaborator of Szymanowski, later became the BMW chief designer (1955-1970), Hofmeister influenced the forming of the new BMW design philosophy, his innovative BMW 2000 CS (1965), where he continued Bertone's design ideas has been unjustly criticized at the time as a "greenhouse"; Hofmeister retired from BMW in May of 1977.

Wilhelm Hofmeister was memorized for the characteristic design of the side window at the C-pillar - so called Hofmeisters's kink (German: Hofmeister's knick) . It has been shown for the first time in 1961 on the BMW 3200 CS, so most likely it was designed by Bertone. Nonetheless Hofmeisters's kink a characteristic for BMW design of the C-pilaar, has been repeated later in all BMW cars and remains until today one of the characteristic elements of the BMW's body design.

< Hofmeister with the model of the BMW 2500/2800 <<Hofmeister, Fritz Fiedler, Eberhard Wolf and Alex von Falkenhausen - creators of Neue Klasse (New Class) at the BMW 1500 << prototype of the Hofmeister kink iin the American design of Dodge Kaiser, 1951 <<< Hofmeister kink (photo from: http://members.home.nl/aar.kip/ontwerpersbmw.html)

Giovanni Michelotti

(1921 - 1980)

Italian designer born in Turin, he began his career with Carozzeria Farina in Cambiano (today Pininfarina S.p.A.), Michelotti was known for his daring designs for Triumph (as Spitfire and TR4); working closely with Wilhelm Hofmeister - Michelotti designed BMW 600 (Isetta development), a small sports car BMW 700 and in 1958 BMW 3200 Vignale - a prototype of modernized and cheaper version of BMW 507 presented on 31 of Oct. 1959 in Turin and called today 3200 Michelotti Vignale, the cars exists as cabrio and a hard top called sometimes Michelotti Vignale 2;  however the most  important Michelotti's contribution to the BMW's tradition, was the two door version of the New Class BMW 1600 and the revolutionary in its aesthetics  BMW 2002 - both were essential for the positioning of the BMW on the market as the sports cars manufacturer; Michelotti also designed the first BMW station car called from now on traditionally a touring

<< BMW 700 production line <<< Michelotti's logo

Nuccio Bertone

(1914-1997)  

classic Italian designer, born as Giuseppe Bertone in Turin where he spent all his life, Bertone began his automotive career in car racing as a driver at the same time working for his father's small coach firm, which he later took over and  turned into one of the world's best body designing and car coaching  firms; he is known for his work for Alfa Rome, Fiat, Ferrari, Volvo;

Nuccio Bertone designed the BMW 3200 CS, a V8 sports coupe. The car  followed general ideas of an earlier Bertone's work - a small  sports car Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint (1954). Carozzeria Bertone in Grugliasco suburb of Turin produced the steel body of the car, which had been transported to BMW in Munich for paint and further assembly of the car. 602 cars were made. A good deal of work on BMW 3200 CS has been done by  Giorgetto Giugiaro, a young designer who worked  between 1960-1965 at Bertone, whom some sources credit with the design of the car.

BMW 3200 CS was the first car with Hofmeisters's kink  (>see Wilhelm Hofmeister). The car's design also incorporated some other characteristics of the BMW ethos, repeated later in other cars as small, almost symbolic, central grille kidneys, a BMW emblem on C-pillar, unusually simple for its time treatment of the car's body void of any horizontal chrome lines.

Georg Bertram

German stylist working at BMW, the co-designer with Manfred Rennen under Wilhelm Hofmeister of the so called Neue Klasse (New Class) -  compact sports saloons launched by BMW in 1962, with the BMW 1500 as the first car, Bertram worked also with Rennen and Michelotti on BMW 2002 and 2002 touring; he also designed the BMW's first concept of the touring car (van) called City

 <Neue Klasse: BMW1600  << BMW 2002, a drawing by Georg Bertram from May 1965

Alex von Falkenhausen

(1907 - 1989)

from famous German military family, Alex (Alexander) Freiherr von Falkenhausen studied at Munich Technical University (1928-1934),  was involved as an engineer before the WWII in the development of the BMW 328 and most of all BMW motorcycles as he was an avid motorcycle racer himself; after the WWII he established his own sports racing firm in Munich (AFM - Alex von Falkenhausen Motorenbau), where he tuned pre-war BMW 328 for car racing wining himself in 1948 German Sports Car Champinship; more a skilled constructor and the racing fanatic than a stylist, Falkenhausen returned to BMW in 1954 and from 1957 was the head of the engine development Falkenhausen was instrumental in the creation of the so called Neu Klasse - New Class leading the team which prepared the power train for the car, he is also credited for his contribution into the construction of the BMW 2800 CS (E9 -1971); he retired in 1976

< von Falkenhausen as a racing driver in 1949

Marcello Gandini

(*1938)

Italian designer born in Turin, from 1963 an automotive designer and from 1965 with Bertone as a chief designer - he took the post left by Giugiaro; Gandini designed at Bertone Lancia Stratos (first prototype 1970); Marcello Gandini working at Bertone for BMW co-designed BMW E12 - the first 5 series (1972); Gandini invented the first ever scissors doors (on his Alfa 33 Carabo Concept); Gandini continued ideas from the Carabo Concept designing  Lamborghini Countach LP400 (1974); other Gandini designs include legendary Lamborghini Miura and Ferrari Dino; after 1980 Gandini left Bertone to work as an independent designer; he lives and works now in the 17th century Villa Gran Vigna, 20 miles from  the center of Turin

< Marcello Gandini  © www.stratosmania.com

Manfred Rennen

German stylist at BMW, Rennen has been the boss of the BMW Exterior II Studio in the mid-seventies, he worked on BMW E114 RS Cabrio prototype (1968),  co-worked with Michelotti and Bertram on 2002 touring (1971), worked with Gandini on BMW E12 - first generation 5 series (1972) and  BMW E24 first 6 series (1975) ; later on, he worked with Claus Luthe on BMW E28,  E30,  E23

Paul Bracq

(*1933)

French designer born in Bordeaux educated in France at École Boulle in Paris (1953), BMW chief designer 1970-1974; he started designing in early 1950s working with Citroën under Philippe Charbonneaux; during  his military service in then officially still occupied by the Allies Germany (where France had its own occupation zone),  Bracq made first contacts with Mercedes to become later (1957) head of Daimler-Benz's Advanced Design studio in Sindelfingen; Bracq designed Mercedes models: 600,  230SL Pagode, 220S Coupé, 250, 220D and W108 series influencing the whole Mercedes style for years to come, in 1967 he returned to France and was involved  in design of the TGV high-speed train, at the same time  he designed prototypes of a sports car based on the BMW 1600ti and, a coupé based on the Simca 1100;

from 1970 Bracq was BMW adjoining chief of design and was responsible for all BMW models until 1974: BMW 520, BMW 2002 Turbo, BMW 3 series  E21, BMW 630 coupe; Bracq designed also so called Turbo prototype, gull wing doors car which preceded BMW M1;

he returned to France in 1974 to work for  Peugeot  (1974-1996),  presently retired - Bracq is busy with painting; about his period at BMW he said: "I could express with complete freedom my ideas concerning automobile style while respecting the image of BMW of the Seventies." 

Giorgetto Giugiaro

(*1938)

born in Garessio (Piedmont), Giugaro has to be noted for his "folded paper" style - the whole era in the car design, promoting simple straight lines which he began - at first with Bertone and Ghia, later at his own firm Italdesign (full name: Italdesign-Giugiaro S.p.A. est. Febr. 13, 1968, now led by his son Fabrizio, with offices in France and Spain) ; Giorgetto Giugiaro worked for BMW on several commissions as 3200 CS (still at Bertone - 1961) and M1 (1977),  as well as on the concept cars of the sports supercar with a BMW V12 engine called at first as M12: BMW Nazca C2 (1991 and 1992, a version with an Alpina modified V12 engine) and BMW Nazca C2 Spider (1993); Giugiaro designed for other firms - cars (selection): Alfasud for Alfa Romeo, Volkswagen Golf I (Rabbit) , FSO Polonez,  Renault 19,  motorcycle - Ducati 860 nd Nikon F3 and D3 SLR cameras

Claus Luthe

(1932 - 2008)

German designer born in Wuppertal, started his career as an intern at Karosseriebauer Voll in Würzburg (1948 - 1954) and as a young designer went to work for Fiat AG in Germany; Luthe worked later as a designer at NSU, where he created historical Ro80 model (designed in 1963, launched 1967) powered by Wankel rotary engine; he also designed NSU K70 produced later with modifications by Volkswagen, as well as Audi 50, which later has been mass produced for several years as Volkswagen Polo I;

Claus Luthe was the BMW chief designer from April 1976, he oversaw the creation of all fantastic BMW cars of the 1980's as E30, E31, E32, E34 and later E36 as well as basic styling of E38 and E39; Luthe managed to continue what Hofmeister started - to chart the BMW design into the modern times not losing the individual character of the brand; his style was postmodernist, he said once commenting on E30 3-series: To maintain our tradition we do not need the 'way out' designs', The important is continuity (...). It is essential that we build a lasting image of what BMW is (...) and not to be swayed by ever-changing fashon trends.

Luthe withdrew from work at BMW in spring of 1990 after the family tragedy; he later served as the BMW external consultant.

Klaus Kapitza

German designer born at Baldham, worked in mid 1970's at Ford and later at Formula 2 team of Wilbert "Willi" Kauhsen, for whom he designed a prototype of the racing wing car looking like Lotus 79 (1978) with an idea to race in the Formula 1, but the car performance has been mediocre, the collaboration fell apart and Kapitza went to work for Ford in Cologne;

since early 1984 Kapitza has been recruited to BMW by Claus Luthe; he became the head of the Exterior III Studio at BMW, he inked one of the most important cars in the BMW history - E31 8 series (1989); the BMW wheels he designed as well as some technical solutions (u-shaped rollover bars for a convertible) were patented in the US;

Kapitza later worked at Porsche, at present he lives in Germany and works as an independent consultant also advising BMW, he was a member of the Jury to select best modelers for BMW design dept. in 2002

Ercole Spada

(*1938)

legendary Italian designer born in Busto Arsizio, a small city 25 km North of Milan; educated at Istituto Technico Industriale Feltrinelli in Milan (1956-1960); Spada started working for Zagato (1960) in Milan, where he became the chief stylist and made several designs for Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo, Lancia (like Fulvia), Rover , Volvo and Ford;

Ercole Spada became BMW chief stylist (1976 - 1983) under Claus Luthe; working closely with Luthe, Ercole Spada designed two cars which until today feel modern: BMW E32 7 series and BMW E34 5 series - the car which for the first time after the WWII established BMW as a strong Mercedes competitor;

in 1983 Spada returned to Italy to lead IDEA Institute and to design for the Fiat concern (among other designs Fiat Tipo in 1988 and Ferrari Testarossa FZ 93); at present Ercole Spada leads his own designing firm established with his son Paolo Spada, young Polish designer Wojtek Sokołowski and Domiziano Boschi - called Spada Concept, based in Moncalieri near Turin.

Harm Lagaay

(*1946)

a bravado Dutch designer born in the Hague as Harm Lagaaij, studied at University of Technology in Delft and began his career with Olyslager in Soest (Netherlands), in 1971 at the age of 25 was already with Porsche where he designed Porsche 924, later on he worked as a head designer for Ford in Cologne (1977-1985) and for BMW (1985-1989)

Lagaay was behind the design of the BMW Z1 (designed 1985-1986), an experimental small roadster where Z was taken from Zukunft (German: Future), the body presented for the first time in 1987 and produced between 1989-1991; Z-1 had an aerodynamic design, removable body panels with an idea of simple color change of the whole car, side panels made from plastic, electric doors which open by sliding down into the car's body; Z1 development led BMW to several patents; however despite an initial enthusiasm and speculative buying, the car felt underpowered and literally did not sell, only 8000 cars were made

Lagaay - an avid sports car driver himself, returned to Porsche in 1989 after Urlich Bez, director of BMW M-Technik Gmbh, who led the Z-1 project, also moved there; Lagaay led Porsche's Style Dept. in Weissach - he designed three consecutive versions of their 911 model, constantly working on its design as well as Porsche Carrera GT, 966, Cayenne and Boxter; at the beginning of his designer's career he still took part in his free time in car races as a driver, his designs were admired but were also a subject to petty critics  - the headlights he designed were called in Germany the spiegelei, or fried egg; he retired in summer of 2004 after 15 years at Porsche stating to have fulfilled his life's mission

Boyke Boyer

(*1942)

an Austrian educated at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts (Akademie der bildenden Künste) - one of the world's oldest art academies, to which fifty years earlier Adolf Hitler has been denied access because of lack of talent (twice in 1907 and 1908),  Boyke Boyer has been admitted and after studies pursued the designer career at Ford in Germany and in 1978 was recruited by Claus Luthe to BMW

Boyer went to design for BMW E36 3 series and E38 7 series and led one of the BMW design studios; he worked with BMW until the years of the Bangle era as a Head of External Design  (2002-2007); there were many patents filed by BMW under his name at the end of 19770-ties, 1990-ties and further until 2005 (like for a design of the  front of the car or design of the wheel); presently retired

Boyer said once: There’s no single language that can express what we’re trying to do, So we make up our own language. (quoted after Fast Company, 2002)

Chris Bangle

(*1956)

an American designer who after 1992 has been the most influential figure in BMW design; Chris Bangle was born in Ravenna, Ohio; raised in Wisconsin, educated at Art Centre College of Design in Pasadena, CA; Bangle worked at first for Opel and Fiat, he participated in the design of Fiat Coupe and Alfa Romeo 145; he became BMW Head of Design Development in October of 1992 and Head of the Designworks 1996-2001 - US design subsidiary purchased by BMW from American veteran designer Charles W. Pelly (Chuck) in 1996; Bangle was BMW's overall Head of Design 2007-2009; he was responsible for the designs of the  BMW E81 / E82 / E87 / E88, E90 / E91 / E92 / E93, E60 / E61, E63 / E64 , E65 / E66 and E53; Bangle himself spoke about expression of power in its design and BMW signature elements in the body of the car; his ideas were called deconstructivist in a sense that his designs moved away from the traditional function>material>form equasion; he also spoke about flame surfacing of the body of the car (talking about the first Z4 in 2002),

the so called ß "Bangle butt" - an aggressive rear shape of the E65 7 series (in fact designed by van Hooydonk) has been attributed to Bangle, as he has not been afraid to move the BMW styling in this aerodynamically sensible direction;

gifted speaker and a renown seller of his ideas, Bangle worked closely with Adrian van Hooydonk who succeeded him at BMW; after the departure from BMW, Chris Bangle wanted to complete the costruction of his private house in Italy and had plans to establish his own design studio;

Bangle said in one of his lectures: Cars are art, cars are what we are.

Henrik Fisker

(*1963)

a flamboyant Danish designer with an obvious taste for luxury, studied at Art Centre College of Design Europe, Vevey, Switzerland  (1989), 1989-2000 designer with BMW in Munich, President of Designworks in California: January 2000 - Sept. 2001; Fisker designed BMW Z8, worked on X5, later on he went on to design for Aston Martin; Fisker leads now his own coach building firm Fisker Coachbuild LLC in Irvine, CA, USA; he received $500 m. loan from the US government in Sept. 2009,  to produce electric cars

< Henrik Fisker's autograph

<< drawing by Fisker - photo from Fisker Coachbuild LLC

Frank Stephenson

(*1959)

American master designer born in Morocco, educated in Spain and USA, at BMW: 1991-2002, he penned the new Mini One R50 and Mini Cooper, Stephenson co-authored also the  first X5 E53 (2000); he moved later to Alfa Romeo in Italy,  where he designed Ferrari 612 (2004), Maserati MC12, Maserati Quattroporte, Ferrari F430, Alfa Romeo MiTo, and the new Fiat 500;  from April 2008 at Mc Laren in England - the new mass market car production company

Frank Stevenson may be followed on Twitter on Emotional Design page

Davide Arcangeli

(† 2004)

 Italian automotive designer who first worked for Pininfarina, where he designed Honda Argento Vivo sports car prototype (1995)  and  Peugeot 406 coupe (1996) ; he later went to BMW where he designed E60/E61 5 series; Davide Arcangeli died in 2004 of leukemia

Karim Antoine Habib

(*1971)

Lebanese born Canadian designer who designed the body for the last BMW F01 7 series, until March 2009 Habib was the Team Leader at The Advanced Design for BMW in Munich, where he designed the WMF F01, Habib regrettably left BMW to work for Mercedes in Stuttgart, were he already is making his mark, it is clear that the loss of Habib will bring  BMW-look-alike cars to Mercedes

Adrian van Hooydonk

(*1964)

Dutch designer born in Echt as Adrian van Hooijdonk, studied at University of Technology in Delft, Netherlands (diploma 1988),  where almost 20 years earlier Harm Lagaay studied and at the renown, not existing anymore Art Centre College of Design Europe, Vevey, Switzerland (1989-1990), first with GE Plastics Europe (1989-1990), since 1992 with BMW in Munich, responsible among others for the gull-wing Z9 Gran Turismo prototype, BMW 6 series E63/E64, E 65 7 series

in his Z9 GT design (1999) van Hooydonk introduced the sculptured design idea, which for more than a decade influenced BMW body styling; the Z9 design brought also several future solutions of the BMW cars to come as flat almost symbolic front grille, long hood, aggressive but short rear, sculptured addition on the trunk serving as a rear wing called later Bangle butt

van Hooydonk led Designworks from Sept. of 2001 until 2004, during his time at Designworks van Hooydonk penned a number of different designs, among others chairs designs for Emeco - American iconic aluminum chair producer,

van Hooydonk worked closely with Chris Bangle, he co-authored the radical design policy of the BMW new cars development at the beginning of the 21c., he became BMW head of the car design 2007 and from Febr., 2009 after departure of Chris Bangle, he became Director of Design, BMW Group

 << chair designs for Emeco  << BMW Z9 GT from 1999 at the BMW Museum in Munich  <<<<van Hooydonk and the first project made under his lead: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics car concept

Jacek Fröhlich

(*1965)

Polish born German designer, spent youth in Polish Silesia, educated at IInd Jan Matejko Lyceum in Siemianowice Śląskie (German name: Siemianowits; baccaulerat 1984), studied Architecture at Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland (Master 1989) and after moving to Germany - at Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences in Design, Technology and Business (1989-1993); at first based in Cologne, since January 2010 Fröhlich became the head of the BMW Exterior Design in Munich

Jacek Fröhlich designed F10 / F11 -  the newest BMW 5-series; Fröhlich says that designing the new BMW 5 series, he strived to make it feel longer and sporty, like a sports coupe

<<<<drawings and photographs of Fröhlich, on the second photograph he points to the essential line in the car body design, third pic is an official BMW press photo released after the nomination

Anders Warming

 Danish automotive designer educated at Art Centre College of Design Europe, Vevey, Switzerland and in Pasadena, worked after the studies at Designworks in CA, until december of 2009 head of the BMW Exterior Design in Munich; replaced by Jacek Fröhlich

Warming designed so called X-Coupe prototype, worked on Z3, he designed the first E85 Z4 (2002) about which he said: We wanted to make a clear statement. We didn't want to design the Z3, Mark II..

Wanders also designed GINA Light Concept, Mille Miglia 2006 Coupe Concept and previously worked on the X1 concept,

< photos of Warming from www.carbodydesign.com << BMW z4 E85

Ulf Weidhase

(*1953)

German designer, since 1988 with BMW, from 1999 Head of Design, BMW M and BMW Individual in Munich, he worked on BMW E34 M5 (1989), BMW E36 M3(1992),  BMW E46 M3, BMW Z3 M-Roadster, BMW Z3 M-Coupe, BMW E39 M5, BMW E60 M5 (2004), his thinking is conservative and subtle, his decisions over the years were impressive: M-cars follow the idea, that power should be felt not shown

Joji Nagashima

(*1955)

Japanese designer born in Tokyo and educated in the US at Wyne State University(graduated 1980), since 1988 with BMW, Joji Nagashima is now based in Munich; he designed BMW E36/7  Z3,  the E39 5 series and E90/E91 3 series, Nagashima has at BMW 22 international patents for the car body design; his designs were classic at the moment of their creation, E39 5 series will remain one of the most beautiful BMW's ever created

< Jojii Nagashima: design sketch for the BMW E90 3 series

Mario Majdandzič

( *1979)

German designer of Croat descent, educated at III Gymnase at Osijek(Croatia) and Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences in Design, Technology and Business (Master from Transportation Design, 2003, title of the diploma work: "Oxygene"); since August 2008 with BMW

Majdandzič designed the exterior of the new BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept

< Mario Majdandzič and his sketches for the BMW Vision concept, 2007

Juliane Blasi

(*1977)

 German designer educated at Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences in Design, Technology and Business (Master from Transportation Design, Febr. 2003: A Design Scenario for an Interstellar Space Mission - with Marcus Wallmayer)

directly after the studies - with BMW in Munich, Blasi designed one of the most beautiful and most desired BMW's of last years - E89 second generation Z4, which because of its price will most likely remain very exclusive

Blasi says: “If you look at the car you should not be able to see whether it was designed by a woman or a man”

the Z4 design received in July of 2009, an International Design Excellence Award (IDEA). The award is presented annually by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).

< photographs from www.carbodydesign.com

Marc Michael Markefka

 German designer with BMW in Munich, co-designed E92/E93 3-series coupe & cabrio E82/E88, designed 1-series coupe & cabrio; his designs done jointly with Peter Gabath  for front and rear bumpers were patented by BMW

Hans-Bruno Starke

German designer, from 1985 with BMW and from 1987 with the M division (M GmbH), co-designed several of the M cars, namely E92 M3, for which Starke designed the components of the car 's body; the whole idea behind M-cars is that of understatement: incredible car seemingly not much different from any other in thast body; special feel obtained through subtle changes of many components and delicate change in detailing

Pierre Leclercq

(*1973)

 Belgian designer educated in Switzerland and the US at Art Center College of Design (1996-2000), since August 2000 with BMW, at present a Senior Designer with BMW in Munich, Leclercq co-designed BMW E70 X5 and designed  the body of E71/E72 X6; he say about his design of X6 that:  it has been drawn emotionally and executed rationally; in one of his interviews he hoped to be able to afford to drive X6 one day

<< Leclercq working on a clay model of BMW X6 (photo from www.carbodydesign.com)

Richard Kim

(*1980)

  automotive designer, studied at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA (BS, 2004) and California College of Art (BA, 2003) in San Francisco, he started his designer's career with Volkswagen in the Europe (2002) and later with Nissan, Volkswagen and Audi in America and Europe; since January 2005 with Designworks in California, he designed the BMW Hydrogen Powered Salt Flat Racer - a concept of the racing car built reusing ordinary materials like used oil barrels and old barbecue lids as the main building material of the car chassis and wheels

Kim designed the body of the new BMW X-1

<Kim working on BMW X-1 << X1 drawing by Kim

(*1967)

American designer working as a creative director  for the Designworks in California, he designed the BMW E46 3 series, Goplen is an avid classic car collector - he owns 1969 De Tomaso Mangusta; in one of his interviews he said: "We have a design heritage to maintain"

<Goplen on a private occasion << a drawing by Eric Goplen

Stephan Baum

(*1977)

 automotive designer at BMW in Munich; studied at Fachhochschule für Gestaltung Schwäbisch Gmünd (diploma 2000), worked on the  E90 M3

Karl John Elmitt

Karl John Elmitt designed the E92 M3 car (coupe version) working with Hans-Bruno Starke; Elmitt holds several US patents for surface configuration of a car or its parts registered by BMW with his name, his said about the M3 he designed: "We couldn't build cars as brutal as the old M3s today."

Pascal Tanghe

(*1964)

Belgian designer, designed Cité Presto - 'A car for Paris' (2000) and  a prototype of a sports car for Volvo called Vinera, later at BMW in Munich Tanghe has been responsible for the exterior look of  the prototype of BMW E83 X3 (2003)

Kevin Rice

British designer who moved to BMW from Rover in 2000;  Rice was a project leader of the BMW 1-series where original drawings were made by Chris Chapman; Rice said that his aim was to design the car with BMW characteristics but in a smaller package (quated after The Complete Book Of BMW, by Tony Lewin, Motorbooks 2004)

Peter Gabath

 German designer working for BMW in Munich, co-designed E92/E93 3-series coupe & cabrio, co-designed BMW E65 7 series (the one with the Bangle butt); his designs done jointly with Markefka for front and rear bumpers were patented by BMW, some of his designs received a separate patents

< a drawing from the US patent for Gabath and Markefka

Benoit Jacob

designer who designed Dacia Logan, from 2004 at  BMW in Munich, he worked as a design team leader on prototypes for the new 8 series called GT2 and GT4, on BMW CS Coupe Concept shown in Shanghai in 2007, he designed the homage to the BMW  M1  - a new M1 concept sports coupe (2008)

< BMW CS Coupe Concept ‹‹ drawings by Benoit Jacob

Geoff Velazco

(*1972)

American automotive designer, after studies a teacher himself at College for Creative Studies; since 1999 Senior Designer and at present also Owner at Designworks at Newbury Park in California, Velazco worked on E83 X3 and holds an US patent D491858 for a Surface Configuration of Trim for a Wheel Well for a Vehicle

Tomasz Sycha

(*1963)

 Munich based Polish designer, studied Architecture at Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland (Master 1985); since 1994 with BMW in Munich; Sycha designed  E86 Z4 Coupe, his designs were patented by BMW

Nader Faghihzadeh

(*?)

Iranian interior designer, he designed the interior of  the BMW F01 7 series

German designer from an ancient aristocratic family with an establihed name in the car industry, educated at Art Center in Switzerland, graduated with honours - Art Center College of Design in Pasadena , CA (BS 1995 ). since August 1995 with Designworks USA in Newbury Park, since 1997 at newly created Munich Studio of BMW Designworks, he established and led the BMW Designworks Singapore studio (2006-2008), he became on Dec.1, 2009 the Director of the Munich Studio, Designworks, USA