BMW Motorrads 2019 R18 ConceptBMW VILLA D’ESTE, ITALY—BMW’s prolonged launch of its proposed new cruiser continues, with yet another “concept” version of the R18 revealed at the recent Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Como, Italy. It continues the outlandish themes of the two previous concepts – by Japanese customizer Custom Works Zon; and Austin, Texas hot-rodder Revival Cycles, respectively – but with more customary BMW Boxer motifs. So while this Motorrad version, designed in Munich but crafted in Sweden by Unique Custom Cycles, does feature an outlandish 21-inch front wheel and wildly idiosyncratic Solex dual-throat carburettor – the carbs do have a history on BMWs, just only on Munich’s famed 2002 four-wheeler – replacing the traditional Bings, there are numerous reminisces from BMW bikes gone by. The giant air- (and oil-)cooled 1,800-cc engine, with absolutely massive cooling fins, is an obvious blast from the past. Ditto the exposed, chromed driveshaft, which is pure 1950s Boxer. Likewise, we’ve seen spring-mounted leather saddles on plenty of BMWs of yore. But the overall lines, save for the gas tank with its hand-painted pinstripes that reminds me of the “pregnant guppy” R75/5 I rode through college, is pure R32, the BMW’s first opposed twin. From the sweep of its faux hardtail frame to the curve of the rear fender, this is one way-retro – as in all the way back to 1923 – concept. Oh, to be sure, the new 1,800-cc R18 engine dwarves the R32’s 494-cc unit, but the sweep of the of the twin inlet tracts from that gargantuan Solex is almost a carbon copy of the R32’s inlet pipes. Indeed, while the previous two concepts were individual customizers’ take on the Boxer twin, this version is pure BMW Motorrad. And while we can’t be sure this third iteration is anywhere near the final production version, it’s likely at least a few of these historic touches – I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts the twin inlet tracts, with fuel injection replacing the archaic carburetor, will make it to production – will be found on BMW showroom floors soon. Stay tuned for even more teasing until then, however, the good folks in Munich seem to be having some fun with this one. The 2019 recreation of the long-lost 1970 BMW Garmisch Concept by Bertone BMW BMW also released something it’s calling the Homage Concept, which is supposed to be a recreation of the famed BMW Garmisch, the concept car designed by Marcello Gandini for Bertone that supposedly vanished after its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 1970. “Marcello Gandini to me is one of the grandmasters of car design and his cars always have been an important source of inspiration for my work,” said Adrian van Hooydonk, senior vice-president of BMW design, who claims to have been intrigued by the Garmisch since he first discovered a faded period picture of the car some years ago. “Building the BMW Garmisch for a second time gave us the opportunity to pay tribute to Mr. Gandini, recall one of his lesser-known cars and highlight Bertone’s stylistic influence on the evolution of BMW design.” The 2019 recreation of the long-lost 1970 BMW Garmisch Concept by Bertone BMW The signature garnish of the Garmisch was its bold, vertical and almost angular variation of BMW’s kidney-shaped grill, which is faithfully interpreted on the Homage Concept. Ditto for the interior which, according to van Hooydonk, has a distinctly “Piemontese twist” to the rather functional interior design habits typical of BMWs at the time. Gandini was, of course, more famous for his work on the Lamborghini Miura and Countach, not to mention the Alfa Romeo Montreal, but he did numerous works for BMW, including the Spicup show car, as well as the first iterations of the 5
Origin: BMW keeps teasing its R18 concept, with retro bike bowing in Italy