BMW built the first ever shape-shifting roadster

Car giant BMW once built the first-ever shape-shifting roadster.

It was a car with a twist – it was made out of cloth.

The concept was named GINA, which stood for ‘Geometry and functions in ‘N’ Adaptions Light Visionary Model’.

And it had some pretty cool features, like hidden lights and a moving steering wheel.

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BMW: It’s impressive fleet of cars span all shapes and sizes

From supercars to daily drivers, the brand has it all.

In fact, one BMW was even cut in half like bread so you could see all of its inner components proving to be an educational experience for any car lover.

And, as seen in the video above, our very own Alex Hirschi AKA Supercar Blondie even gifted her employee their dream BMW driver.

This 2008 Roadster concept shows just how diverse the German automaker’s fleet truly is

Meet the ‘Geometry and functions in ‘N’ Adaptions Light Visionary Model’

That’s GINA for short.

This car is unlike any other of BMW’s creations – the exterior of the Roadster was a wonder to designers at the time.

“The GINA Light Visionary Model has an almost seamless outer skin, a flexible textile cover that stretches across a moveable substructure. Individual functions are only revealed if and when they are needed,” BMW itself states.

Yes, you read that right, its cover is made from a textile and can move – cool right?

Major parts of the car’s systems, including the lights were hidden. But here’s the really cool thing – the material was translucent, meaning the lights could actually be seen.

All this material meant that it could move and shift from shape to shape on the road, which we have to admit, is unique.

So, the faster the wheels turn, the more the shell shifts shape – we can just imagine the sights on the Autobahn.

The body structure consisted of just four elements and four. In addition, some parts of the substructure were moveable and could be controlled by electro-hydraulics.

It was all the work of BMW’s Chris Bangle

The auto designer was the mastermind behind the concept. He began his career in 1981 – so you could say that he certainly knew his way around a pen and paper by 2008.

What other features did the BMW have?

Well, the doors are in the style of bird wings similar to the i8.

And, once you actually get inside the cabin, the headrest automatically elevates. And at the same time, the wheel edges forwards – proving comfort really is key.

When it was released, there were rumors that it was about to inspire more BMW creations too.

Take a look below as we got to tour around the special driver – get ready to add a new car to your wishlist.

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