BMW Group Primary has been showcasing long-hidden concept autos and prototypes on its YouTube channel. The latest is the BMW ZBF 7er, a hand-built concept from 1996 that made a few notable predictions of future BMW design and tech.

“ZBF” is a German acronym for “future BMW family,” Joji Nagashima, a legendary BMW designer who labored on the enterprise (along with the E39 5-Sequence and E36 3-Sequence), outlined. It was part of a bunch of concepts, which moreover included 5-Sequence and 3-Sequence designs, he talked about.

The skin hints on the E65-generation 7-Sequence, which launched in 2001, whereas the large vertical grille displays that BMW was toying with such a type on a recent automotive prolonged sooner than today’s 4-Series. The ZBF 7er was moreover so much larger than the trendy E38 7-Sequence, Nagashima talked about, as soon as extra predicting the trail BMW would go together with the successor E65 model.

The automotive rides on custom-made tires particularly manufactured by Dunlop, Nagashima talked about, with hand-cut treads of his private design. Crucial tire measurement commercially on the market on the time was 19 inches, and designers wished one factor larger, he outlined. The bodywork of this drivable concept is hand-made as successfully. The physique panels are all hand-beaten aluminum, inside probably the most fascinating coachbuilding customized.

Whereas it was constructed using strategies from the earlier, the ZBF 7er showcased future know-how, along with an early mannequin of the now-ubiquitous iDrive rotary controller, and laptops for rear-seat passengers. The sedan moreover had cameras somewhat than exterior mirrors, one factor that has solely recently entered manufacturing, and nonetheless just isn’t on the market within the USA ensuing from regulatory factors.

BMW has pretty a few fascinating concept autos and prototypes in its assortment. It recently revealed the ICE concept, an early crossover coupe design study, after 17 years, and it saved the E31 M8 prototype stashed away for a decade sooner than exhibiting the automotive publicly. We’re nonetheless prepared for the E34 M5 wagon prototype powered by a McLaren F1 V-12 to see the sunshine of day.