BMW Considering Even Larger Grilles for Future Cars
If you think BMW’s grilles can’t get any bigger than they are now on select models, you’re wrong.
As uncovered by AutoExpress, the German automaker recently filed a patent with the World Intellectual Property Organisation for a new one-piece front fascia that could replace today’s conventional grilles, most likely on future EVs.
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The sketches reveal how the face of BMWs could change dramatically, reinterpreting the brand’s signature kidney grille in a larger size with geometric patterns.
The new panel could integrate the vehicle’s headlights, plus various sensors and cameras needed for driver assistance systems.
The patent filing indicates a material covering the panel that can switch from opaque to transparent. It would blend in with the rest of the body when the car is turned off for a sleek appearance, but when the lights are needed, certain areas of the panel could become transparent, allowing for light to pass through.
This digitalization of the front fascia is not unlike what we saw on the BMW i Vision Dee concept at CES a few weeks ago. The lighting units and the front grille can take on various shapes mimicking facial expressions in order to communicate with people around the vehicle.
The company is not ready yet to abandon a classic look even on fully electric vehicles. The i4 sedan, for instance, has the same grille contours as the gas-powered 4 Series, except that the grille itself is closed since there is no combustion engine to cool.
However, future BMWs will inevitably have a different face. Time will tell if designers actually go ahead with the plan illustrated by these patent sketches.