The Budii is what you get if you give prolific Swiss designer and founder of Rinspeed, Frank M. Rinderknecht, the opportunity to reimagine the BMW i3.
Rinspeed’s take on the Bavarian brand’s small electric car brings several changes and updates on both the design and technological fronts to create a vehicle that purportedly “redefines human-machine interaction” with the help of the latest advancements in autonomous driving.
The Swiss designer gave the i3 a wider body with new bloated front and rear fenders together with matching bumpers and restyled front and rear ends, plus a new set of 19-inch alloy wheels from Borbet that add to the Budii’s aggressive stance.
The car also has front and rear multifunction panels that integrate turn signals, brake lights and tail lights, as well as communication elements to stay in contact with other road users.
As for that device you see extending from the roof in some of the pictures, it isn’t because Budii is happy to see you, but what Rinspeed describes as a “telescoping laser scanner” or in more simple words, a 3D camera that maps and identifies the terrain ahead and which can be raised by 700mm (28 inches).
Budii features a new air-suspension with a ride-height adjustment range of 100 mm or nearly 4-inches.
Inside, Rinspeed completely redesigned the cabin with highlights including a robotic arm connected to the steering wheel that makes it possible to drive the car from either side or hide the wheel behind the large standalone screen on the center console when using the autonomous driving system. The Budii also gets electrically operated clamshell doors and two-tablet like screens incorporated in the extra-large sun visors.
The Budii will be presented at the Geneva Auto Show in March.