With the recent unveiling of the new 3.0 CSL Hommage Concept, we had to take a short glance at the previous concepts BMW showcased at Villa D’Este.

In 2006, BMW unveiled the Mille Miglia Coupe Concept. The design was inspired by one of the most successful BMW racing cars of all time: The 328 and in particular, the 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe. The concept car is a monument erected to honor the skills, success and visions of BMW designers and engineers of the past. Although it looks modern and futuristic, traditional methods were used to create it to further enhance the authentic experience.

The 328 Touring Coupe still holds the record for the highest average speed on the Mille Miglia.

In 2008, BMW developed a concept car with unique dynamic proportions the: GINA Light Visionary Model. It was capable of changing its proportions according to exterior conditions and speed. A flexible, stretchable material, named Spandex, was used over a movable frame. BMW stated that the material was resistant and it didn’t shrink or swell at low or high temperatures.

The same year, BMW commemorated the 30th anniversary of its mid-engine supercar with the M1 Hommage Concept. It was a fantastic looking thing, which reincarnated the spirit of the original car and the 1972 Turbo Concept. Design-wise, it didn’t approach the classic retro style, but the lines were clearly inspired from the M1. In fact, it served only to acknowledge and eulogize the Giugiaro designed BMW, since it didn’t have an interior, nor an engine.

At that time, everybody thought BMW was seriously thinking to build a mid-engine sports car based on this concept.

In 2011, BMW showcased the 328 Hommage. As the name suggests, the concept was honoring the 75th anniversary of the BMW 328 Roadster and like other BMW concepts presented at Villa D’Este, it has a retro-futuristic design. As with the original model, this Hommage study focuses on lightweight materials and to extract the pure substance of vintage racing uses an inline-six engine.

In 2012, along with Zagato, BMW debuted the Z4 Zagato Concept. The body of this automobile is hand-built by Zagato and resembles the essence that BMW had with Italian coachbuilders over the past. The car was born due to the friendship between BMW’s chef designer and Zagato’s chief designer.

In 2013, BMW continued to associate with the Italian car-tailors of legend and formed an alliance with Pininfarina. The result was an outstanding luxury barge aimed to represent the ultimate Bavarian coupe. Named the Gran Lusso Coupe, it is -arguably- one of the better looking large BMWs, but that’s comes as no surprise since almost everything Pininfarina touches turns into gold.

In case you doubt this coupe represents the ultimate incarnation of over-the-top-motoring, then you must know that the interior trim was decorated with 48,000 year old Kauri wood.

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