BMW i3 and i8 Garage Italia Crossfade concepts unveiled

BMW has teamed up with Garage Italia Customs to prepare two CrossFade concepts that display a new exterior colour treatment for the i3 and i8. The carmaker revealed the i3 and i8 Garage Italia CrossFade concepts at the Paris motor show.

As the name suggests, a CrossFade pattern has been applied to the cars, transitioning from blue to grey. On the i8, the fade runs the length of the car, while the i3 sports a vertical fade. Both cars will make production, although possibly not in the same form as the concepts. BMW says that the cars will be available internationally with a derived version of the concepts’ design at the start of next year.

BMW's chief of design Adrian van Hooydonk oversaw the pattern’s application by Garage Italia Customs boss Lapo Elkann, saying, “Lapo is a pioneer in linking the disciplines of fashion, automobile and design. As a designer, I find this comprehensive approach particularly exciting.”

“With BMW i models, we have been successful in overcoming previous restrictions in automotive design through the use of entirely new materials. So the progressive expressiveness of the Garage Italia CrossFade Edition is perfectly in keeping with the BMW i3 and the BMW i8.”

BMW is yet to comment on the cost of the cars over the standard-coloured i3 and i8, how many will be produced or if the design will be available in other colours.