Prior to the unveiling of BMW's much anticipated X2 compact crossover in Paris recently, most of us were expecting it to look like a slightly swoopier X1 or a downsized X4. What we (including yours truly) got, was something much braver…

Besides having the opportunity to view the X2 up close and in the metal (after the crowds had dissipated),I was also afforded the rare opportunity to speakto BMW Group'shead of design, Adrian van Hooydonk about the significance of the X2, as well as the challenges his team currently faces, specifically on the hot topicof the "digitalization" of the automobile.

This is what we learned.

The X2 concept won't be "watered down" for production

Though technically still a concept, the X2 previews a very similar production version.

Concept cars are interesting and occasionally lovely things, but they can also be frustrating– way too often the reality (production car) fails to live up to the promise of the shiny concept. According to Van Hooydonk, however, the X2 won't fall in the same trap. "We don't like to over-promise and under-deliver," he says. "It's very close (to the production car)." Of course some of the showcar details won't make it to dealership floors on all models– the over-sized wheels with their chunky tread patterns, for example. "The tyres might become smaller," says Van Hooydonk, "but for the ride and smoothness that is probably a good thing!"

The X2 marks a change in BMW's design philosophy

BMW Group's head of design, Adrian van Hooydonk.

When the X2 first rolled onto the display floor in Paris, the sense of collective surprisewas palpable. Those in attendance were expecting just anotherof BMW's crossover coupes– simply a smaller version of the X4, which in itself resembles a smaller version of the X6. That journalists present on that day in Paris couldfeel capable of predicting a new BMW designis the result of having such a strongly– some may say "rigidly"– defined brand design language. The X2, however, is an indication that BMW might be willing to allow greater individuality in its products going forward.

"The silhouette of the X2 is not like the X4's and X6's," Van Hooydonk says. "I think that if people were expecting a specific type of X2, they probably got a different one… with a different roofline," he continues. "But we felt (that) with the proportions of the vehicle we were working on,this would be a better way."

Then, crucially, Van Hooydonk added the following; "Today we see each new car as an opportunity to further the design language of the brand. It's also necessary because the competition, of course, is very strong, to do a very good and distinct design in each segment. The X2 is an opportunity for us to inject some freshness–youthfulness possibly–into the BMW brand."

The first BMW with an inverted grille was the classic 507 roadster (above).

A major point of debate in any discussion of the X2's design is always its grille. BMW's iconic "kidney grille" is an important part of its heritage, so major changes are quite rare… or so I thought.

"If you look into our heritage, this is not the very first time that we've done this inverted grille," Van Hooydonk points out. "It may surprise you, but the 507 had it as well. If you look at the history of our grilles, you see everything from oblong, to very wide… this way andthat way."

And then comes the moment when Van Hooydonk truly sums up the importance of the X2 best; "What it (the X2's grille) tells you is not necessarily whatallthe grilles for the brand are going to look like, but that it's one point in case by which we are showing that we are working towards a brand, that you can still recognise as such, but where each of the vehicles have a more distinct character. Each of our cars have to do better in their own respective segments. People buy a car in a particular segment because they want that size and that price range, and they don't necessarily care if the 5 or 7 Series looks the same or not."

I interpret this as an indication that BMW design will allow for greater differentiation between individual product lines going forward.

Van Hooydonk did, however, add the following, too; "Obviously, to be a premium brand, you have to have consistency in your design language, so we will do that. But that doesn't mean that we use, say a mould, and then simply rubber stamp similar elements on all the cars."

Heritage remains important

Featured here on the 3.0 CSL Hommage concept, the badge on the C-pillar could become a production reality.

As far as being a platform to showcase some of BMW's more precious design elements, the X2 is not an obvious choice. After all, it's the first X2 that BMW will make and it's not exactly positioned as a glamorous sports car that "channels" an iconic predecessor such as the 2002, 3.0 CSL or 507. Nevertheless, it appears to do just that.

The invertedgrille harks back not only to the 507, but it's also deeper, so as to remind of the shark-nose BMWs of the past. Then there is the presence of the BMW badge on the C-pillars. This was a much-loved feature of the immortal 3.0 CSL, and also recently appeared on the Hommage concept car (shown above).

Are these details merely there for effect, or will BMW use them in production? Van Hooydonk cleverly side-stepped the question with a strong;"Why not? I feel it adds character," when asked whether the badges on the C-pillars would make it onto the production X2…

Digitalization, not Electrification, is driving design change

Walking the Paris Motor Show this year highlighted the focus on so-called autonomous vehicles as well as "connectivity". A few years ago electrification was the buzzword, but in Paris, this year, it was not the focus.

"Obviousy we are working on vehicles for 2019, 2020 and beyond by now and in that time period there will be lots of technological changes," Van Hooydonk predicts. "Not so long ago we thought that electric mobility would be the big game changer. Now that has become fairly normal, even though it is not yet completely pervasive, but we see it simply taking its course. Soon, let’s say in 10 years, all cars will be able to do some distance electrically.A bigger game changeris around the corner," he cautions. "Vehicles will become more intelligent, and this digitization will change the way we use the car, and the way the car looks, probably even more than the electrification."

As futuristic as this may appear, expect cabin designs to be radically affected by new tech, sooner rather than later.

"I see this as huge opportunity for design," Van Hooydonk says. "I feel… and that’s also been my experience, that when you have bigger technological change, there is more creative freedom. You see the same thing in racing. When the regulations are the same for a number of years, all vehicles become alike beause they go to a certain optimum. And when the rules changes it is open for interpretation and I think that’s very much where we’re at in the industry. So I like that. There’s a lot to be defined right now."

"I’ve told my team that my job was never boring, but I feel that the past 23 years have been good training, the real match starts now."

Software updates and lifecycles

How we communicate with our cars will change quickly in the next few years and is increasingly a focus area in the design process.

A major area of concern has been that with the rapid pace with which technology is moving,lifecycles would become much shorter and consumers would be stuck with obsolete products more often. Van Hooydonk has a different view on this matter, though acknowledges that there are challenges.

"It won't necessarily in our view change the lifecycle of the product. But there’s one important aspect, of course, that is changingand that is that the lifecycle of what you could call the digital aspect of the car is much, much shorter. We’re lookingat 2-year lifecycles, but that will happen over the air, in updates," he says when referring to remote/cloud software updating."In the future a lot of thecomputing power will be off-board of the vehicle, so you can increase computing power without touching the vehicle," he continues. "So these are things that are beginning to be resolved.Still, of course, the shape of the dashboard, at some point, you have to freeze."

"We are also in design responsible for what you see on the screen and the way you navigate through all this information, and that in fact has been a growing part of my team,so we’re setting ourselves up to do all these things in one team, but on very different time scales. Let’s say the hardware side is still on the 7 year cycle, but the software side is on the 2-year cycle. That’s the way we want to set this up.

As always, the automotive designers of today still have to try and imagine what the world will look like in 5 to 10 years, but Van Hooydonk says this is not so easy on the digital front. "In terms of some of the (digital)services that we use now, on a daily basis, 3 years ago they were non-existent. That’s the hardest part. If you talk to computer people about what they think will happenin the future, they start talking. So you ask them 'when', andthey say June next year! Then you say'no-no, I mean, in 5 years', and they say they don’t know, that it's not possible to say. So this still is quite a challenge. But by uncoupling this hardware and software sides of a car, we can solve it for the most part.

Conclusion

So, how does a brand that has such a proud history and motorsport heritage as BMW embrace a future that can be seen to demand a shift away from its core principleof "Sheer Driving Pleasure"?

"I don’t see a contradiction in that," Van Hooydonk responds. "I’ve been with BMW for almost 24 years, and I know the heritage, I like the racing, and that to me is just another example of atechnological challenge.The company has always sought to gain a competitive advantage.It brings out the best in the engineers.Sometimes the solution is simple, sometimes it is really complex, but somehow it is in BMW’s blood, our DNA you could say, to do this type of thing, to be competitivein our road cars and in racing.So let’s say the future holds bigger technological changes or challenges.BMW sees this as a competitive challenge.I don’t see a disconnect there at all. In design we will always ask to go as far forward as possible," he concludes.

Further Reading;

BMW previews X2 crossover at Paris Motor Show

The sci-fi of BMW's Vision Next 100 Concept

BMW 750i Design Pure Excellence (2016) Review

A day at BMW Classic's Headquarters

BMW and Nissan switch on first coastal recharge stations