Art Center College of Designgraduate Nicolai Urban created four concepts over the course of his studies: A BMW flagship sedan, an off-roader for the Volkswagen brand, a proposal for an entry-level Porsche and a Wally luxury yacht. Watch the video above to hear Urban talk through these concepts.
Urban’s thesis project, the BMW E9, is an electric sedan intended as the company’s flagship and was designed to appeal to a businessman who also likes to box on his free time. The five-passenger sedan, intended for the year 2021, has a fastback silhouette, enabling easy access to a bespoke cargo area, which can accommodate large items such as golf clubs as well as boxing gloves and gear.
The taut exterior surfacing was created by folding sheer forms to give the vehicle a modern aesthetic, while BMW’s signature design elements have been maintained but expressed in a more evolutionary form. The front face features slim headlamp units flanking the wide and narrow kidney grille; BMW’s Hofmeister kink is still present in the rear of the DLO; and the full-width taillamps emphasize the car’s width, lending a contemporary feel to the design.
The Volkswagen H36 concept is a two-passenger open cockpit off-roader with the ability to venture off the beaten path like no other SUV. Ideal for “adrenaline seekers looking for a new rush”, the concept features symbiotic jetpacks attached to the top, which can be used once the thrill seeking users have found an ideal ridge off which to base jump.
Watch the video above to hear Nicolai Urban give a detailed explanation of his BMW thesis project and take us through the design intent for the Volkswagen H36 off-road vehicle, as well as present his proposal for a future Porsche 912 — a pure, lean and bold entry-level vehicle for the Stuttgart-based carmaker — and his vision for a 55-foot luxury yacht concept created for Wally.
