The 3 Series is as big as the 7 Series, but has a longer wheelbase.
The BMW Z22 was selected for its “70 technical innovations” and “61 pioneering inventions”, which earned it a spot in our weekly concept We Forgot series.
The Z22, which was developed by BMW Technik GmbH 18 years ago, was a technological marvel. The BMW think tank’s Z22 concept featured everything, including a head-up display, side cameras, and even a fingerprint scanner. It featured adaptive headlights that were linked to the steering angle, and both brake-by wire and steer-bywire systems.
Although it may not be as stunning as the 507 roadster of the late 1950s, the Z22 was billed as a “masterpiece” in mechatronic design. It had the same footprint as an 3Serie (E46), and the wheelbase as an 7 Series(E38). It’s amazing! Look at the tiny overhangs in the front and back. The distance between the two axles was the same as BMW’s full-size sedan. It is no surprise that the cabin had the same amount of space as the flagship. The concept was also about a third lighter than the 528i Touring (528i) (E39).
The Z22’s passenger car was entirely made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic. It had many similarities to the monocoque chassis from an F1 car. It was 30% lighter than an aluminum cell thanks to its CFRP construction. This contributed to the concept’s low weight.
The interior is reminiscent of an i3’s cabin in the late 1990s. There are very few controls. The instrument cluster was not present. All information was displayed on a central screen mounted on the dashboard. A digital display replaced the rearview mirror. As a replacement for the ignition key, the fingerprint scanner mentioned earlier was used.
BMW did not mention any details about the car’s performance, but said that the concept featured a four-cylinder gasoline motor with 136 horsepower (100kW) and a continuously variable transmission. Average fuel consumption for the Z22 was 6 liters/100 km (39.5 mpg).
The Z22 was functional, even though it was not intended to be a production-intent design. It was designed to pack as much technology into a small hatchback-sized car as possible.