It's not that common that two separate BMW redesign concepts just show up and start pestering my eyeballs for attention, but that's what seems to have happened. And what's interesting is that they both seem to be taking inspiration from the same source: the amazing BMW 2000CS.
I've always loved the slightly strange, floating kidneys look of the front end of the 1965 2000CS, designed by that kink-loving Wilhelm Hofmeister. That front end was a sort of unfollowed path for BMW, as they soon returned to full-width grilles with inset kidneys. The car is all great proportions, an aggressive-but-elegant front-raked stance, and lovely details.
David Obendorfer, the designer of the CS Vintage concept, is sticking pretty close to that 1965 template. It's intended as a facelift of the 6-series, and uses the 2000CS design very heavily in the front and rear, but modernized in a very sleek, tasteful way. I love it.
The other design concept is a little more attainable, since it's planned to be a kit you could actually install on an E30 coupe. It's from the Hungarian company TM Concept, and while it's a bit less close to the CS2000 source, it's a bit more daring and willing to push things more modern. As in distorting the kidneys to a more techno-angular kind of form.
It manages to get that good forward-rake and sleek lines, though the tall E30 greenhouse looks a little out of place, but that's the price you pay for not designing your own car that'll never get made. A kit has a much better chance at becoming real. Though, from these pictures, the reality is a bit disappointing compared to the renders.
So, what do you think? Which concept do you like better?