When BMW first debuted the E24 way back in 1976, you’d best believe it instantly became an icon, serving as a departure from BMW’s previous design language, with an edgy attitude and its legendary sharknose tip – a protruding, forward-slanting front detail that gave the car its signature appeal along with a sense of speed and a leader-of-the-pack attitude. The sharknose went on to become one of BMW’s most epochal details… in fact, there’s even a dedicated community of BMW sharknose-automobile owners and aficionados (they congregate every year for an annual Sharknose Meeting).
While the sharknose detail was eventually phased out as BMW’s design language evolved and matured, it lives on in the annals of history, and Grigory Butin’s BMW 6 concept hopes to rekindle its glory. The BMW 6 concept is a confluence of the German auto manufacturer’s current design styling, but with a renewed interpretation of the sharknose. The BMW 6 showcases streamlined bodywork, which Butin feels “has a very unique and emotional appearance.”
The car embraces the coupé format, although with proportions that match the original E24, including elongated front and rear ends. Sleek headlights and taillights give it a more menacing glare, and the kidney-grilles on the front are smaller than usual, although they don’t take away from the car’s predatory personality. It only makes sense that to complement it, the car comes in a shark-esque gray color too! While the BMW 6 only currently exists as a fan-made concept, it comes future-proofed, with pop-up door handles and camera mirrors. Let’s hope someone at BMW is reading this and seriously considering bringing the iconic sharknose back!
Designers: Grigory Butin
