BMW LIFESTYLE 10/11

BMW MINIATURES
BMW Isetta 250, 1 : 12
BMW 550i Saloon (F10), 1 : 18 and 1 : 43
BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo (F07), 1: 43
BMW X3 (F25), 1:18, 1: 43 and 1: 87
Concept Vision Efficient Dynamics, 1 : 43
DISCOVER THE DETAILS
It doesn’t matter whether you see it on
a twisting country road or on a polished
mahogany desk: a BMW is always a
fascinating sight. To ensure that BMW
Miniatures look just as attractive as the
originals, they are manufactured in close
cooperation with BMW designers. This
applies to BMW Art Cars as much as it
does to the new BMW 5 Series. Every
BMW Miniature delights with numerous
details and precise workmanship.
At the start of production, the design
department uses computers to process
the specifications laid down by the BMW
engineers. To make sure that important
details like the logo or windscreen wipers
are both recognisable and robust enough
to survive handling, simply miniaturising
the original parts will not do. Instead,
individual parts have to be redesigned
almost from scratch.
Afterwards, a die-cast mould is fashioned
for every component. This is so timeconsuming
that it can take up to ten weeks.
But it is also well worth the effort: the diecast
moulds provide the framework for the
miniature’s body and are filled with either
molten plastic or zinc, depending on the
scale. After a first, stringent quality control
process, the casts enter the paint shop,
where they are painted in three steps,
using the same paint that is used for the
respective full-sized BMW model.
After hardening and cooling it’s time
to tackle the details: the so-called tampon
printing process enables us to print on
even the smallest components. With our
smallest-scale models, the results of this
advanced process – for example a detailed
replica of the BMW logo on the bonnet –
can only be fully appreciated when viewed
through a magnifying glass.
Tiny chrome surfaces provide further
exquisite details to enjoy. They make
the exterior mirrors sparkle, for example,
and are also used to give the radiator
grille its trademark shiny appearance. Real
carpeting in original BMW colours for the
footwells and luggage compartment and
realistic reproduction of leather upholstery
seams make the interior of the 1:18-scale
models look incredibly authentic. Once all
the details have been taken care of, the
individual components are assembled
into a real BMW – by hand. And it is this
precise workmanship that makes BMW
Miniatures so unique, turning every
miniature into a true original.
QUICK LINK
www.bmw-shop.com/miniatures
All products on catalogue
pages 84 – 87.
18 You can fi nd all the products at your BMW dealer or on the bmw-shop.com website. 19