Skip advert
Advertisement

BMW Simple concept

Mad leaning concept moulds car and bike and returns astonishing economy figures

BMW has unveiled a striking new concept car, but not in the usual way. This Simple three-wheeler has been popped in BMW’s Munich car museum, a year after being built.

It combines the best features of cars and motorbikes in one package, apparently, with the protected cabin of a car mated to the size and dynamics of a two-wheeler. You can lean into corners, but the Simple does much of the work with hydraulics in place to prevent any accidents, stepping in during very slow traffic when the vehicle’s at its most unstable.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Thanks to the low weight – around 450kg –  and small size – shorter than a Mini, the height of a BMW 5-series and just 110cm wide – the Simple only requires a small engine, with a  48bhp 230cc unit providing a sub-10sec 0-62mph time alongside projected 120mpg economy. A low 0.18 drag coefficient also plays its part.

The Simple wasn’t shown at any major motor shows, and has become a dead project after the BMW marketing team decided the tandem seating position wasn’t attractive to buyers. However, elements of it could be seen in BMW’s electric city car projects of the future.

And if you’re wondering about the name, forget any meerkat connotations – it’s an acronym of the project’s aim – ‘a sustainable and innovative mobility product for low energy consumption’. Obviously.

Click here to see the BMW Vision, a hybrid supercar concept

Follow evo Magazine on Twitter for the performance car latest

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

BMW iX2 xDrive30 2024 review – hot hatch speed, but not without compromise
BMW iX2 xDrive 30 – front
Reviews

BMW iX2 xDrive30 2024 review – hot hatch speed, but not without compromise

The 302bhp iX2 xDrive30 delivers the goods in a straight line, but it’s too tightly-wound for an everyday family car
14 Mar 2024
This BMW SUV will form the technical basis for the next 3-series
BMW Neue Klasse SUV – front
News

This BMW SUV will form the technical basis for the next 3-series

BMW’s Neue Klasse EV technology will underpin everything from SUVs to a future all-electric M3
7 Dec 2023
BMW Vision Neue Klasse previews firm’s new-era production cars
BMW Vision Neue Klasse – front
News

BMW Vision Neue Klasse previews firm’s new-era production cars

At this month’s Munich motor show, BMW is showcasing its next-generation design and tech with a new EV saloon concept
2 Sep 2023
New BMW Concept Touring Coupe unveiled as reinvented Z3 M ‘clown shoe’ Coupe
BMW Concept Touring Coupe – front
News

New BMW Concept Touring Coupe unveiled as reinvented Z3 M ‘clown shoe’ Coupe

Evoking the Z3 M Coupe’s unmistakable body shape, the Z4-based Concept Touring Coupe debuts at this year’s Villa d’Este concours
19 May 2023
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?
Toyota GR Yaris Gen 2 – front
News

The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?

Our early impressions of the Gen 2 GR Yaris suggest that it’s an improvement in every area that counts, but can it be worth £18k more than an i20 N?
27 Mar 2024
The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8
Mercedes-AMG G63
News

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8

Some of Affalterbach’s range-toppers are swapping eight cylinders for four, but the AMG G-class retains its V8 for 2024
26 Mar 2024
Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader
Land Rover Defender OCTA – front
News

Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader

The OCTA promises to be the fastest, toughest and most capable Defender yet when it launches later this year
26 Mar 2024