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1969 BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone)

BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969
Images: Bertone; J. Mahiels/Eventattitude/Bonhams
Rating:  56    -13    +69
BMW 'Spicup' Convertible Coupé (Bertone), 1969
Bertone’s choice of name for this design took him away from his usual source of inspiration, the world of nature (think of the "Carabo", and the "Miura" etc.). With this car the Turin designer opted for a name which expresses the theme of the car, that is, its metamorphosis between spider and coupé and back again: the name Spicup is in fact spider + coupé. The Bertone design is a reworking of the glorious 507 Spider produced by the German carmaker. It is based on the chassis of the 2500 saloon, shortened from 269 cm to 234 cm, with a 2800 cc. engine, which was already being mounted on the coupé presented by BMW in the same period. The considerable dimensions of the mechanical components were handled by creating almost excessively fluid vertical lines. At the same time, the relatively important tail and wings become the car’s focal point. The rollbars had to satisfy a combination safety needs and design criteria, and Bertone solved the problem with an automatic mechanism which also contained the elements for the transformation from spider to coupé and back again.

The Spicup was presented at the 1969 Geneva Motor Show.

www.bertone.it


The 'concept' or 'show' car emerged after WW2 as a means of generating publicity and gauging the public's reaction to often-radical ideas for new models. They were built as design proposals, rolling laboratories, marketing experiments, automotive provocations and everything in between. Without them and their (usually) female decoration, international motor shows would have remained little more than uninspiring mega-showrooms. Most of these show cars enjoyed only limited exposure, mainly for the benefit of the international motoring press.

What happened to these extraordinary vehicles after their short-lived career in the public eye depended primarily on the period they were made in. During the 1950s, development budgets were tight and one-off experimental cars were usually sold after the show period, just like a car from the production line. Such disposal was made possible by the fact that these early show cars were (more or less) normally functional, being largely based on the chassis and mechanical components of some existing model.

Until the 1970s, show cars were produced by specialised coachbuilders, which would deliver tailor-made cars to both carmakers and an affluent international clientele. This haute voiture niche, the heritage from the inter-war period, would quietly fade away, affected by changes in mass-production technology and increasingly stringent homologation requirements.

After this period, modern show cars would mostly disappear into carmaker's storage facilities, some of them eventually appearing in museums or exhibitions as static icons.

In recent times the Italian school of automotive design and coachbuilding has generated the richest variety of innovative ideas. The art and science of conceptual automotive culture flourished in the Turin-Milan-Modena axis, in the fertile soil of old and new car makers, design studios and international motor sports. There, on the verge of modern times, the BMW Spicup was born.

During the 1960s BMW enjoyed a close relationship with Carrozzeria Bertone, whose star designer Giorgetto Giugiaro had been responsible for the 3200CS coupé, so when the Italian coachbuilder wanted to showcase engineer Enzo Cingolani's idea for a retractable roof, it was to the German firm that they turned. The 'Spicup' (Spider/Coupé) was the result. BMW's E3 saloon platform was chosen, the example supplied to Bertone having the 2.8-litre version of the SOHC straight-six engine installed. The chassis was numbered 'V.0010' – the V standing for Versuchswagen (experimental car). Its futuristic appearance notwithstanding, the Spicup's main talking point was its novel roof, which consisted of stainless steel panels that retracted into the hefty roll bar. Although the idea never made it to production, it did influence the lines of Bertone's Targa-top FIAT X1/9. With Giugiaro off to Carrozzeria Ghia, it was left to Marcello Gandini to finish the Spicup, incorporating what for a time was his signature front end with its part-concealed headlamps, seen also in the Alfa Romeo Montreal and Lamborghini Jarama.

After premiering on Carrozzeria Bertone's stand at the 1969 Geneva Salon, the Spicup was exhibited at the Concorso d'Eleganza in Allassio in June and finally at that year's Frankfurt Motor Show. Its subsequent whereabouts are not totally clear, though it appears that the car was sold to a private owner shortly afterwards. Several sources have reported the Spicup being present in the mid-1970s at the German mega-dealer Auto Becker in Düsseldorf, which had a special showroom devoted to exotic cars at that time.

A few years later, the Spicup was purchased by a Dutch motor dealer who decided to keep the car and obtained regular road registration. The exterior colour was changed from green to orange and the elaborate multi-hued green and silver interior was sprayed over – in black. In this configuration the car was used as a daily driver for the next 10 years, covering some 100,000 kilometres, which makes it probably the most-used one-off show car in the world!

Without doubt, the Spicup has turned a lot of heads during its outings. The previous owner particularly admired the car's versatile roof, although reported by him as 'not completely watertight' (which probably is an understatement considering the Dutch climate). The BMW drivetrain performed flawlessly during the entire period. Emigration plans could not influence the owner to sell the car, so it was put away in storage in the 1980s, remaining there for more than 20 years. It resurfaced in 2008, offered as 'some weird model with BMW badges', and was purchased by the current vendor, a noted collector of coachbuilt exotica.

Tired, incomplete, scratched and dented, and with some serious signs of corrosion, the car was transported to Carrozzeria Granturismo in Milan for a complete restoration. Although they had restored various historic concept cars and other complex coachbuilt automobiles, the Carrozzeria Granturismo team, headed by technical director Aldo Goi, was fascinated by the project. Show cars are necessarily rare, but Italo-German examples are even rarer. The first phase of the work consisted of making a thorough inventory, diligently searching for the original colours and materials, and researching original documentation and pictures from the period. Removing the paint from the body revealed a patchwork of earlier repairs that had resulted in a mishmash of multiple layers of sheet metal, filler and rust. Obviously, the steel body had never received any protection against corrosion (not really essential for car shows) so humidity and salt had enjoyed free access.

The complete floorpan of the car, including the sills, was replaced and the doors mostly reconstructed. Moulds were made for new window glass, as all of it was broken, and the upholstery meticulously washed down, revealing the original interior's spectacular shades of dark green, lime green and silver metallic fabric. Other parts remade to the exact original specifications are the steering wheel, Spicup emblems, interior trim and rear bumper. The original bumpers were made of wood (!), neatly covered with black skai; however, the rear example had been ravaged by termites and was beyond recovery.

Once totally restored, the bodywork was repainted in its original green metallic livery with silver grey accents and embellishments. The engine cover, originally fixed to the air filter, had been attached to the bonnet at some point in the car's life, probably for reasons of practicality. It was returned to its original location, remaining in position when the bonnet is opened, a modern engine 'disguise' avant la lettre.

The final phase of reassembling the Spicup involved restoring the unique design features incorporated by Carrozzeria Bertone, focusing on details including the special roof mechanism, taking maximum care of the aesthetics, and keeping a critical eye on the overall result. Carrozzeria Granturismo's interior specialists had to go to extraordinary lengths in order to get the seats right. Finally, the finished body was reunited with the BMW drivetrain and other mechanical parts, which had undergone a total overhaul and restoration at the specialists Red Willow Racing in the Netherlands.

Putting the finishing touch to any total restoration project is always immensely satisfying. But in case of the Spicup, the return to its original splendour really offers an extra dimension. It brings back the feeling of Geneva '69, the late 1960s, an era of unlimited possibilities, growth and promise. It reconfirms the essential value of a true show car: to inspire, provoke, evoke emotions and offer a glimpse of the future.

Forty years after its first appearance, the BMW Spicup has not lost any of its charisma. It was first shown again to the public at the Villa d'Este concours d'élégance in 2009, and subsequently at the BMW Museum during the summer of 2010.

Bonhams


Концепт-кар BMW 2800 Spicup, получивший свое название от синтеза слов «Spider» и «Coupe», стал воплощением идеи купе-кабриолета от такого изысканного дуэта, как Джузеппе Бертоне и Марчелло Гандини. Шасси для этого концепта было взято от BMW 2000CS, а рядный шестицилиндровый 2,8-литровый двигатель мощностью 170 л.с. - от BMW 2800. Самым спорным элементом дизайна была "крыша" в виде металлических панелей, которая служила не только элементом дизайна, но и призвана была увеличивать безопасность пассажиров, и, возможно, именно она стала причиной провала модели: Spicup был показан в 1969 году на Женевском автосалоне и руководством BMW (после анализа реакции публики) было принято решение отказаться от столь непохожего на остальные модели BMW дизайна. Вероятно, еще одной причиной стало почти полное сходство передка Spicup с другой моделью Гандини - Alfa Romeo Montreal, которая была выпущена тремя годами ранее и показана на выставке Montreal Expo - 1967.

Прототип, фактически уже не имеющий особого будущего, было решено продать сразу после выставки энтузиасту, который перекрасил Spicup из выставочного зеленого цвета в оранжевый, и сумел откатать на нем по Европе почти 100 тысяч километров (напомним, речь идет о коцепт-каре!). Потом он пропал из поля зрения, и всплыл уже в 2009 году на выставке Villa dEste Concours, полностью отреставрированный и покрашенный в авторский зеленый цвет. Все это стало возможным благодаря энтузиасту Полу Коту (Paul Koot), который собственно нашел автомобиль, купившему его бельгийскому автолюбителю Роланду Дьетерну (Roland D'Ieteren) и BMW, которое спонсировало выставку 2009-го года.

crazywheels.spb.ru
Coachbuilder: Bertone
1942 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Coupe (Bertone), 1952 Abarth 1500 Coupe Biposto (Bertone), 1953 Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 5 (Bertone), 1953 Arnolt Bristol (Bertone), 1953 Aston Martin DB 2/4 (Bertone), 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe (Bertone), 1953 Dodge Zeder (Bertone), 1953 Fiat Siata 8V (Bertone), 1954 Alfa Romeo 2000 Sportiva (Bertone), 1954 Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 7 (Bertone), 1954 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint (Bertone), 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Spider (Bertone), 1955 Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 9 (Bertone), 1955 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider (Bertone), 1956 Abarth 750 (Bertone), 1956 Abarth Record (Bertone), 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale (Bertone), 1957 Fiat Stanguellini 1200 Spider (Bertone), 1957 Jaguar XK150 (Bertone), 1958 Abarth Alfa Romeo 1000 (Bertone), 1958 NSU Sport Prinz (Bertone), 1959 Maserati 3500 GT Coupe (Bertone), 1959 OSCA 1500 (Bertone), 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Prototype EW (Bertone), 1960 Gordon-Keeble GT (Bertone), 1961 ASA 1000 GT (Bertone), 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT Jet (Bertone), 1961 BMW 3200 CS (Bertone), 1961 Ferrari 250GT (Bertone), 1961 Maserati 5000 GT Coupe (Bertone), 1962 Iso Rivolta GT (Bertone), 1962 Simca 1000/1200S Coupe (Bertone), 1963 Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint HS (Bertone), 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Testudo (Bertone), 1963 Iso Grifo (Bertone), 1964 Alfa Romeo Canguro (Bertone), 1965 Fiat 850 Spider (Bertone), 1965 Ford Mustang (Bertone), 1966 Jaguar FT (Bertone), 1966 Lamborghini Miura (Bertone), 1966 Porsche 911 Roadster (Bertone), 1967 Alfa Romeo Montreal Expo Prototipo (Bertone), 1967 Fiat 125 Executive (Bertone), 1967 Jaguar Pirana (Bertone), 1967 Lamborghini Marzal (Bertone), 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo (Bertone), 1968 Bertone Panther, 1968 Lamborghini Espada (Bertone), 1968 Lamborghini Miura Roadster (Bertone), 1969 Autobianchi Runabout (Bertone), 1969 BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969 Fiat 128 Coupe (Bertone), 1969 Iso Lele (Bertone), 1970 Bertone Shake, 1970 BMW 2200 TI Garmisch (Bertone), 1970 Lancia Stratos Zero (Bertone), 1971 Lamborghini Countach (Bertone), 1971 Lamborghini Urraco (Bertone), 1971 Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1972 Citroen Camargue (Bertone), 1972 Fiat X1/9 (Bertone), 1972 Maserati Khamsin (Bertone), 1972 Suzuki Go (Bertone), 1973 NSU Trapeze (Bertone), 1974 Fiat 127 Village (Bertone), 1974 Lamborghini Bravo (Bertone), 1974 Maserati Quattroporte II (Bertone), 1975 Fiat 131 Abarth (Bertone), 1975 Fiat Visitors Bus (Bertone), 1975 Fiat X1/9 Dallara (Bertone), 1976 Alfa Romeo Navajo (Bertone), 1976 Ferrari Rainbow (Bertone), 1977 Jaguar Ascot (Bertone), 1978 Lancia Sibilo (Bertone), 1979 Volvo Tundra (Bertone), 1980 Lamborghini Athon (Bertone), 1981 Mazda MX-81 Aria (Bertone), 1982 Citroen BX (Bertone), 1983 Alfa Romeo Delfino (Bertone), 1984 Chevrolet Ramarro (Bertone), 1986 Citroen Zabrus (Bertone), 1988 Lamborghini Genesis (Bertone), 1989 Bugatti EB 110 Proposal (Bertone), 1990 Chevrolet Corvette Nivola (Bertone), 1991 Lotus Emotion (Bertone), 1992 Bertone Blitz, 1992 Fiat Cinquecento RUSH (Bertone), 1994 Bertone ZER (Zero Emission Record), 1994 Fiat Punto Racer (Bertone), 1994 Porsche Karisma (Bertone), 1995 Lancia Kayak (Bertone), 1995 Opel Maxx (Bertone), 1996 Citroen Berlingo Coupe de Plage (Bertone), 1996 Fiat Enduro (Bertone), 1996 Opel Slalom (Bertone), 1997 Alfa Romeo Sportut (Bertone), 1998 Bertone Pickster, 1999 Alfa Romeo Bella (Bertone), 1999 Mazda Neospace (Bertone), 2000 Bertone Slim, 2001 Oldsmobile O4 (Bertone), 2001 Opel Filo (Bertone), 2001 Saab 9X (Bertone), 2002 Bertone Novanta, 2003 Alfa Romeo GT Coupe (Bertone), 2003 Bertone Birusa, 2003 Opel Insignia (Bertone), 2004 Aston Martin Jet2 (Bertone), 2005 Cadillac Villa Design Study (Bertone), 2006 Bertone Suagna, 2007 Chery A6CC Coupe (B23) (Bertone), 2007 Fiat Barchetta (Bertone), 2008 Bertone B.A.T. 11, 2009 Bertone Mantide, 2010 Alfa Romeo Pandion (Bertone), 2011 Jaguar B99 (Bertone), 2011 Jaguar B99 GT (Bertone), 2012 Bertone Nuccio, 2013 Aston Martin Jet 2+2 (Bertone), 2022 Bertone GB110, 2024 Bertone Runabout
Other BMW
1936 BMW 328, 1950 BMW 501 (Pininfarina), 1955 BMW 507, 1956 BMW Isetta, 1961 BMW 3200 CS (Bertone), 1963 BMW 700 (Colani), 1967 BMW Glas 3000 V8 Fastbackcoupe (Frua), 1968 BMW 2000 ti (Frua), 1969 BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1970 BMW 2200 TI Garmisch (Bertone), 1972 BMW Turbo (Michelotti), 1975 BMW 3.0 Si (Frua), 1976 BMW 528 GT Coupe (Frua), 1976 BMW Karmann Asso di Quadri (ItalDesign), 1977 BMW M1 (ItalDesign), 1981 BMW M2 (Colani), 1985 BMW Z1, 1988 BMW Z1 Break, 1989 BMW 850, 1991 BMW Nazca C2 (ItalDesign), 1991 BMW Nazca M12 (ItalDesign), 1991 BMW Z11 (E1), 1992 BMW Columbus (ItalDesign), 1993 BMW Nazca C2 Spider (ItalDesign), 1994 BMW Z13, 1995 BMW Z18, 1995 BMW Z21 (Just 4/2), 1995 BMW Z3, 1997 BMW Z07, 1997 BMW Z14 (C1), 1999 BMW Z9, 2000 BMW Z22, 2000 BMW Z9 Convertible, 2001 BMW X-Coupe Concept, 2001 BMW Z29, 2002 BMW CS-1, 2003 BMW xActivity, 2004 BMW H2R, 2005 BMW Z4 Coupe, 2006 BMW 3-Series coupe, 2006 BMW CLEVER Research Vehicle, 2006 BMW Concept Coupe Mille Miglia, 2007 BMW 1-Series tii, 2007 BMW CS, 2007 BMW X6, 2008 BMW GINA, 2008 BMW M1 Hommage, 2008 BMW Simple, 2008 BMW X1, 2009 BMW Vision EfficientDynamics, 2010 BMW Concept 6 Series Coupe, 2010 BMW Concept Gran Coupe, 2011 BMW 328 Hommage, 2011 BMW i3, 2011 BMW i8, 2011 BMW Vision ConnectedDrive, 2012 BMW Concept Active Tourer, 2012 BMW i3 Coupe, 2012 BMW i8 Spyder, 2012 BMW Zagato Coupe (Zagato), 2012 BMW Zagato Roadster (Zagato), 2013 BMW Concept X4, 2013 BMW Gran Lusso Coupe (Pininfarina), 2014 BMW Deep Orange 4 (CU-ICAR), 2014 BMW Vision Future Luxury, 2015 BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage, 2015 BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage R, 2015 BMW Compact Sedan, 2015 BMW M4 GTS, 2016 BMW 2002 Hommage, 2016 BMW Concept X2, 2016 BMW Motorrad Vision Next 100, 2016 BMW Vision Next 100, 2017 BMW 8-Series, 2017 BMW i Inside Future, 2017 BMW i Vision Dynamics, 2017 BMW Motorrad Concept Link, 2017 BMW X7 iPerformance, 2017 BMW Z4, 2018 BMW iX3, 2018 BMW M8 Gran Coupe, 2018 BMW Vision iNext, 2019 BMW Concept 4, 2019 BMW Vision M Next, 2020 BMW Concept i4, 2021 BMW i Vision Circular, 2021 BMW XM, 2023 BMW i Vision Dee, 2023 BMW Touring Coupe, 2023 BMW Vision Neue Klasse, 2024 BMW Concept Skytop, 2024 BMW Vision Neue Klasse X
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медведь
Friday, January 31, 2014
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Friday, January 31, 2014
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