Live from the historic halls of BMW Group Classic in Munich, we sit down with legendary automotive designer Joji Nagashima, the visionary behind some of BMW’s most celebrated modern classics, including the BMW Z3 roadster, the 5 Series (E39), and the 3 Series (E90).
In this in-depth conversation, Nagashima reveals the untold stories behind BMW's golden era of design, showing the original 1989/1990 Z3 Sketches for the first time ever. From an impromptu clay-modeling exercise for apprentices that accidentally gave birth to the Z3, and strict budget constraints, he shares the engineering compromises and artistic breakthroughs that defined an era. Nagashima also breaks down the secret geometry of the "plan view," why the E90 was the hardest car of his career to get right, the controversial origins of the Z3 Coupé "Clown Shoe," and why designing "for the future" is the fastest way to make a car look obsolete.
Live Sketch: Joji Nagashima draws his vision of a modern BMW Z3 on camera.