Did That Car Just Wink At Me?

BMW has created a new concept vehicle, affectionately known as "GINA". The car is revolutionary, in that it does away with the traditional metal "skin" of the vehicle, and replaces it with a taut, flexible material. I hesitate to call it fabric, because I'm sure there's a lot more that went into engineering this material than your favorite flannel shirt.

For me, the coolest thing about this vehicle is the mechanisms underneath the skin. It must have taken a complex system of linkages and motors to shift the shape of the car.

There is an article about it from the New York Times here. Below, I've embedded a neat video with the lead designer, the infamous Chris Bangle, explaining his vision for this car.