In celebration of 30 years BMW bestowed upon the M1 and the many fans who adore it a gift in orange and alloy. What you are looking at above is not a mere rendition of what a redesign of the M1 would look like, as animated as it appears to be. It is a physical reality that may be more study than reality, but truly does capture the spirit that drove the two preceding designs.

The new M1 concept car was received by those attending the Concorso d’Eleganza at Vista d’Este this weekend, where you will see in the photos of the gallery that it was joined by its 2 brothers. While what we see here may be just a concept it does reinforce the knowledge there are still people around today who can produce superlative designs such as this. To anyone’s knowledge thus far the 30 year anniversary M1 concept is merely a shell as no hint of a motive source or interior contents were exposed as its single outing.

Rekindling the knife’s-edge sharpness of the two prior designs tip of the hood the new M1 begins just as all others, with the two kidney shaped grill bookended by sinister headlamps. The contours of the body reflect well on the Giugiaro-designed M1 that followed up on the original M1 designed by Paul Bracq. The tribute follows suit from front to rear concluding with the louvered rear window and the dual BMW badging over-top of the rear break lamps.

Take a look at the gallery after the leap and join BMW in celebrating 30 years of M1 design.

It has been a long standing opinion and practice around the globe, but particularly in China, that duplication, adaptation, and down-right replication of designs and other intellectual properties should be expected and considered the sincerest form of flattery. In the 1980’s there was a common saying or belief that the Japanese took the ideas of others and made them better; improved upon them; applied thought and further advanced the technologies of that time. The biggest problem with the Chinese replication of the automobiles of others is that they do not seem to put any thought into it.

The only information provided for what the Beijing Automotive group is calling the B40 (thus the Jeep clone above) is that it has a gasoline fueled engine. Whether it carries the same off-road capabilities as its Trail Rated genetic source is another question.

Beijing Automotive, formerly known as Beijing Jeep, does have a partnership agreement with Chrysler, but the question of how far that partnership goes still lingers. Does their partnership license the replication of the Jeep brand or Wrangler design? With practically zero copyright protection for intellectual property in China there is little that Chrysler is going to do to stop it. Chrysler would more than likely opt to preserve their partnership link to the expanding automotive market that is China than to lose it over some silly copy-cat complaints.

Check out the photo gallery after the leap and see just how adept China has become at breaking out the clone-stamp and serving of a piece of someone else’s pie.

Chinese auto maker Geely has unveiled its sporty coupe concept the Tiger GT at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show going on in China as we speak, and the crowds around it have been rather constant. Geely is more known for producing the small, economy rides that the general Chinese population is buying. With the Tiger GT Geely is stepping up their aim as a builder of automobiles.

There are some things that appear familiar about the Geely Tiger GT. The vented from grill resembles the shield design on the Suzuki Kizashi, but has been commented by others to resemble a Chinese mask. By the general mold of the car it would appear that the Tiger GT is looking to challenge the likes of Maserati and Aston Martin. While such a challenge may be years (or generations) away it is nice to have such aggressive ambitions to provoke a response out of the rest of the auto industry.
…Explore the Large Gallery of Photos after the Leap…

Even the “refined” tastes of the UK appear poised for the arrival of some Holden horsepower & design as the HSV W427 and its 570-hp fresh from their Melbourne debut are getting rebadged as the Vauxhall VXR8 for the UK market. Powered by the new Corvette ZO6’s LS7 7.0 liter V8 engine the HSV W427 has been stated to have 570 hp, the Holden HSV W427 is aggressively targeted at the BMW M5 and the Audi RS6. Why should they aim for less?

The Holden HSV W427 (not the easiest name to say) is priced in the area between $140,000 to $170,000 Aussie dollars and will have its rebadged Vauxhall version in the UK priced at 55,000 Pounds ($110,000 US).  The HSV W427 is certainly a brute force sedan with reclassed styling and refinement for a GM product, but at a price similar to the M5 will the Holden/Vauxall name plate win against a BMW head-to-head. Judging by Automobile Mag’s comparison of a G8 GT to a BMW 550i…. maybe.

The Pontiac G8 GT is based off the same Holden Commodore design as the HSV W427, and with its 361-hp engine it competed nicely against the 550i of BMW at nearly half the price. The only disparity was in the interior where the GM plastics, while much improved from prior attempts, were really no match for the classic elegance of the BMW’s.  However, at half the price some disparities can be forgiven. By pricing the Vauxhall VXR8 too close to the BMW M5, and despite the Corvette power, it could be a tough sell in a Euro-first market. As long as they can keep the US executives/designers hands out of the rebadging process the Vauxhall VRX8 will have a better chance.