The Brilliance of BMW Started in a Malibu Garage; That “Garage” is Designing the Future
As a design geek, getting a peek into BMW's Designworks studio in Southern California is more than a peek into the brand's future
I’ll just start with this: in college I majored in industrial design, so getting to spend a day watching the wheels of innovation and design turn at BMW Designworks, the Santa Monica, CA design studio was a dream come true. This is where much of the company’s innovation is born, where designers push technology, innovation, design and engineering and building the future.
It was sort of like going to your hero’s house for dinner and I was in heaven. Over the last 50 years, BMW, which stands for Bavarian Motor Works, in case you’re wondering, has evolved with the American market, developing a cross-cultural exchange with almost indelible ties across geographies and among BMW fans and owners.
To try to understand the depth of this heritage, I spent the day deeply entrenched in BMW lore and legacy with a wide complement of key players in this saga, at a facility at the core of this American/German marriage, Designworks, a global creative consultancy that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the BMW Group.
I spoke with central employees passionate about the brand, the thoughtfulness that carried its products, and the people who are keeping their heritage and its legacy alive.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
Like Most Industry Leaders, BMW’s Designworks Started in a Garage
Founded by Chuck Pelly in his garage in Malibu, CA, in 1972, Designworks is and has been an Industrial Design agency, working on a plethora of projects across an endless range of industries, including BMW, since 1975. But even after being acquired by the automaker in 1990, what makes Designworks unique is that, while it functions as BMW’s design firm, it also operates as an independent studio for a wide array of external clients.
By working on diverse projects, Designworks continually develops broad insights into new trends, materials, and user experiences, which they apply directly to BMW’s automotive designs. I spoke with founder, Chuck, and his wife, Joan Gregor, and heard all about how proud they are of their daughter, Cheryl, who has carried the family legacy forward as the Lead Color, Materials & Finish Designer at Designworks.
Both Chuck and Joan are still deeply involved in the design community and run their own firm in San Diego.
From Bus Stops to First Class Cabins
Now expanded to Munich and Shanghai too, this Santa Monica hub brings a special magic to their work, honed and saturated by their HQ location, in the heart of “Silicon Beach” and the resultant electricity.
We were shown a small sampling of designs ranging from a modular bus stop created to satisfy the needs of diverse riders throughout the LA area, particularly in low-income communities, and provide shelter, information, and seating for users of all needs – to a luxury cabin interior for aviation startup, Starlux, and the full immersive experience of that design opportunity all the way from economy to first class.
They’ve worked on projects from electric helicopters, or eVTOLs, to sports wheelchairs, laptops, and, of course, many, many BMWs, and they’ve brought that invaluable and varied insight into each car design, and it shows.
We have Designworks to Thank for the BMW X5
Perhaps the most potent example of American influence on the German giant is the BMW X5, the company’s best-selling US model. It was conceived at the Designworks studio through insights gained from the American consumer.
Though hesitant to enter the SUV market, BMW took a leap with the revolutionary X5, a vehicle with the utility and ruggedness of an SUV but the luxury and performance of a sedan. Dubbed “a Sports Activity Vehicle,” or SAV, the X5 and its sisters, the X1, X3 and X7, continue to drive the company’s success, not only with strong sales around the world, but as a large export business; they are all built at the company’s Spartanburg, SC assembly plant and shipped to markets around the world.
Neue Klasse: The Vision for the Future Started With the iX3
Not long ago BMW introduced the first from it’s next generation of vehicles, with tech, design, software and innovation embodied by the iX3, the new design of the X3 SUV powered by BMW’s “i” electric powertrain. Called Neue Klasse, or “New Class,” this next generation of vehicles will be part of the foundation for the future of BMWs, with 40 new models to be introduced by 2027. This first futuristic foray carries a nod to the past with retro sculpted kidney grilles combined with the streamlined exterior and pronounced new headlights, to make an undeniably commanding presence.
Inside the angular screen (tilted to avoid any info being blocked by the steering wheel) combines with their new panoramic vision display to create a customizable, information-rich cabin that is somehow simplistic at the same time. I have a total crush on this car, and the plush, welcoming, tech-forward interior is a small part of it.
Another huge factor are the amazing stats, like up to 400 miles of range and a peak charging rate of 400kW using an 800-volt charging architecture; this means the vehicle could add 175 miles of range in about 10 minutes. Then there’s the built-in NACS charge port. The $60,000 starting price. The 4,400 lbs. of tow capacity. The bi-directional charging, meaning you can power your home with your car. The 463 HP and 476 lb.-ft. of torque. I could go on. But I think you can tell, my crush is for good reason.
Seeing Examples of the Studio’s Work Struck a Personal Chord
As a part of our day exploring the heritage of BWM, we celebrated on the roof of the Petersen Automotive Museum, floors above the BMW Racing exhibit temporarily housed in the famed Vault. While BMW Designworks can be credited with many of the company’s innovations, it’s the racing and performance mission that put the company on the map as what they, and many buyers, like to call the Ultimate Driving Machine, a heritage that the exhibit celebrates.
The Next Frontier? AI, Of Course, But Not What You’re Thinking
Looking to the future, BMW doesn’t want to just make beautiful products. They want them to be relevant to humanity, too, and it’s hard to deny that AI is becoming a huge part of human evolution. Always on trend, Designworks is leading this charge once again by developing in-house AI models.
“We made a conscious choice to be AI creators, not users,” CEO Julia de Bono said. They love having AI as a collaborator that can “hallucinate” and provide off-the-wall ideation in seconds. We were encouraged to play with the technology; I tried it out, combining an existing BMW vehicle with something completely different to see what happens.
I combined a BMW i3 with a boom box and was quite delighted by the outcome. Some of their other models are more utilitarian, like animating static images to help envision products in 3D, but they plan to fully incorporate AI assistance into their design flow within the next couple of years.
Like Most of the Designworks Team, I’m Excited for the Future
Sitting in one of the Designworks’ intimate meeting rooms for a roundtable with Julia de Bono and former Designworks CEO, now current BMW SVP, Adrian Van Hooydonk, I was struck by the level of creativity and innovation that’s at the heart of this studio and BMW’s core ethos.
Behind these two leaders, a magnificent hand-drawn brainstorm map rested, the most perfect visual of the organized chaos behind the continued design of an icon. Spend some time soaking up this image, and you might be as excited as I am to see what BMW and Designworks bring to us all in the future.
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