1999 BMW Z9 Gran Turismo Concept

The BMW Z9 (or Z9 Gran Turismo, Z9 GT) is a four-seat coupe concept car, carbon-fiber skin over an aluminum space frame. It was introduced on September in 1999 at the Frankfurt Auto Show. During the 2000 Paris Auto Show a convertible variant of the Z9 was debuted. It was designed by Chris Bangle, who was promoted to Director of BMW Group Design. Much of the styling found on E63 6 series is derived from the Z9.

Interior design

A large, 8.8-inch monitor in the center of the dashboard displays all the information the driver needs, apart from the speedometer and tachometer, which are conventional analog instruments. The monitor is positioned within the driver’s field of vision, allowing it to be viewed while focusing attention on the road ahead. Controls are operated with a single large, multifunction knob located between the front seats. The control (called the Intuitive Interaction Concept) consists of a combination rotary and push button for selecting functions. Confirmation of the selected mode is displayed on the dash mounted screen. Several hundred functions can be controlled with this device. The concept of operating the Z9, which BMW calls Intuitive Interaction Concept, allows the driver to easily activate functions while driving without the need to constantly examine and manipulate conventional controls. It was an early prototype of the series production iDrive, introduced in 2001 on the BMW 7 Series (E65).