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5 Minutes
Overview
BMW is in the midst of a major transformation with its Neue Klasse architecture, but not every idea born from the brand’s design studios follows that path. A recent student-led CGI thesis — developed under the supervision of BMW’s Advanced Exterior Design team — imagines a very different direction: a stripped-back, entry-level coupe nicknamed the “Outlaw” with an unofficial internal codename of E27. Designed by Hakan Atasalan and shared via Car Design World, this concept tackles the affordability crisis that’s priced many young buyers out of new BMWs.
Design and Exterior
The Outlaw channels classic BMW DNA, drawing inspiration from the compact 02 Series and the later E21 3 Series. The brief was simple: create a recognizably BMW compact coupe while slashing production costs. The result is a minimalist silhouette, tight proportions and bold cues that reference heritage models without replicating them.
Interchangeable Front and Rear
One of the concept’s most radical cost-saving moves is complete interchangeability of the front and rear body panels. The same stamped panels can be flipped and re-used on either end of the car, reducing tooling, stamping dies and parts complexity. Design cleverness turns the small BMW kidney grille motif into functional trim that can be reinterpreted as exhaust outlets when mounted at the rear — a notable example of packaging efficiency and design economy.
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Coach Door (Suicide Door) on One Side
Another packaging trick: identical doors for both sides that become coach-style (rear-hinged) after rotating the hinge 180 degrees. This one-sided “suicide” or coach-door layout simplifies manufacturing (one die for both doors) and improves passenger access for a two-door coupe while keeping visual symmetry and a playful, retro nod to classic designs.
Vehicle Specifications (Concept)
As a CGI thesis, the Outlaw isn’t a production car, but the concept lays out plausible targets for an affordable coupe:
- Target price: around $20,000 (concept goal)
- Length: compact — roughly 3.9–4.1 meters (estimate)
- Wheelbase: compact footprint, likely ~2.4–2.6 meters
- Target curb weight: light, approximately 1,000–1,100 kg
- Layout: design nods to rear-wheel-drive heritage but could be engineered as front- or rear-wheel-drive depending on cost
Performance and Powertrain Options
Keeping costs low while meeting emissions and safety regulations is the biggest engineering hurdle. Plausible powertrain choices for an entry-level Outlaw might include small turbocharged petrol engines (1.0–1.5L, 100–150 hp), mild-hybrid variants or a simplified BEV architecture for select markets. The concept envisages nimble urban handling, modest performance and a focus on driving enjoyment and efficiency rather than outright power.
Market Positioning and Pricing
The Outlaw aims squarely at younger buyers who are currently forced into the used-car market by price inflation. At an aspirational $20k price point, the model would compete with premium-trim versions of small hatchbacks and compact crossovers — think Mini Cooper and premium variants of the VW Polo or Toyota Yaris — but marketed as an entry-level BMW coupe. Realistically, modern safety, emissions and noise regulations make it extremely difficult to deliver a new-car BMW at that price while preserving margins.
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Comparisons and Feasibility
Compared with BMW’s current lineup (1 Series, 2 Series), the Outlaw concept is far more minimal and targeted at a different buyer: someone who values heritage styling, compact dimensions and affordability. While the CGI project demonstrates clever manufacturing and design-for-cost thinking, delivering such a vehicle today would require significant compromises or a reimagining of regulatory and business constraints.
Conclusion
The BMW Outlaw (E27) is a charming and imaginative thought experiment that asks whether a truly affordable BMW is still possible. Through interchangeable panels, one-piece door tooling and a compact footprint, the concept shows how designers can pursue simplicity and brand identity together. Whether BMW or any mainstream automaker could bring such a back-to-basics car to market is doubtful under current rules — but the Outlaw remains a provocative vision for what an accessible BMW could look like. Do you think a minimal, low-cost BMW coupe is worth pursuing? Yay or nay?
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