BMW 328 Hommage (2011) revealed at Villa d'Este

This is the BMW 328 Hommage, a concept car which made its debut at the 2011 Villa d'Este Concours. The BMW 328 Hommage has been created to celebrate the 75th anniversary of BMW's 328 sports car, which was one of the featured classic cars at the Villa d'Este Concours. 

I assume you're talking about the general shape of the car, rather than the buck-toothed rabbit look of the front-end graphic. While the BMW 328 Hommage is festooned with modern reinterpretations of such classic 328 competition car hallmarks as leather bonnet straps, bodyside recesses in lieu of doors, aero screens, and 'pepper-pot' alloy wheels, the overall shape has more in common with BMW's 2011 Geneva show car, the Vision Connected Drive.  The 328 Hommage is a far less direct descendant of the original BMW 328 than the M1 Hommage was to the original M1, or the 2006 BMW Mille Miglia Concept was to the original 328 Mille Miglia coupe. 

BMW is using the 328 Hommage as the latest demonstration of its research into carbonfibre construction. The 328 makes extensive use of carbonfibre for its structure, interior and exterior panels, echoing the original 328's lightweight theme.

Under the bonnet is a 3.0-litre straight six engine, but BMW has not divulged any further details of the 328 Hommage's powertrain. 

Inside, you'll spot what appears to be two stopwatches mounted in front of the passenger seat. The 'tripmaster' is actually two iPhones in custom aluminium holders, offering timing and GPS navigation functions.

The 328 Hommage is a one-off, but you'll see plenty of carbonfibre technology on the BMW i8 sports car and i3 city car, due in 2013.

By Mark Hamilton