BMW Individual Manufaktur has unveiled a new, highly customised version of the BMW 745Le xDrive that will be served as the new Ellerman House (a luxury boutique hotel in Cape Town) chauffeur car. The car was designed by BMW Individual in collaboration with South African artist and botanical sculptor Nic Bladen who is known for his plants cast in precious metals.
To start, the plug-in hybrid flagship sedan is finished in the exclusive Brass paint, contrasted with BMW Individual High Gloss Shadow Line, 20-inch M light alloy wheels in star spoke design, and M sports package. The brass-coloured door sills feature the “Ellerman House” lettering, and the C-pillars bear the stylised “EH” signet.
Inside, the car gets BMW Individual Merino full leather upholstery in Tartufo/Cognac colours. The seats are electrically adjustable, of course, and includes massage, heating and ventilation functions. There’s also the Sky Lounge panorama glass roof, ambient lighting, and Ambient Air Package.
The Tarfuto hue is also used on the door panelling frame, the instrument panel, the Alcantara roof liner, the floor trim, the leather-covered door entry trim, seat panels, as well as the A and B pillars. This creates a luxurious two-tone ambiance, but that’s not all.
The headrests and comfort cushions (also in Tarfuto finish) get an exclusive floral design embroidery, “EH” signet on the front, and “BMW Individual Manufaktur” lettering on the back. Then there’s Bladen’s work.
Notice the flora sculptures littered along the dash and door inserts? Those leaves and flowers are native to the country. Bladen typically uses plaster casts and liquid gold, silver or platinum to create similarly detailed sculptures, but for this project, he developed a special process tailored to achieve the flattest two-dimensional design possible.
Bladen found inspiration in the Fynbos region around Cape Town, which is known for its unique biodiversity. Many of the shrubs, trees, grasses and flowers that are indigenous to the area now face extinction. Among the best-known natural treasures of the Fynbos landscape are the rooibos and protea plants.
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