Our series of exclusive interviews continues today with Erik Goplen, the outside designer of the new BMW X3. The American designer, working as a artistic manager for DesignworksUSA, also designed the BMW E46 3 Series Coupe, one of the virtually pop and highly appreciated iii Series to engagement.

Goplen is an avid archetype car collector – he owns 1969 De Tomaso Mangusta; and one his mottos was revealed in a previous interview: "Nosotros have a design heritage to maintain".

To learn more about the pattern of the new X3 and also his transition every bit a designer from a Coupe to an X-model, BMWBLOG sat downward with Erik at the contempo Paris Motor Bear witness.

BMWBLOG: The previous X3 was somewhat feminine in appearance and appeal. What has been done to revise the new X3 as it looks much more muscular now?

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Erik Goplen: Actually a lot has been done. 1 of the key things is the proportion of the machine. The machine is much more stable on the ground with a wider track and a more muscular form has been put into the car. My explanations of the body course, which I think are strengthening the "10" Deoxyribonucleic acid, are these three details over the front bike, rear cycle and then besides the "zicke" line. It'southward nearly similar this tension of line helps to give the car masculinity.

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BMWBLOG: Would yous say the new X3 design is conservative?

Erik Goplen: I don't know how the outside volition feel about information technology. In my opinion it'southward quite a large step forward. Again, the strengthening of the development of the auto, a lot more low-cal and shadow and a lot more muscular surfacing. I did appreciate what we had done previously as far as design.

For case, the taillights were very iconic so back to the E46, I wanted to bring back the double circular headlights. I felt that nosotros had established a strong position with that automobile. It took a while since the car was considered the "fiddling brother" of the previous X3 and eventually it got a lot of momentum. In Europe they really enjoyed the motorcar and it was really successful. This machine represents a car that has grown upwardly and I wanted to portray the "little blood brother" every bit a tough boxer that stands its ground. When it comes to the sculpture of the car, we are being a bit more than provocative. The lights marshal strategically with the entire line-up. I'yard very proud of the auto and especially the sculpture through the machine. When one thinks of mod or progress, I believe the car has all those elements to brand it successful.

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BMWBLOG: What hommage does it pay to the previous generation?

Erik Goplen: From the very first sketches it was important to me to emphasize these dynamic lines. I love that ticked upward yellowish and in this case being something I wanted to preserve. The forcefulness of where it sits in space, there is a lot more wedge to it and in appearance it looks like it has this motion of going forward.

There is besides the T-lamp in the dorsum. Those are probably the two elements that are on the more obvious side. Other than that, the auto was really a bare slate of paper, simply nosotros believe that the cars have a fiddling bit of evolution in them. I just did what felt natural with my proposal. There wasn't a definite request or requirement from the board, and so it was prissy to accept that liberty.

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BMWBLOG: Is at that place any feedback from customers to led to specific blueprint features in the new X3?

Erik Goplen: This car started out in our California studio and I recollect the only influence from us is the location. I very much look to other things, other than other cars and our dialog with customers is more general and non specific to an verbal model. Since my wife drives the current X3 and from a factual point, to take a car that has a petty more space and drives a trivial more confident fabricated this for me more than reality.

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BMWBLOG: Did you look at the midsized SUV market place for inspiration and direction when designing the current X3? Prior to the inception of the original X3 there was no Audi Q5 or Mercedes-Benz GLK. Does the aforementioned contest alter the design arroyo to the X3?

Erik Goplen: I feel that the new X3 shows all these dynamic lines, which is and then BMW, and really then stiff and permit's say "spicy" for the "Ten" family. In regards to the two cars and the two companies you have mentioned, I think that they are doing their job, one amend than the other. Nosotros are excited to get the new X3 out to the people. The feedback from our pre-driving shows that it's a swell car. It'southward grown up, merely information technology's even so an athlete who is very agile.

BMWBLOG: What was the biggest challenge designing this car?

Erik Goplen: Nosotros have an amazing efficiency on this machine. I retrieve it is best among the vehicles you lot have mentioned before. We have a little more than aerodynamic interest we have worked with and as well, the rear spoiler and the front corners are maximizing this, creating a balance of office to aesthetics. In the middle of the evolution, the width to the track was increased, which fabricated the task easier.

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BMWBLOG: What parts of this design you lot like the most?

Erik Goplen: The pronounced bicycle arches are my number one favorite feature. I besides like the introduction of the "zicke" line that drops down. It brings a brand new dynamic to the "10" car and I think it will be a feature that we will see in the future on some of our other cars. I am very proud of the line and the tension that it'southward created with that. I worked so hard on building the spoiler back into the car and I hope that some enthusiast will appreciate this. I remember there is so much more sculpture and musculus built into the car. I am very proud of the car as a whole, simply I recall the rear of the car has the well-nigh forward thinking features built in.

BMWBLOG: How far dorsum did the design start?

Erik Goplen: The sketches started in tardily 2006, early 2007. I moved back to Deutschland for half dozen month in 2007 to develop the machine. This is a Designworks product. We used the aforementioned modeler, Brady. He is a corking guy. With this auto we actually had a risk to exercise exactly what we wanted and we are very enthusiastic nigh it.

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BMWBLOG: What is the target demographic for the new X3 now that it has grown some and volition likely presume a part previously occupied past the original X5? Did this have an affect on the exterior pattern or was the design conceived then adapted to the marketplace?

Erik Goplen: Nosotros have learned a lot. In this example, the machine has to mature and be more confident now. It also has to have the attraction and I think we take achieved all of that. I think this car bridges several demographics correct now, anywhere from being a family unit car to being a performance auto. The driving is amazing. Whether y'all are out doing performance driving or leisure driving the car is pretty amazing. When the car is a truly active vehicle, it volition cross into several different demographics. Nosotros will notice this with the client's approval and enthusiasm in regards to this car.

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BMWBLOG: SUVs tend to be inefficient vehicles due to their size and weight. How has BMW improved the X3s aero efficiency? Its drive efficiency?

Erik Goplen: In its competitive field, this motorcar is the best in its class. Throughout Europe the car comes with the efficient dynamic Outset/Stop. In the States we tin can see all the aerodynamic enhancements that were made throughout the car. The guys in Munich are always working on improving the engine configuration.

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BMWBLOG: While we appreciate the X3'south part as a applied on-road vehicle, can you describe the X3's off road capabilities? Just how far off road can it become, in a pinch?

Erik Goplen: Our intention is ever that the auto functions keen in an off-road environment. I went to the Functioning Center in Spartanburg, which has off-road terrain and yous get a lot more than appreciation for this car subsequently driving information technology. The team in Munich that works on the suspensions does a fantastic job as well. Sometimes, I call back we take it for granted, but when you are out there on the handling course or in the slide on the track, the car performs awesome.

BMWBLOG: What is your favorite BMW auto of all time?

Erik Goplen: I have a passion for mid-engine cars. I really like the 3.0cso. I think in that location is purity in the shark olfactory organ, and in general purity to that car that we can always reference. There is also something with the M1 that I always liked likewise. The study that we did was very exciting and we will be looking into like models in the futurity. In that location are a lot of skilful cars. I would like to say it was the E46 coupe and the M3 version of that. We are proud of all the cars.

BMWBLOG: What's next for Erik Goplen?

Erik Goplen: I think I'm ready for a small, sportier automobile. I have competed on several other "X" projects and accept influenced the projects. In spite of family, kids and mountain bikes, I own a 135i manual six-speed and information technology's a fun car to drive. I'm ready to go on going in the coupe and sports car direction. Nosotros all want to blueprint sports cars, simply it'southward fun to go an "Ten" car out once in a while.