Just Try To Look Away From These Hideous BMW i3 And i8 One-Off

Garage Italia Customs is once again showing that the design firm has a unique vision when it comes to tuning the BMW i8 and i3. The new MemphisStyle one-offs look like rolling examples of 1980s aesthetic excess with a dizzying array of weird stripes, polka dots, and vibrant colors. They remind us of outside of our Trapper Keepers from middle school.

This pair of BMWs takes inspiration from Memphis Design, a furniture maker from Milan. The company grew to prominence in the ‘80s for its pop-art-inspired work that generously mixed wild patterns and vivid colors. “Once again, my designers have beaten every expectation; they managed to transfer the real essence of the Memphis Design onto these futuristic one-offs,” Lapo Elkann, Chairman and Creative Director of Garage Italia Customs, said about the new creations.

Garage Italia Customs work here is certainly eye-catching but maybe not tasteful. The i8 features a watermelon print on the front and rear bumpers. Teal stripes run over the pillars. The driver side features horizontal stripes that turn purple at the back. Passengers see orange strips, a checkerboard pattern, and yellow rear fender before entering this bizarre machine. The interior would give some people a headache with its eclectic mix of colors and patterns.

The i3 is similarly vibrant but leaves the hood and trunk lid is basic black. Compared to the i8, the interior is a little more subdued by generally mixing white and green panels. There are still some bizarre patterns in there, though, like the purple, pink, and green animal prints on the door panels.

As one-offs you don’t have to worry about seeing the i models look this gaudy on the road. However, the i8 will go on display at the Frieze New York 2017 art exhibit in May.

In 2016, Garage Italia Customs worked with BMW to create the one-off Futurism Edition i8. The coupe’s body had a finish that looked like fireworks exploding. Inside, a special iridescent upholstery reflected light.

The company followed up this vibrant i8 with the CrossFade concepts at the Paris Motor Show. They featured a gradual evolution from Protonic Dark Silver to Protonic Blue by using tiny triangles for switching between the shades.