When you attach a prominent designer's name to a car, it truly is astonishing what that can do for its value. Earlier this month, we were shown BMW's and Kith founder Ronnie Fieg's latest design collaboration featuring the BMW i4 M50 Gran Coupe.
The first example of the seven units to be produced has now been auctioned by RM Sotheby's to an unknown buyer for $327,600. This is quite a sum more than the standard model's MSRP of $67,300 - more than quadruple. If you ask BMW, adding Kith to its network of collaborators was probably one of the best decisions it could have made.
Kith's relationship with the i4 is a bit more in-depth than that of the first collaboration with the M4. This time around, it is joined by a unique and tastefully customized BMW 1602, an all-electric concept car dating back to 1972, and a catalog of contemporary clothing and accessories with prices that reflect their prestige.
The i4 remains the star of the campaign and although it looks like a regular EV from the brand with a special coat of paint, once you take a closer look, you'll appreciate the attention to detail. The Kith Vitality Green is an exclusive shade of paint that you'll never see on any other BMW. This is perfectly contrasted by BMW Individual Caramel full-grain Merino leather upholstery inside the cabin, together with some unique trimmings and details.
RM Sotheby's confirms that this is only one of the seven that were auctioned, as the others were sold directly to exclusive customers. It also confirms that this is not the model that was shown at the NYC exhibition.
The question some may have is why anyone would be willing to spend so much money on what is essentially a standard BMW i4 M50 fitted with some designer pieces. The only logical explanation is that these seven models are seen as art pieces rather than cars. This is a trend that manufacturers all over the industry are recognizing.
BMW, in particular, recognizes the benefit of having big names attached to its brand after Sean Wotherspoon's recreated M850i xDrive Gran Coupe Koons edition was able to sell for $475,000 earlier this year. With this level of success, we can only expect designer collaborations to be more prominent in the future.