The master book – 288 image-led pages printed on premium quality paper – tells how BMW design works and how showcars play an essential role in this development. Featuring more than 400 photos and design sketches, it starts with the cars that saved the company after World War Two. It delves into the design story of iconic models such as the CSL and the first 3 and 5 Series as well as the modern-day BMW concept cars, right through to the latest Vision Neue Klasse.

Throughout, BMW’s designers past and present explain first-hand how they designed the cars that have made BMW so successful. Their images and photographs are annotated to provide unique insight into both BMW and car design in general.

BMW by Design reveals how and why BMW’s design approach has so often been revolutionary. Anyone with an interest in car design – not just BMW fans – should view the book as essential reading.

Saxty discovered a trove of previously unseen material. They’re presented in this premium, same-sized companion book to BMW by Design and include never published artwork given to Saxty by 1970s design maestro Paul Bracq and a nine other unseen gems from within BMW. Many of the images are brought to life via fold-out illustrations, alongside the previously untold stories behind them.

During his research, Saxty saw that many of the designers’ drawings were pure art. From them, Head of BMW Group Design Adrian van Hooydonk selected those he thought were exceptional enough to be published standalone as the third book in the set, BMW Art by Design. Saxty contacted each of the current and former designers that created them to ask for the back stories and techniques behind these vivid pieces of automotive art.

Completing the package are separate giclée art-quality prints of 18 renderings, presented in a hand-made jewel box. Each of the 1500 First Edition copies are supplied in a luxury cloth-bound boxed slipcase, and individually numbered.

Saxty says: ‘I wanted to produce a set of books and prints that would be exceptional and deliver more and different content, especially images, about a fascinating subject.’

‘Lovers of classic BMWs will find fresh insights into how and why BMW designed its legendary models. Modern BMW owners will also find a feast awaiting as they meet the designers who created their cars and learn what they think as they shape the BMWs of today and tomorrow.’

Of his collaboration with Adrian van Hooydonk, Saxty says: ‘It became a partnership based on trust and mutual respect. We agreed that this should be a fresh, vibrant and unknown story about a company that is of interest to so many. I conducted more than 100 interviews with BMW designers, past and present, as they contributed their stories and sketches. What started out as a single book expanded to easily fill 570 pages across the three-book set.’

Adrian van Hooydonk says: ‘The thing that convinced me to support a book about our work was the unique concept Steve and I worked out. BMW by Design was not to be another history tome counting down years, facts and numbers. We wanted to capture the very spirit inside the BMW Group design team, our way of working and thinking, the passion, the risk-taking, and the tremendous dedication, time and energy our people expend. I think the result will provide readers with a glimpse of BMW’s future rather than just its past.’