AUTOMOTIVE ALLIANCE: Mr Porter has teamed with BMW i, a sub-brand of BMW on a limited-edition electric car.
This is the first automotive partnership for the online men’s retailer as it focuses on expanding its men’s range. The electric-powered car is emission-free and features a 170-hp 4.4-electric motor, which accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 7.2 seconds. It is available in a tuxedo blue.
Inspired by men’s bespoke tailoring, the design teams from Mr Porter and BMW i utilized a capparis white accent running along the chassis of the car. The interior was designed in a dark oak wood in a range of tones and grains. Floor mats feature white stitching details and Dalbergia brown piping.
The retail price is 39,000 pounds or $56,365. The BMW i3 cars will be available for purchase exclusively on mrporter.com on Feb. 18. The cars are deliverable within the U.K. only.
The BMW i3 also comes with a Mr Porter essentials travel kit, which includes a BMW leather holdall bag and a Leica C camera. In addition, the car will be stocked with exclusive items including a Lock & Co. bowler hat, Cutler and Gross sunglasses, a black-and-white London Undercover umbrella and a bespoke edition of Phaidon City Guide Books.
“We have kept all the high specification components one would expect from BMW and added a bespoke interior and exterior finish, which is very much in keeping with our aesthetic,” said Toby Bateman, managing director at Mr Porter. “We also hope to make the car available in other markets in the future. We have had a longstanding commercial relationship with BMW i since launch and have had a number of creative projects with them, very much as an integrated partnership. Designing a car with their team seemed the logical progression of this and I like that our creative team worked very closely with the teams at BMW to create a car that had our aesthetic values tempered with their technical excellence.”