BMW is no stranger to aftermarket partnerships, having established key tie-ups with some of the segments most known tuners. The 2016 Paris Motor Show played host to one such alliance as BMW and Garage Italia Customs unveiled the BMW i3 and i8 CrossFade concepts.

The two i models don’t carry any engine upgrades, but they do have a rather peculiar exterior feature that allows for the color of the i3 and i8 bodies to evolve between two unique colors. Up front, the i3 and the i8 are dressed in Protonic Dark Silver. But as color gradually moves to the back, triangle designs on the side of the cars somehow creates a smooth transition to the Protonic Blue paint finish in the rear of the two cars.

From a distance, the transition looks really smooth, but once you take closer look, you’ll notice that the triangle colors and patterns create a visual trick that allows the two colors to blend together and transition from silver to blue the way it does. The method is actually similar to pointillism, which the artistically-inclined among us will recognize as a painting technique that uses small distinct dots of color that are patterned to create a unique image. Even better, the same application was given to the door panels and the Alcantara headliner on the cabins of both the i3 and i8.

The results are unique to say the least. I’m not sure that it’s for everybody, but for those who are intrigued about owning either of these two models, BMW actually has plans to offer both versions to the public by early 2017. The respective prices are yet to be released, so stay tuned for updates on that end.

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That's how you dress up a BMW i8!

And here I thought BMW's quirkiness only showed up through its Mini sub-brand. Evidently, that’s not the case as the CrossFade concepts are right up in Mini’s wheelhouse. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not throwing shade towards BMW. I actually like the CrossFade concepts, especially the way the finished product looks on the BMW i8. That’s a saucy looking i8 right there.

On a broader point, it seems that fancy exterior works have become increasingly popular these days. BMW itself has dabbled in it a few times this year, most notably that beauty of a creation known as the i8 Futurism Edition. That bad boy makes the i8 CrossFade look tame by comparison!

God bless BMW and its creativity to partner with a company like Garage Italia Customs. The tuner has given us some nice works in the past, including the Mazda MX-5 Levanto and the Alfa Romeo 4C La Furiosa. The CrossFade concepts take the cake though because not only do they look stunning from any distance, but the fact that they’re going to be available to the public soon should make them quick sellers.