I subscribed to every car magazine back in the day, and I've always wondered about this.
I found the link in the article to interesting as well, even if it's basically just the same information (there's also a podcast). [0]
Though I'd like to learn more about the actual patterns employed, I also found from a quick search to be interesting, too. [1]
>Most BMW prototypes go through three camouflage levels. The first is the full fairing, in which hard shells are screwed on, other headlights are mounted and large parts of the car are covered with stickers. In the second stage, only distinctive features typical of the series are covered with foil, underneath are always the headlights and often the rear as well as lines on the side or the bonnet. The last stage is then the model ready for series production, which will later also be available from dealers. In principle, the 'propeller', the BMW emblem, remains hidden until the last moment. Because of this one detail, the almost undisguised car is considered an Erlkönig right up to the end.
This is interesting, but what details are actually being concealed or obfuscated with this, given modern cameras? Seems more just like a fun tradition than anything else.
I found the link in the article to interesting as well, even if it's basically just the same information (there's also a podcast). [0]
Though I'd like to learn more about the actual patterns employed, I also found from a quick search to be interesting, too. [1]
>Most BMW prototypes go through three camouflage levels. The first is the full fairing, in which hard shells are screwed on, other headlights are mounted and large parts of the car are covered with stickers. In the second stage, only distinctive features typical of the series are covered with foil, underneath are always the headlights and often the rear as well as lines on the side or the bonnet. The last stage is then the model ready for series production, which will later also be available from dealers. In principle, the 'propeller', the BMW emblem, remains hidden until the last moment. Because of this one detail, the almost undisguised car is considered an Erlkönig right up to the end.
[0] - https://www.bmw.com/en/automotive-life/prototype-cars.html
[1] - https://topgear-autoguide.com/category/traffic/erlkonig-camo...