THE ULTIMATE JOURNEY.

The chief criterion when developing the trophy case was to protect the Ryder Cup during the stunt. At the same time, it had to guarantee the freedom to move for the wingsuit pilot, as well as optimal aerodynamic properties. Furthermore, it should be an design, which continues to represent the status of the trophy and the event even ater the stunt – the challenge was to create a product that is innovative, luxurious and inspiring, and thus reflects the spirit of BMW i. A challenge tailor-made for Designworks, the innovative engine of the BMW Group, with its expertise in bringing together the needs of mobility and other sectors.

“When asked to work on this project connected to the historical Ryder Cup event it was something that excited me to be part of. We just knew it had to be a product that blends the BMW i excitement for technology with the prestigious and honourable aspects surrounding the event itself,” said Tommy Forsgren, Designworks Lead Designer. “The case design is a true innovative BMW i product – its premiumness and exclusivity matching the new BMW iX in terms of color and material finish.”

The trophy case weighs 5.3 kilograms and is 540 x 245 x 250 millimetres. It consists of an outer aluminium frame and a 3D printed space frame capsule with large gaps, allowing the Ryder Cup trophy to be seen, even when closed and during the flight. The case can be attached to the interior skeleton of the wingsuit just as quickly as it can to a wall – for example, for exhibition purposes. The opening mechanism is like that found on a wing door. The colour scheme of the trophy case is based on the look and feel of the BMW iX.

As well as the visual design, which reflects the status of the Ryder Cup, it was just as important, when designing the case, for it to be possible to perform the flight stunt perfectly. For this reason, the Ryder Cup trophy case was fastened to the inner skeleton of the wingsuit using a special construction. The entire system guarantees Salzmann the necessary freedom of movement and possesses the necessary aerodynamic properties. This made it possible to land safely with the trophy after the two-minute flight, despite reaching a top speed of 230 km/h.

Austrian Peter Salzmann is a professional wingsuit pilot, base jumper and skydiver – always on the look-out for new jump points and even better flight paths. The Ultimate Journey is not the first spectacular project that Salzmann and BMW have cooperated on. Within the framework of #NEXTGen 2020, the BMW Group presented the first electric drive system for a wingsuit, with which the centuries-old dream of flying could be achieved in a completely novel way. The innovative drive module and the likewise entirely newly designed wingsuit were developed in cooperation with BMW i, Designworks and Salzmann. This wingsuit, with auxiliary drive technology, is allowing the Austrian to develop his sport and tread new ground. At the same time, it shows emphatically that BMW eDrive technology is capable of sustainably changing the individual mobility experience, both on and off the road.

High above the venue for the 43^rd Ryder Cup, the breath-taking Whistling Straits golf course on the banks of Lake Michigan in the US state of Wisconsin, Peter Salzmann and his team leaped out of a helicopter. They were wearing wingsuits with a BMW and Ryder Cup design and were be travelling at up to 230 km/h for roughly two minutes as they descended 10,000 feet in altitude and landed safely with the Ryder Cup trophy. Among those making the jump was a cameraman, whose job it was to take spectacular images of a stunt to mark the opening of the most prestigious golf event in the world, the likes of which the Ryder Cup has never seen in its long and illustrious history.

Golf fans all over the world have had to wait a long time for the opening ceremony, and with it the start of the 43^rd Ryder Cup, as the legendary team competition had to be postponed by one year. As such, the anticipation was even greater than usual among all those involved this year. Peter Salzmann had the honour of completing the final leg of the Ultimate Journey. Cheered on by thousands of fans, he brought the trophy onto the stage, which from now on belongs solely to the two teams and their electrifying battles on the fairways and greens of Whistling Straits.