Chris Bangle, absolute genius or destroyer of BMW?

Looks ready to go head-to-head with the masterstroke that is the Mercedes CSL; nice to see big cars getting sleeker instead of the rather lumpy, current, 7series and S-class.

Larzyh.

Someone mentioned earlier, about having to push the envelope in terms of design etc,. I think thats true to a certain extent. But for me BMW is all about cars with a sporting nature, subtle change, discreet but powerful looks with rock solid engineering, thats what attracted my family to them in the first place. I think Bangle has moved BMW away from that ethos to his own in terms of aesthetics anyway. I dont think any of the new range grabs you in the way the 5 series E34 & E39, 3 series E36, 7 series E38 and 8 series E31 do. I think he calls it the 'flame' design but no for me it just doesn't work!  

dryle wrote: here are pics of the new cs concept http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=16177

Flipping gorgeous!

I love the sharknose and if you look in the interior you will notice the angled dashboard has made a return.

I'd say it will rival the CLS but it also previews Adrian Von Hooydonk's new design direction. Me like very much!!!

flyingalexf68 wrote: The X3 is there to fill a gap. Mainly women with maybe one or two kids who want a small SUV with the badge. Instead of having to buy another RAV4 or God forbid having to spit on your driveway by buying a Hyundai Santa Fe. Could you imagine what the neighbours would say?

Yes but they have priced it out of it's own sector do you not agree??

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Couldn't agree more.  Its ill proportioned, odd in style and not even a nice vehicle to drive.  A colleague of mine has one, in 2.0d form, and it is quite simply a hideous thing in every respect.  I cannot look at it without thinking what went wrong in the design process.  The new X5 has thankfully not suffered the same fate, with the ridiculous rear quarter panel/windows of the X3 being rectified in the design of the X5.

In fact my dealer once fed my dislike for the X3 by telling me how little thought some of their owners put into the purchase.  This was due to the fact he had just taken an order for a 3.0d....specified with options to such an extent that it took the car to over £41,500.  What!!!  He commented that he tried to get the buyer to switch to an X5 but he was insistent on wanting every single toy he could in it.  In the words of the salesman "When he comes to change it, I hope to god I'm not the person who has to tell him the trade-in price."

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The X3 is a horrible, horrible car and not worthy of the BMW badge.

THE PITS WROTE:

[/QUOTE] which is a bit of a contradiction if you pause and think about it ....

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Not at all - you can get more bang for your buck, but despite being underpowered compared to competition from others, the Porsche still beats them. Why? Because it is a 100% Porsche!

Applying your own logic, you could say that a BMW without a 6cylinder engine simply isn't a BMW, so go buy a Passat instead.

Edited by T.J.

Saturday morning and I thought I'd drop in and see what was happening. Reading through this thread, got me thinking, in the last few years there have been very few new standard cars that I have really liked the look of straight away. This includes the one I recently changed to - it is not the most stylish looking from the outside, bit of a "lump" really, its not the worst but its not going to win any beauty pagent, its the type of thing that you would walk past and not take much notice.

The exception to this rule would be the new Ferrari, Porsche, exotics etc and thats probably because the changes that they make are very subtle. In some cases, particularly the two mention brands above its difficult to distinguish each subsequent model from the other. The design seems to evolve very slowly and in a traditional manner as opposed to other marques making dramatic leaps.

At this stage most on the Bangle creations have grown on me, agreed that in most cases its the wheels that define whether the car looks right or wrong.  I have seen as many new 3 convertibles at this stage as coupes and they seem to be stacking up well in the looks terms. The roof makes them a little less obvious from the standard coupe but on first impressions I think they'll grow on me as well.

To me one of the most radical models to come out recently was the 6 and possibly that has to do with the fact that there was a gap of sorts, from the first 6, then a jump to the 8 and then a new 6.  For that reason I love the latest 6, it was a bold and major jump. Creating a bit of a love hate thing.

The only one I do not like is the X3, it just doesn't seem to fit for some reason. I don't really know what its supposed to be as its not a full size SUV and its not an estate car. It strikes me as something that the marketing department decided was need to fill a gap and has missed the point.

All in all I like the Bangle look, it takes a little getting used to but for me the designs work well and are dynamic and bolder than teh majority of wind tunnel design formula that we see on the roads everyday.

Now to decide it I will wash the lump outside or not??????

thepits wrote: MX-5? Boxster (only bought by people that can't afford a Real Porsche)?

The MX-5 is the best drivers car I have ever owned.  It wipes the floor with the M3's I have owned.  Utterly destroys them for driver enjoyment and experience.

As for the Boxster, many would now argue that its the fool that buys the 911 when you can have 80% of the car for half the price...

The latest generation Boxster is a superb car.

 

thepits wrote: a (convertable) Jag, SL, 911 or M3 ??? you're having a laugh

I agree and maintain my earlier point that convertibles, on the whole, don't suit blokes.  The M3 is just a very compromised Coupe.  As I discovered.

T.J. wrote: Ah come on! Boxster only bought by people who can't buy a real Porsche?!? These Clarkson-esque soundbites are such a load of BS.

but oh so true .......  if you want a Porsche, buy a 911, if you can't afford one - buy a BMW instead!

 

T.J. wrote: It's a real Porsche - it wipes the floor with all the competition day in day out since it was created, despite it being underpowered half the time.

which is a bit of a contradiction if you pause and think about it ....

 

flyingalexf68 wrote: I wouldn't agree there. There are plenty of good sports convertibles that suit men as well as women.....an MX-5, Z3 (with an engine; not this 1.9 rubbish), Z4, S2000, Boxster, 911, Jag, SL, and M3 would and should be considered mens cars.

I'm sorry? Have I missed something?

MX-5? Boxster (only bought by people that can't afford a Real Porsche)?

Z4, S2000 ??

a (convertable) Jag, SL, 911 or M3 ???

Mens Cars????

 

you're having a laugh