Chris Bangle leaves BMW

[BOR]

I've just seen that Bangle is moving on "to do other things", to be replaced by Hooydonk. Without wanting to overdramatise this, it does appear to be the end of an era.

It will be interesting to see if the design direction continues, or changes under Hooydonk.

Overall, I think Bangle did a good, if contraversial, job.

[Pork]

What did he do, the 5, 6 and the 7?

I think they're all good looking cars, especially the 5 & 7 and I think his cars will look good in years to come. Different to the other rather no descript euroboxes.

[matt uk]

Los Angeles said:

His departure has been on the cards for a while, probably accelerated by the worldwide nose dive in sales. Good news as far as I am concerned. There isn't a single BMW model designed under his supervision that is successful as a coherent design, not one. Pretty crap record for a self-proclaimed contrary, genius swimming against the tide of mediocrity, auto stylist.

Agreed. 100%.

[RVVUNM]

Los Angeles said:

His departure has been on the cards for a while, probably accelerated by the worldwide nose dive in sales. Good news as far as I am concerned. There isn't a single BMW model designed under his supervision that is successful as a coherent design, not one. Pretty crap record for a self-proclaimed contrary, genius swimming against the tide of mediocrity, auto stylist.

Could'nt agree more, and part of the reason I left BMW sales, I was fed up with trying to justify the odd looking cars.

[dubbs]

Disagree.

Mercedes are stuggling so much they make a new version looking more like the Pastiche (Lexus)

Latest toned down 7 again looks like the Lexus at the back.

They aren't moving on with Great new designs... 5 series is a great car, admit the 6 is marmite (I like it). Z4 is another great design imho.

[chippy17]

the only car I really like under his tenure is the 1 series coupe, I think it looks great

[sprouting]

bring back the driver focused dashboard

[HRG]

Bloody hell, it's taken me this long to actually like his new styling.. Typical.

[Romanymagic]

Having owned a Z4, clearly I liked its design but some of the other Chris Bangle car designs left a lot to be desired.

[MogulBoy]

You gotta love his (va)Gina though?

[Vinny09]

I think he suffered from being ahead of his time. Like his cars or loathe them, other things do seem to have minicked them to some extent.

Still, the Z4 Coupe is a beautiful car, in my (entirely biased) opinion.

Good luck to him!

[Podie]

IIRC, he was moved to a Director role some time ago (away from designing cars).

[Apache]

HRG said:

Bloody hell, it's taken me this long to actually like his new styling.. Typical.

Me too.....the current 3 series coupe is bloody lovely, the saloon and the 5 series look classy, the 1 appealing. Maybe he was ahead of his time?......although I still think the 7 series looks clumsy

[HRG]

Apache said:

HRG said:

Bloody hell, it's taken me this long to actually like his new styling.. Typical.

Me too.....the current 3 series coupe is bloody lovely, the saloon and the 5 series look classy, the 1 appealing. Maybe he was ahead of his time?......although I still think the 7 series looks clumsy

Similar to when the original jelly mold Sierra appeared?

[MitchT]

Must admit CB's work grew on me. His BMWs looked seriously wrong and uncomfortable when I first saw them, but once I'd grown used to seeing them all other cars started to look like they were from an era that BMW had long since moved on from. How does the saying go?... "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable man adapts the world to himself. All progress depends on the unreasonable man."

Edited by MitchT on Tuesday 3rd February 17:03

[gizlaroc]

The current BMW designs sent BMW sales through the roof.

I have just bought another A6 avant and it looks so bloody boring compared with out old 535d sport touring.

Just look at the new Audis, and new Mercedes that are now coming through, they are so similar to the Bangle designs it is unreal, flamed surfaces etc.

He has really freshened up car design imho, there will always be a group who just don't like change, and there is always a place for classic design too, but seeing something different is not a bad thing.

[RadarvT]

Ding dong the witch has gone!!

Yay!!

Good riddance I say.

I like the Z4... but it was signed off before Bangle joined. His first 7 was awful. I love the dynamics of the 5, I just hate the looks. Same goes for the 6. So I bought a Merc. I guess my buying habits won't change much as I buy 2nd hand anyway.

The future looks bright though, I think it was his deputy who did the Z4.

[E21_Ross]

sprouting said:

bring back the driver focused dashboard

couldn't agree more. don't laugh at my E21 but the dash really angles the driver, it's very well laid out any built to last longer than me i think! my dad had an E46 330 and the interior was just brilliantly focussed, angled at the driver, not too many buttons, well built....it was just brilliant. don't really like the new interiors tbh.

[mike325112]

E21_Ross said:

sprouting said:

bring back the driver focused dashboard

couldn't agree more. don't laugh at my E21 but the dash really angles the driver, it's very well laid out any built to last longer than me i think! my dad had an E46 330 and the interior was just brilliantly focussed, angled at the driver, not too many buttons, well built....it was just brilliant. don't really like the new interiors tbh.

Off topic chap, but your 316 looks really aces, I had a urge to buy a 2002 earlier in the year but that got put on hold by budget constraints. Might have a look at the E21 as a modern classic.

[alfabadass]

BMW are idiots.

The new models coming out are bland mcbland.

The Audi A4 and 5 look way more interesting than the new 3 series stuff as BMW chickened out after people hated the 5,6 and 7 series.

While Audi wanted to get away from their boring image by recruiting Walter da Silva from Alfa, BMW want to get blander. The new 5 and 7 look st.

Look at all the cars around right now, they're all trying to copy Bangle.