More G22 M440i xDrive in motion - testing and on track

RinconHeat · 06-15-2020, 11:20 AM

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Originally Posted by MParallel

Quote:

Originally Posted by RinconHeat

Have you read any interviews with Domagoj Dukec? He is very much culpable for this disaster. He doesn't have any respect for BMW heritage and harbors contempt for the enthusiast. He is bent on being "the guy" who changes the design philosophy of BMW. He says the design elements that traditionally define BMW are meaningless- if left unchecked I would wager the kidney grills would be gone altogether. He needs to seek work with either a nascent car company or one that desperately needs an image change- not a classic brand like BMW.

I have not. I don't want to hear or see this guy.

But besides that, does he have free reign or something? Someone must hold him in check right?

New design language or not, some things just can't be changed. You'd think.

I believe he reports to Van Hooydonk who worked for and then succeeded Chris Bangle. Hooydonk also supports the "whole car style as monstrous grill" design gibberish. I hope he finds himself in early retirement after trying to foist this joke upon the BMW buying public.

mbanck · 06-16-2020, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RinconHeat

Have you read any interviews with Domagoj Dukec? He is very much culpable for this disaster. He doesn't have any respect for BMW heritage and harbors contempt for the enthusiast. He is bent on being "the guy" who changes the design philosophy of BMW. He says the design elements that traditionally define BMW are meaningless- if left unchecked I would wager the kidney grills would be gone altogether. He needs to seek work with either a nascent car company or one that desperately needs an image change- not a classic brand like BMW.

Yeah, compare that e.g. with the introduction of the F36 Gran Coupe, which has still all the BMW design elements (skip to 45 seconds for the shocker):

lawgone · 06-16-2020, 10:36 AM

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Originally Posted by Mani59

Quote:

Originally Posted by RinconHeat

Have you read any interviews with Domagoj Dukec? He is very much culpable for this disaster. He doesn't have any respect for BMW heritage and harbors contempt for the enthusiast. He is bent on being "the guy" who changes the design philosophy of BMW. He says the design elements that traditionally define BMW are meaningless- if left unchecked I would wager the kidney grills would be gone altogether. He needs to seek work with either a nascent car company or one that desperately needs an image change- not a classic brand like BMW.

And just to add the confirmation of this, see here:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/n...e-brand-shaper

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Dukec told Autocar that the 4 Series grille follows BMW’s recent trend to make each of its models stand out. “It should be in the core of BMW to have a product which makes a strong statement,” said Dukec. “It’s unmistakably BMW, unmistakably 4 Series. It’s not just logical; it has a very strong character that’s unique to our brand.

“The twin kidney grille is the most prominent design icon we have. It’s the biggest difference we have from any other car out there. We’ve used the kidney in a variety of ways to give our cars a certain presence: the 3 Series has a very horizontal one because it’s a more rational, serious car. A coupe like the 4 Series should express the exotic part of BMW.”

The decision to use a horizontal grille was to link the 4 Series back to older BMW models such as the 328. Dukec added: “The kidney is much like BMW was using 100 years ago. It’s a strong link to our heritage, but also radical and progressive.”

Asked about the reaction to the grille on the concept car, Dukec added: “In the design business, you can’t listen to social media reactions. It won’t help you. Design is something that is so emotional, and everybody has an opinion and different tastes. There’s no right or wrong in design. When you do something like this 50 per cent of people might love it and 50 per cent will hate it, and that won’t change. Anything you do there will be people who like it and people who don’t – but this is not the criteria.

“The criteria for design is to create something unique, something daring, to make a statement. I’m 100 per cent convinced something like this, although it’s polarising in the beginning, is at the heart of BMW and a brand-shaper for us. Our products have to express the special position of BMW.

"We don’t want to polarise with every product, but the 4 Series is a very expressive car. In two or three years, I’m convinced this will be a really strong product on the road, and people, whether they love it or not, will see it as a car with a certain identity.”

It will certainly make a strong presence, also a rare one.

I think BMW is forgetting it is not only the grill that made them unique, but the lights too. You used to see those four circles and knew it was a BMW. But for some reason they keep making them more and more square until it's starting to look like every other car. I don't get it.

mbanck · 06-16-2020, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawgone

I think BMW is forgetting it is not only the grill that made them unique, but the lights too. You used to see those four circles and knew it was a BMW. But for some reason they keep making them more and more square until it's starting to look like every other car. I don't get it.

That's true, but then, the G22 gets the most ring-like daytime running lights of any recently introduced BMW, at least compared to the G11 LCI, the G20 and the G30 LCI.