[elitex]

Lots of people here may or may not buy it but I bet General public is going to gobble it up. Unfortunately, enthusiasts do not pay the bills. We're a extremely small percentage. Just look at the softening of the entire brand over the last 10-15 years.

M models are still pretty awesome though.

[GuyOh]

My mom who's last 3 cars were a e92 355i , a 428 coupe and a 430i gran coupe, absolutely hates the new design and just ordered a 330 sedan instead cause her lease is coming up.

[Fitzy4GC]

Originally Posted by RedKloud

Must say it's looking better in this video.

I agree. I'm still trying to get used to those grills though. 😒

[Mani59]

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

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.”

[TodmordenLad]

Originally Posted by Mani59

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

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

"In two or three years, I'm convinced this will be a really strong product on the road...." blah blah...

Will be interesting to see whether Dukec is still with BMW in two or three years.

[RinconHeat]

As further evidence of Duceks position here is a quote from him from June 2 with regard to BMW customers,

"Anyway, you can have an opinion on the looks but it's not really your choice. Dukec told me, "Premium isn't about customers telling us what they want. It's our researchers seeing how people react. We define how BMW looks."

I just can't with that guy. He's really doing great damage to BMW.

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/fir...u-need-know#10

Edit:link

[seis-speed]

G20 >>>>>> G22

The grilles were a major mistake.

[Badawe]

[440xiGCMSport2]

Will look like ass with North American plates.

[FLEW]

Originally Posted by Badawe

[IMG]https://imagehost.imageupload.net/20...6617106.md.jpg[/IMG]

Now we know what the 2025 BMW tails will look like.

[TX3M]

Originally Posted by MParallel

That's the Acceptance Stage kicking in.


BMW simply pulled an Audi. Remember the slack Audi got back then with the single frame grill. Now any Audi would look silly without it.

After we get used to it, the old style kidneys will look weird.

I'm not saying I like this design (I don't), but this is what likely will happen.

You can quote me non that.

I disagree. I personally don't think the Audi's look good with that huge bass-mouth grill either. But even the Audi grill is not as bad as that horrendous BMW grill.

[Mbbrewer]

Looks amazing.

[TX3M]

Note to BMW, Audi, Lexus, etc:
If you want to put a big grill on your cars, THIS is how it's done

[J-RO]

Originally Posted by 440xiGCMSport2

Will look like ass with North American plates.

They both have a crack down the middle.

[TrentMeister]

Looks pretty sweet rollin!

[Peertwelve]

Originally Posted by rjd598

Can't wait to see journalist review this car. Betting my money it's nothing spectacular out of the box. Really a gem of a car at $60k-$70k!

That was m3 money in the not-so-distant past. This platform seems well designed though

[punky8d]

Inspired by bugs bunny in collaboration with Looney Toons.... thank you BMW for telling me to just save my money!

[MotorenWerkeN52]

Originally Posted by Jockey

I'll hate it more?

maybe... but all those people hating on the E9X when it came out seem to love it now. Let me guess "E90 was not as ugly"?

Change is hard and if automobile companies only made cars to please the enthusiast, they would all be bankrupt.

We will let the numbers speak for themselves.

[chris_portimaog20]

it's growing on me like my G20 did. first thought the G20 front end was repulsive. like everything change at first is always confronted with resistance

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by MParallel

That's the Acceptance Stage kicking in.


BMW simply pulled an Audi. Remember the slack Audi got back then with the single frame grill. Now any Audi would look silly without it.

After we get used to it, the old style kidneys will look weird.

I'm not saying I like this design (I don't), but this is what likely will happen.

You can quote me non that.

Yep! People have short memories. Everybody wants to praise the Audi design NOW and talk about how cohesive it is NOW, but that wasn't the case initially.

[EXE46]

Perhaps, it not so much that we forgot the initial disdain for the Audi grill. It's just that today with cars like the Genesis, Lexus, Alfa Romeo etc, the Audi grill doesn't appear as polarizing as it once did. The BMW grill is the now the most hideous in the marketplace.

It stands out like a sore thumb, there is no angle where it appears acceptable. I will not be buying any bimmer with this grill design. Thankfully, they have decided not to slap this on all models.

[MParallel]

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.