[fchen0125]

BMW needs to listen to this guy!

[BigHunk]

They should involve him in new designs, and make cars that looks nice like hommage concept.

[noushy]

Even a former BMW designer is disappointed.

[The Automotive Enthusiast]

He hates the grille and says BMW is ‘De-BMWfying’ their designs possibly to change direction in design.

[Haihan]

When talking about those front grills, I can see how hard he tried to not say the word "ugly". I totally feel for him.

[city1991]

Originally Posted by The Automotive Enthusiast

He hates the grille and says BMW is ‘De-BMWfying’ their designs possibly to change direction in design.

He's right. The grill is atrocious and it seems they are getting away from the ultimate driving machine experience.

[DCG]

As a fellow Creative Director & Designer, I highly agree! The exterior design language of the new 3 and 4 Series has been diluted, “normalized“ and is confusing which as BMW fans we don’t want to see.

[SabineBimmer]

Granted, this is the definition of confirmation bias but man, does he have a point. It's one thing for us, as enthusiasts, to comment about this car, but to have a prior BMW designer/suit comment on such things? It's a worthwhile thing to actually listen to and take notice of.

[SW19]

Originally Posted by Poochie

It's BS, this guy confirms that larger grills are unnecessary, in this day and age at 9:28

That was nice hearing the opinion of an actual car designer on how terrible a design decision it was to put that huge kidney grille on the new 4 series.

[..Rush..]

Yes, saw this too.
His apprehension in describing the car....

[M4_GTS]

The front end is a total mess...

[OG///M]

He described it well.

If they wanted to do a big grill, the least it needs to do is flow and fit well with the rest of the car.

It just looks tacked on.

[DanG]

Originally Posted by frank.m2

He described it well.

If they wanted to do a big grill, the least it needs to do is flow and fit well with the rest of the car.

It just looks tacked on.

I agree. Makes the front of the car really unappealing.

[Mavus]

he summed it up well. the kidneys need to be a part of the overall design and not a parasite. He said it looks like two different teams worked on car and kidney design and did not talk to each other. agree 100%

[stein_325i]

You can just tell he really doesn't like the front end and just wants to give his full unfiltered opinion, but respectfully critiques the work, which even itself is pretty ballsy for him to do.

[///M TOWN]

BMW is unfortunately diluting their brand

"Good from far... Far from good"

[StevenDS85]

Frank described it very well. Also wondering how Chris Bangle would look to the design of the G22. His ‘style’ was also very daring, but also very iconic for the 7, 6 and 5 series from the early 2000. I was really doubting to wait for the G22, but still very pleased I went for the more practical and classic g20 3 series.

[Stratus650]

Frank Stephenson did help to uncover vital aspects here... if you know what I mean

Anyway Thanks Jason for the posts removal

[EXE46]

Originally Posted by BigHunk

They should involve him in new designs, and make cars that looks nice like hommage concept.

Easier to just fire this Dukec guy and whomever signed off on his work.

[Law]

It's hard to disagree with Stephenson's arguments about continuity and proportions. He is spot-on when he says it almost appears that the grille and the car were designed separately and then arbitrarily pasted together.

We bring up Bangle from time to time as he was the head of BMW's design during both its most uncontroversial time period (late 90s) and its more controversial time periods (2000s).
On continuity & proportions, the thing about Bangle in hindsight is that even though his tenure saw the transition from very traditionalist, linear teutonic BMW design, to revolutionary, fluid, 'flame-surfacing' and even experimental BMW design, the designs were well proportioned and still bore visible links to 'traditional' BMW features.
Where it was revolutionary for BMW was in the deconstructivism, the bending of light, of twisting surfaces instead of smooth, flat, linear surfaces.
One can imagine the thought behind the designs: 'Let's incorporate modern art forms & techniques to create some effects on the shadows and highlights that move as you circle around the car; let's pull and stretch light housings a little bit to give it character...Maybe even experiment with different styles of kidney grilles to differentiate the model range.'
But, despite all that, the critical design elements were all there, the quad-headlights (reimagined as Corona Ring halos), the Hofmeister kink, and kidney grilles (even the so-called 'moustache' kidney grilles, while ugly to some, were well proportioned).

Obviously, the jury is still out for the 4er and the G8x M3/M4 as many of the 2000s BMWs took time and sometimes LCIs (and/or M versions) to really gain appreciation, but Bangle truly presided over the designs of the most iconic BMWs in our recent memory, both pre-flame surfacing (E39, E46 M3, E53 X5) and post-flame surfacing (Z4 M Coupe, E60 M5, E9x M3).

Clearly, there's something Bangle did correctly despite being so controversial. You get the sense through his dialogue and interviews that there was genuine passion for art and respect for BMW's identity in his design teams.
Whether the new 4er/M3/M4 will fall into that category design-wise remains to be seen.

[N & M]

What is this obsession of BMW to inject OTT design ideas into its core products? If certain aspirational customers want a boulder look; offer it to them as individual option. Those craving such a look would surely be happy to pay as they would to all the aftermarket options available.

[solstice]

Originally Posted by N & M

What is this obsession of BMW to inject OTT design ideas into its core products? If certain aspirational customers want a boulder look; offer it to them as individual option. Those craving such a look would surely be happy to pay as they would to all the aftermarket options available.

It certainly is in their future core products as the i4 gets this grill. The M cars and regular 4 however are already just blips on the radar that are way outside the core products.