Cars have been looking increasingly samey for decades. I thought it was an American thing at first (when I visited the US in 2001, the sameyness was quite disturbing compared to the diversity I was used to), but it's reached the UK too. I think part of the reason is that the desire for increased crash safety has restricted the design aesthetics down to things that crumple safely.
I agree with you for the most part. I'm on the fence with the headlights. I need to see them in person.Looks fine to me.
Could be worse, look how they massacred my boy
BMW design went into the crapper 20 years ago when Chris Bangle took over design.
I was a BMW aficionado for decades, starting with my first one, a 1972 2002 Tii. (really should have kept that ugly little orange car)
My last one was a 1990 735i E32. Wonderful car to drive, PITA to work on, but still more or less manageable for me.
I like the headlights from a standalone POV, but integrated into the new design, it makes it kinda look like a Charger:
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BMW design went into the crapper 20 years ago when Chris Bangle took over design.
I was a BMW aficionado for decades, starting with my first one, a 1972 2002 Tii. (really should have kept that ugly little orange car)
My last one was a 1990 735i E32. Wonderful car to drive, PITA to work on, but still more or less manageable for me.
I like the headlights from a standalone POV, but integrated into the new design, it makes it kinda look like a Charger: ...
Both QFT, precisely what I was going to say. The pic in the OP reminded me of a Charger/Challenger, or at least the front end does. The slope of the rear window and frame, and the taillights speak more to the styling of past Mustangs ofc, but the rest of it looks like a generic Dodge redesign more than Ford imo.I thought the exact same thing. Looks like a generic American “new muscle” car rather than its own unique brand.
There are a couple of aftermarket grills that help a bit on the BMW. For the mustang, I'm not feeling the front bumper. Would have to see what they do with it on the upper tier models though.
I don't agree this is better. Having said that, everyone is resigned to huge grilles by now. If you truly hate them, then you simply won't consider most Bimmers (the 3 Series is still not too bad), or other brand's large grille designs.There are a couple of aftermarket grills that help a bit on the BMW. For the mustang, I'm not feeling the front bumper. Would have to see what they do with it on the upper tier models though.
I kind of disagree about Bangle. Yeah he caught a lot of flak in his time, but 15-20 year old Bimmer designs have aged much more gracefully than their contemporaries. (The powertrains, perhaps a different story.)BMW in the past couple of decades has had a very hot-and-cold approach to design. It recovered from the Bangle era, but the most recent look... it's as if the company decided it was more important to be polarizing than play it safe.
I kind of disagree about Bangle. Yeah he caught a lot of flak in his time, but 15-20 year old Bimmer designs have aged much more gracefully than their contemporaries.
The power trains are the best part!(The powertrains, perhaps a different story.)
I kind of disagree about Bangle. Yeah he caught a lot of flak in his time, but 15-20 year old Bimmer designs have aged much more gracefully than their contemporaries. (The powertrains, perhaps a different story.)
Compare BMW E46 to Merc W203, and it's not even close which car looks better on the road today. As far as today, yes the grilles are polarizing but almost everyone is doing it. Look at Genesis or Lexus land barge grilles, they are equally disgusting. BMW claims the grilles appeal to their most important market: China. North America is now an afterthought, partly because sedans are out of favor and partly because Tesla is eating their lunch.
100% agreed.
Great choices .. that E32 is pure class. Pics?
I have E39 and E46 M cars that I plan to keep and drive for as long as I can buy gasoline. No interest in any of their newer offerings. Recently I’ve been casually looking for a half decent E30 but they’re either complete POS at this point or super expensive. Maybe I’ll find a recession special within the next few years although classic cars have not taken much of a hit so far.
I didn't mean the performance of the powertrains, but the reliability of certain models. I.e. the E60 M5 is pretty much a bad car to purchase.People generally associate him with the E60/E9X era of cars and later. I think it’s true he was involved to some extent with the E38, E39 and E46 era, he certainly worked at BMW at the time at a fairly high position. But yes in my very biased opinion late 90s and early 2000s BMWs look right at home on the road today when they’re clean and in good shape, which is stunning.
The power trains are the best part!
The 7 Series Bangle butt is rightfully the umm, butt of many jokes. But a lot of the 2000s BMW designs have aged pretty well IMHO.Bangle wasn't as bad as some say; it's just that he soured the design language for a lot of people. I'm not sure I'd be that harsh about Genesis and Lexus, though... they seem to do a better job of integrating large grilles. Well, that and the Genesis I'd really want (the GV60) is electric.