What do you think of Chris Bangle now?

[Skunkwourk]

Seems like more and more cars have the Bangle butt, but I still don't like it. How about the rest of you, has his "flame" styling grown on you? Is he an innovator?

 

[shabby]

Who?

 

[Skunkwourk]

Originally posted by: shabby
Who?

Lead Designer for BMW

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Bangle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangle-butt

 

[Arkaign]

His influence is everywhere.

Some cars look great with it, others not so much. I think the Z4 is a little too zany looking personally. The 3 and 5 series always looked fine to me, both old and new. I see Bangle influence on the new Accord.

I guess I don't really mind it that much or love it that much, and it's always good to have a little variety in the body design of cars. Anything is better than the blocky truck-like garbage Dodge is churning out these days. Caliber/Avenger = puke on wheels.

 

[Shlong]

I initially hated most of his designs, now most of them have grown on me. I guess that means, he was a bit ahead of his time... an innovator.

 

[Dunbar]

The 5 and 7 series haven't grown on me, still think they look atrocious. The new 3 coupes look good but not the sedan.

 

[exdeath]

Originally posted by: Arkaign
His influence is everywhere.

Some cars look great with it, others not so much. I think the Z4 is a little too zany looking personally. The 3 and 5 series always looked fine to me, both old and new. I see Bangle influence on the new Accord.

I guess I don't really mind it that much or love it that much, and it's always good to have a little variety in the body design of cars. Anything is better than the blocky truck-like garbage Dodge is churning out these days. Caliber/Avenger = puke on wheels.

Thats one thing I can't stand with Dodge... that single piece molded plastic front end with the bulbous cross grill. The Challenger is like the first car that hasn't had that in years.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Dunbar
The 5 and 7 series haven't grown on me, still think they look atrocious. The new 3 coupes look good but not the sedan.

i really wonder how they got the rear of the coupe so right and they got the rear of the sedan so wrong

 

[woodie1]

Didn't like his BMW designs and still don't. He drove me from the BMW brand right when I was looking for a new 5 Series and I doubt I'll return.

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: Dunbar
The 5 and 7 series haven't grown on me, still think they look atrocious. The new 3 coupes look good but not the sedan.

The older pre-Bangle 3-series design looks considerably better.

 

[DarkThinker]

I think Patrick le Quément hit the nail right ON:

"My only concern is his use of concave surfaces: they're hollow shapes and lack that tightly muscled look I feel helps design."

If I were to give bangle credit for anything....it would be the M coupe now that's a progressive design that doesn't suck ass....but I am afraid I can't say that about the rest of his stuff.

I hate Bangle for the most part....he gives BMW cars that empty...bloated feeling.....I don't like it ....even though I am a big BMW fan....but it's cars such as the BMW E21, the 850CSI and the E39 M5 which made me get that attachment to the brand...I have observed them and in some happy cases test drove some of them.....it's the slight progression and constant partial enhancements that made BMW such an awesome brand....not the huge jumps in design and confusing ideas.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

i think bmw has applied the effect better over time, so i would vote for "not as bad now"

 

[Vic]

Hit-and-miss. Some of his designs have really grown on me (3-series) while others remain hideous (7-series). One thing I have to give him credit for, you can't say that he doesn't take risks with his designs.

 

[BarneyFife]

The 1-series looks like shit.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
The 1-series looks like shit.

Have you seen one IRL? They look great. Consider that its inspiration, the 2002, was not the most attractive of cars either.

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
The 1-series looks like shit.

Have you seen one IRL? They look great. Consider that its inspiration, the 2002, was not the most attractive of cars either.

I have seen one IRL and it looks better than in pictures but that's like saying a violent alcoholic is better than a pedophile rapist.

Every single proportion is hard on the eyes, it just doesn't sit right, if it was a person, it would be an obese, short, acne speckled, socially challenged kid we all knew in grade school.

I'll take a 335/328i over a 135/128i anyday. Usable backseats, a minimal increase in weight and actually decent looks.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: mwmorph

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
The 1-series looks like shit.

Have you seen one IRL? They look great. Consider that its inspiration, the 2002, was not the most attractive of cars either.

I have seen one IRL and it looks better than in pictures but that's like saying a violent alcoholic is better than a pedophile rapist.

Every single proportion is hard on the eyes, it just doesn't sit right, if it was a person, it would be an obese, short, acne speckled, socially challenged kid we all knew in grade school.

I'll take a 335/328i over a 135/128i anyday. Usable backseats, a minimal increase in weight and actually decent looks.

I love the 3, but the 1 hatch we get here looks great too. Like a muscular, pumped 3 hatch

 

[GTaudiophile]

I don't mind the 1, 3, 5, X5, M3, and M5.

I don't like the X3, Z4, 6, and 7 series. Especially the 7 series. Never grew on me.

I will wait to pass judgment on the X6 until I see it in person.

But what I hate most of all is iDrive.

 

[redgtxdi]

I think the 3, 5 and 7 series all look MUCH better since Bangle.


The 5 series is, far and away, the best looking sedan on the road today!!!


(My bro-in-law has an '03 e39 540i and that sucker looks like a bread box parked next to a Bangle 5. The Bangle 5 looks so much more wicked!)

:thumbsup:

 

[fstime]

There is no doubt the e39 looked dated now, or is starting too.

I think the new bangle look is a step foward as far as having a more modern look, it depends on the day, sometimes I like the 5 series, sometimes I don't. Overall, its a pretty good design, nothing spectacular.

Most people complaining about Idrive do so without ever evening trying it out themselves, they probably never even sat in a BMW with Idrive at that.....

Put it this way, magazines and reviewers NEED something to put in the "cons" column. It really isn't that bad after you've had the car for a while and set everything up to your needs. When you sit in a car you've never driven before and try to figure it all out in a 1 hour test drive, it's going to get a little annoying.

I have even read reviewers complain the S-Class "has too many gadgets." I simply laugh at that, like I said, they have to say SOMETHING negative.



For what it is, the E60 is definitely a step froward and a much more modern and advance machine than the E39, as it should be.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I think he sucks moose cock. In fact, I think he's probably sucking on a moose's cock right now.

His bumbling has now influenced other cars which is a travesty. Thankfully, Mercedes and Porsche (Cayenne not withstanding-although, that doesn't appear to have any Bangle influence) haven't followed his crooked pen. There are still designers who haven't been influenced by this idiot. Sadly, Toyota seems to have copied, to some extent, his ideas.

I'd probably kill myself if Lotus started copying BMW's designs.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: DarkThinker
I think Patrick le Quément hit the nail right ON:

"My only concern is his use of concave surfaces: they're hollow shapes and lack that tightly muscled look I feel helps design."

If I were to give bangle credit for anything....it would be the M coupe now that's a progressive design that doesn't suck ass....but I am afraid I can't say that about the rest of his stuff.

I hate Bangle for the most part....he gives BMW cars that empty...bloated feeling.....I don't like it ....even though I am a big BMW fan....but it's cars such as the BMW E21, the 850CSI and the E39 M5 which made me get that attachment to the brand...I have observed them and in some happy cases test drove some of them.....it's the slight progression and constant partial enhancements that made BMW such an awesome brand....not the huge jumps in design and confusing ideas.

The problem with the M coupe is that the rear end makes it look like a giant dildo. Which is funny, because I like the front end...I don't know what that says about me.

I hate the "Bangle butt" on the Z4...I think it looks like utter crap. The Z3 is a much better looking car, even if it is a BMW Miata.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
I don't mind the 1, 3, 5, X5, M3, and M5.

I don't like the X3, Z4, 6, and 7 series. Especially the 7 series. Never grew on me.

I will wait to pass judgment on the X6 until I see it in person.

But what I hate most of all is iDrive.

damnit, get out of my head

Though I have a certain affinity to the 6, I was happy to see it again after it had been MIA so long. It looks good, though it compares badly to the old 8 series.

 

[AdamK47]

There appears to be a lemming like group mentality among the tweed jacket wearing uppities when it comes to his design, so I'm going to go against all that and say I like it.

 

[rh71]

Didn't like it at first, but I think it actually does look more modern.

my butt

BTW, exactly how much influence does Bangle have? I've watched numerous X5 videos and the exterior designers appear in them doing narratives. Bangle is never mentioned.

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
But what I hate most of all is iDrive.

When was the last time you had a peek? It's a lot better now from what most people say. I never had the opportunity to see the old version, but the new version is intuitive enough to learn in 5 mins. Ok, it took me 10 because the bluetooth address book sync was pretty slow.