Yaaay. Don't know if Hooydonk will be any better. If he makes large posteriored cars, will it then be referred to as Hooydonk-a-donk butt?
Bangle is giving a lecture on Friday night at UCLA. I'm going to try to go. I shall report back with my findings.
The article that was posted on the forums about this says that Hooydonk drew the Bangle-butt insanity that the E65/66 started. I'm not feeling too comfortable to be honest, though I really hope that the 3-series doesn't get any fatter. I mean, the lines of the E90/91/92 when it first came out was way too soft. This refresh model is sooooooo much better, though I don't know who was responsible for the design. I hope that the new 3/5 series models will be much better than the new F01, because those huge kidneys are hideous!
I completely understand that BMW had to break from the "same sausage / different lengths" business model. It was horribly constraining to business growth. Likewise, I completely understand the need to move to an electronic car and sympathize with iDrive growing pains. In time, these systems will be made as durable as electronic cruise control or electric windows. What I can't understand however is how styling has turned me into an old-school diehard E30 fanatic. On most (other) things I am a pretty easygoing technophile. I think it relates to a perception of "honesty". Prior BMWs were styled in a way that was expressive of their function; BMWs explained themselves as serious form-follows-function driving machines. Current styling strike me as so mannered and affected; curves for the sake of curves; style for the sake of style. A current BMW is a world-leading technical tour du force but it is wrapped in the skin of a poseur.
While I agree, I had to admit, some of them are in a reeeeally nice skin. I'm sure some of that form-follows-function is still there, only now it isn't really explained to us. It does seem that nowadays, all of the car companies are making cars that look the same, with the exception of BMW (examples? Hyundai Genesis looks like Lexus looks like Mercedes). And no, the E60 headlights look NOTHING like a Camry's, for those that think this!
Wow, on my birthday even This was the best gift ever!!!! Granted the designer van Hooydonk will probably want to do the same designs, but he won't have the influence of Bangle, at least at the start and the board won't have a record of standing behind him, and thus couldn't rein him in. I do think this is a positive step for BMW, but I'm afraid the new models will remain off of my shopping list for now...
Actually, this all smacks of a poaching. GM or Ford?... hummm, ... no. If there is a major player that might want to bring in an Exec Designer to create a corporate beat it can dance to, it is Toyota.
The first re-designed 7 series might have been a total shock to everyone, but the concept laid the foundation for modernism in BMWs. I think Bangle did well to move from stodgy, old design to sharp, refreshing models that appeal to younger generation.
I AM the younger generation, and Chris Bangle is awful. I am tired of vaguely furturistic cars with disjointed random character lines and oversized headlights/grilles/wheels/butts. I'm not ever buying a BMW later than an E39.
Ummmm...Actually I was being sarcastic.... Figured he could make a "lasting impact" on the design of a new Caprice or Crown Victoria.....
Love him or hate him, he did wonders for BMW's bottom line. He was in charge of BMW design starting in '92, so his hand touched the E46 as well as the E39 and '99-01 E38. As sales were not keeping up with the competition, he was asked to move forward in a more radical manner. He was also instrumental in making Designworks USA, BMW's design house, into the serious design consultancy powerhouse it is, directing the design of everything from the interiors of corporate jets, to speakers, furniture, marketing and packaging materials, and transportation systems. You may not like the designs that van Hooydonk came up with under Bangle, but Bangle himself has turned out to be an important designer. Of course, he IS full of himself, like a lot of the great designers...
As an aside, it's actually very hard me to take anyone seriously whose last name is "'Hooydonk". Someone more European than myself needs to translate that for me. I'm sure it means something noble, like "great-automotive-designer-am-i-you-will-love-everything-that-i-come-up-with-you-knave" Sorry...it's been a long day and it is now beer-thirty here...
I do thank Bangle for our z4 along with Anders Warming. If he facilitated "cutting edge" design for BMW we'll let history judge.... But he blew up the norms.
