The BMW Group has created a website where it intends to gather the opinions of its enthusiasts on how they should design their interiors. They are interested in hearing what people have to say about how they can improve the function, convenience, style/design, and experience of their interiors. Read more about it here: BMW Group Interior Idea Design Content Keep in mind, this is a contest. Here is a list of prizes (from the website): Prizes for the winners: 1st Place: BMW Weekend Activity Package in Munich Germany • Journey to BMW headquarters in Munich (plain or train) • 2 nights in an exclusive hotel in Munich • Meeting with developers of BMW's Research and Innovation Centre • BMW Premium Tour 2nd Place: Weekend car rental • BMW 6 series or Z4 series (or equal)* 3rd Place: Weekend car rental • BMW 3 series or Mini convertible (or equal)* * If available in your country. There can be a minimum age of 25 for renting these cars. Otherwise there will be a reimbursement of equal value. Prizes for the most active members: 1st Place: BMW Women Classic Watch or Men Classic Watch 2nd Place: BMW Titan Sport Sunglasses 3rd Place: BMW Women's Purse or Men's Wallet Moderators: I wanted to place this in the News section, but I do not have permissions to do so. I could not find an appropriate sub-forum to place it into, so I had to dump it here, the most general subforum. Feel free to move as appropriate.
Only in it for the prizes! If they wouldn't listen to us about EXTERIOR design, why would they listen to us about INTERIOR design? In the face of major criticism, Chris Bangle and BMW 'took us where we didn't want to go'. They'll analyze the results as they wish and ignore them anyway. But it might be nice to win something ...
It's pretty scary when we agree, C.R. Yeah, I know BMW isn't selling to ME, or YOU for that matter. But especially in light of all the competition BMW has at nearly every price point, I'd love to see BMW offer something a bit more distinctive to distinguish itself from its many and varied competitors. Think about it. BMW's primary competitors are Audi, Mercedes, Porsche, Cadillac (don't laugh -- they're putting out some seriously interesting products, aggressively priced and styled), the high end at Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, and I hear Chrysler is coming out with a new 300 and a new Viper. Then there are the more familiar luxury players too at Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus. In a word what I'd like to see BMW change: "Simplify." Put the technology behind the scenes on the car if you have to load it with technology. Don't shove it in our faces. We're not going to see the 2002, the E28, or the E30 going back into production, so lets get that out of the way right now. Also, a 2,500 pound car loaded with the stuff car buyers INSIST on seeing on a 21st century automobile, larger than a Honda Fit or a Smartfortwo is quite frankly, unrealistic, people. Nobody wants to stuff six people into a Tata Nano. What I am advocating is returning BMW back to its former state of being a car you literally couldn't buy from any other automaker. I lift up the 2002 and the E30 as my examples. Part of the reason these cars were such successes is that while many tried to copy them, these vehicles were never successfully imitated. Oh yeah, and more to the point: BMW needs to seriously ramp up the prizes. Come on BMW. You could stand to donate a 1-series or a 3-series as an incentive, can't you?
Maybe we should shout at them about what we want. I don't think they will ever return to the days of simple and effective engineering but maybe with enough interest we can squeak a specialty option package or two out of them. I would love a lightweight 128i with the motorsport suspension setup and a manual trans. No frills, just some nice recaros and a liveable soundsystem. Wishful thinking anyways. I just registered so I'll see soon enough what it's all about. Thanks for the link btw!
I've given up hope on BMW interior and exterior design. Function follows form, and Ultimate Driving Machine follows "Joy" now. The yuppie badge snob has won the fight against the enthusiast. At least I have my classics to lust over.
Mebbe Bangle was a Star Trek fan, whose mission was to "Boldly Go Where No Designer Has Gone Before!"
That's possible.... And I am certain there are a lot of prospective E65/E66 buyers that, when they saw what the 4th generation 7-series looked like, asked themselves if that voyage was really necessary and bought a 2001 model quickly. Forget the exterior -- the look of that Buick style column shifter would have sent me back to Star Trek - the PREVIOUS GENERATION too.
I truly believe that Bangle BADLY went where no designer had wanted to go before (or since). My favorite part of that horrible Bangle experiment was his arrogance. When someone criticized any of his designs, his answer would usually be something like "you don't know anything about design". Yeah? Well, I know ugly and it doesn't take a degree in automotive design to know the difference between good looking (E39) and ugly (E60).
At least the 5-series got a BADLY needed makeover! The 5 series doesn't look bad NOW. The poor 7-series is STILL a mess two generations later. E65/E66 & F01/F02 to E38: "You're fat and prehistoric." E38 to E65/E66 and F01/F02: "Oh yeah, well you two are big and ugly, and at least I can DIET."
Can I submit pictures of my e34 525i with the de-laminated interior fabric on the door panels. It was a great "stylistic" design, but that doesn't do me any good today when it looks like crap. Good design starts at reliable quality. Otherwise, you have Fiat.
Yeah, them was some hideous designs. . . Ooooh, mannnn, I am SOOO glad those "Bangle" designs like the E65 Seven and the E60 5 Series just sat on the showroom floors and didn't sell. . . . Huh? What?! You mean---?!
In all fairness we got our E60 in spite of its looks, certainly not because of it (we got it in black hoping it would hide some of its, ehem, less than flattering styling cues). All it proves is that 5 series and 7 series cars will continue selling no matter how fugly Bangle made them.
I've had my E39 for about 6 months now and I get compliments all the time on how it was the last of the great looks before they turned ugly. I'm not sure I agree with that but I have to say I do fancy the look of my E39 very much and find the design and "muscularness" of it very appealing. And I feel good (Joy) when driving it.
IMHO, the E38 and E39 were the last of the real 5's and 7's. No offense to anyone else, but the newer cars have too many minuses against them. Fine for everyone else but not me.
