Bungled Motor Werks...

[DanS]

What happened to BMW's design team? Chris Bangle is from my wife's home town and quite the local hero (Wausau, Wisconsin), but BMW customers and auto critics aren't happy with his influence on the stoic Bimmer lines. I'm not a fan of his efforts, though its fun to have a Wisconsin boy doing so well for a European auto manufacturer. Is Bangle ahead of his time or too much "apple pie" for the traditional 'bahn burner?

Is the American influence effecting BMW's sales?

[GearHead]

Im american and I would never buy one of the "bangled" BMW's,even if I had the money.Too fugly for me.

[Albert Trout]

I initially thought they were horrendous but I've actually come round to them. They stand out from the rest of the executive express crowd, which I think is a good thing. Personally, I think the 5 series looks better, and certainly more orginal, than either the 9-3SS or 9-5. I also think the new 3 series actually suffers from being overly de-Bangled. Not that I'd ever buy one of course. They are BMW's after all.

[DavidMorgan]

Yes the new 5 series looks fine and they have some excellent wheels. Somehow they are best in black and that makes it like a chauffeur driven..

[mike saunders]

Chris Bangle hasn't designed specifically for BMW since 2004 (he's the design head of the whole company) so the the current designs actually have less of a Bangle influence than the 1999-2006 cars

The harsh lines have been toned down...so have the big rear ends (the "Bangle Bustle" on the 5-series was slammed....)


EDIT: I just wanted to check the date of the thread to make sure I wan't in a time warp...

[DanS]

Originally Posted by mike saunders

Chris Bangle hasn't designed specifically for BMW since 2004 (he's the design head of the whole company) so the the current designs actually have less of a Bangle influence than the 1999-2006 cars

The harsh lines have been toned down...so have the big rear ends (the "Bangle Bustle" on the 5-series was slammed....)


EDIT: I just wanted to check the date of the thread to make sure I wan't in a time warp...

Yes Bangle is the head of the design team. He has the ultimate authority and mucho influence.

Course they are building some BMW's in America too. What does that say about German cars, engineering and the old world craftsmanship?

[ron22]

Originally Posted by DanS

Course they are building some BMW's in America too. What does that say about German cars, engineering and the old world craftsmanship?

It says the global economy is different from the days of old and engineering and old world craftsmanship have adapted to create better, safer, and more efficient cars...

[900t]

Originally Posted by ron22

It says the global economy is different from the days of old and engineering and old world craftsmanship have adapted to create better, safer, and more efficient cars...

Both BMW and Mercedes have built cars in South Africa since the "good old days" of the 1950's

[Wulf]

Originally Posted by ron22

It says the global economy is different from the days of old and engineering and old world craftsmanship have adapted to create better, safer, and more efficient cars...

Globalization does nothing for me, please take me back to the time BMWs were German, Jags were British and Saabs were Swedish.. I'll take character and heritage over reliability, safety and efficiency...

[KC9-3SE]

Originally Posted by Wulf

I'll take character and heritage over reliability, safety and efficiency...

I don't mean to sound snide at all, but you are willing you sacrifice your physical, mental and finacial well-being just for the benefit of heritage in a car? I consider my car to have character, and it does have a heritage that is world reknowned, but there is no way in hell I would sacrifice anything Saab has done to make the cars that they are today. Sure they aren't "the same" in some respects to previous models, but the upgrades Saab has done is definitely for the better in terms of performance, safety and efficiency.

As for BMW? I could care less if it was "hecho en Mexico" or "fabrique in France", I wouldn't really buy one for the issues mentioned. The new Bimmers look weird, inside and out, despite going like stink. Even the Mercs are starting to wierd me out. The new S-Class doesn't even look like a Merc if it weren't for the 3 point star.

[ron22]

Originally Posted by KC9-3SE

I don't mean to sound snide at all, but you are willing you sacrifice your physical, mental and finacial well-being just for the benefit of heritage in a car? I consider my car to have character, and it does have a heritage that is world reknowned, but there is no way in hell I would sacrifice anything Saab has done to make the cars that they are today. Sure they aren't "the same" in some respects to previous models, but the upgrades Saab has done is definitely for the better in terms of performance, safety and efficiency.

Well put, I couldn't have said it any better

[Desolation Angel]

According to relatives in Austria, the BMW was never a German car anyway...it was a Turkish car! The Turks were hired in droves, stayed 11 months, went home for one month, and back to the assembly line again.

The only interesting car that BMW makes, IMHO, is the Z4. Controversial, I know. The rest are pretty much plain Jane sedans, albeit high quality ones. For interesting vehicles, see Porsche/Audi.