Video: BMW's Chris Bangle gives us a personal tour of the Z4 M Coupe

For a true insight into BMW's "Styling Language", read "DRIVEN: Inside BMW, the World's Most Admired Car Company." BMW knows they made a bad. That's why today's 7 has backed off from BMW's confident Flame Surfacing that debuted when this generation of 7 showed up at the Geneva auto show. That's why today's 3 have "just a bit of spam" in them, as opposed to hard-core Flame Surfacing.

Before the Anti-Anti-BMWistas start swinging their fists...
- I love my BMW vehicles (got several of 'em, all 100% Bangle Free)
- I don't blame Bangle. He's a company man, doing a superb job of towing the company line.
- I recognize Bangle was part of the Classic Z8 design, so his team CAN make beautiful things.
- I recognize that BMW cars drive really well, though they also have more defects than the industry average.
- And lastly, I know style is a subjective thing. Looking at BMW's ever-increasing sales volume, there's got to be a lot of folks that like what I hate. Either that, or they put up with it :-)

For a true insight into BMW's "Styling Language", read "DRIVEN: Inside BMW, the World's Most Admired Car Company." BMW knows they made a bad. That's why today's 7 has backed off from BMW's confident Flame Surfacing that debuted when this generation of 7 showed up at the Geneva auto show. That's why today's 3 have "just a bit of spam" in them, as opposed to hard-core Flame Surfacing.

Before the Anti-Anti-BMWistas start swinging their fists...
- I love my BMW vehicles (got several of 'em, all 100% Bangle Free)
- I don't blame Bangle. He's a company man, doing a superb job of towing the company line.
- I recognize Bangle was part of the Classic Z8 design, so his team CAN make beautiful things.
- I recognize that BMW cars drive really well, though they also have more defects than the industry average.
- And lastly, I know style is a subjective thing. Looking at BMW's ever-increasing sales volume, there's got to be a lot of folks that like what I hate. Either that, or they put up with it :-)

I just can't get on the Chris Bangle bandwagon. I am especially not fond of the fact that BMW cars offer no protection from door dings in today's parking lots where spaces are too narrow to allow careless people who park beside you to open their car door without denting yours. I challenge Chris Bangle to design his way around this problem.

I beg to differ about BMW having more defects than the industry average. The latest JD Powers reliability survey shows BMW is ABOVE average. 12th out of 37 makes in fact, 1 place below Acura. That's a lot better than Mercedes (27th) and Audi (31st). Could it improve? Sure, but nobody should act like they're unreliable junk.

Although reliability is a better indicator of quality, the JD Powers Initial Quality survey shows BMW is 3rd of all makes (behind Lexus dn Jaguar). That is WAY above the industry average.

Instead of throwing a hard top of this car of horrible design. I have yet to meet a z3 owner that would trade it in for the z4.

AXIS OF WHITE POWER? REALLY STRONG WHITE CARS?

WHAT?!

Comming from a German manufacturer makes that a million times worse. Even if it did not come from a German manufacturer, it still sounds like it does, though.

What a bangling idiot!

Jeremy Clarkson - And we'll move it on to the ugliest car of the year. And, the
nominations are:

The SsangYong Kyron:


<http://www.weblogsinc.com/common/images/4721617840650363.JPG?0.49228685379163306>

Richard Hammond - Ugh..

Jeremy - The SsangYong Rodius:

<http://www.nullprozent.at/images/ssangyong/Rodius.jpg>

Richard- Ewwww...

(Whole crowd in disgust and laughs)

Jeremy - And, look at this one, the SsangYong Musso!

<http://vne-resource.iol.co.za/30/picdb/6/8/32056>

(Whole crowd goes 'Ahhhhh!' in disgust)

Jeremy - That really is a moose! OK, so which one's won it?

It's the BMW 3-Series!!!

<http://www.carpages.co.uk/bmw/bmw_images/bmw_new_3_series_26_10_04.jpg>
(Actual picture shown in show)

(Whole crowd claps and cheers for well over 10 seconds)

Richard - It is. The thing is just so dull. It's just some car. It's just 14
foot of car.

Jeremy - Yeah, well it is. You'll buy it like curtain material. 'I want a BMW,
about 15 feet long.' 'You'll want the 3-Series.' It's just dreadful. An
appalling car.

- End Transmission -

:P

I think Bangle is given too much of a hard time. I agree with AD and LJ, they are selling well. People must like them. I particularly like the 5-series. Yes it's rear is a little odd, but BMW needed a change. They were getting too predictable. Each model year seemed like a redo of the year before, nice, but very reserved. I think this design change there will just make for better BMW designs to come. Cars need a little more art. Lexus and Mercedes seem to like the designs their forth coming luxo cruisers (LS460 and S-Class) seem to have a Bangle-like rear end to them

"They are logical, well thought out, and, most importantly, they are your own. Thank you for forming your own opinions, it seems to be rather difficult for most people on this site to do."

I will assume that your definition of 'logic', and 'having your own opinion' means not being able to agree with somebody elses'? Hardly logical.

Trying to sound like I know what I am talking about? I did not say a single morsel of my own words. All I did was transcribe what was said on an episode of Top Gear. Obviously not everyone agrees that current BMW styling looks good (the e46 looked a million times better)! We will never agree on this subject. You shouldn't expect to either.

How is that for logic!? Saying somebody does not know squat if they don't appreciate a certain styling. A heads-up to anyone out there who is receiving complements from LJ: Take it with a grain of salt!

A bangle-like rear end is reminiscent of the Chrysler Stratus.

I don't care for many of the Bangle BMW's but this might be on my list to check out in the coming years.<br><br>
<br><br>
Design?! eh<br><br>
<br><br>
343hp 260+ tq.<br><br>
<br><br>
0-60 4.9 sec.<br><br>
<br><br>
enough said.

I don't think that anybody is trying to win anybody over here but, with the exception of you, Artimus, and LJ.

Record high sales? I say,"Great!"

If anybody here can PROVE that the record high sales are because of its styling, I will bow down to them like they were God. Anybody who says - with a straight face - that a new model is at record highs soley based on one factor without any sort of solid reasoning (absolutely impossible when it comes to styling) is naiive at best.

I too was fooled when Chris Bangle said "Axis of White Power" and mistook it for the "Final Solution". I scooted my schfitzing white ass into a an atic as soon as I heard that! Cars? Who thought he was talking about white cars?! Clearly he needs to meet with his HR folks for a briefing on what, and what not to say.

If you don't agree with me, I couldn't care less. As far as spending anymore time on here trying to convey that styling is in the eye of the beholder, I will not be doing that. And, quantifying the aspects of why I don't like the 3's new styling is totally unneccesary. How do you quantify,"I think it's ugly"? This is hardly grounds for saying I am a retard if I can't do it, and a follower to boot. It looks like you (LJ and Artimus) are the one looking for a pat on the back.

CORRECTION

I don't think that anybody is trying to win anybody over here but, with the exception of you - Artimus and LJ. (2 people, not three)