BMW, once the darling of driving enthusiasts, has mastered the art of alienating its core audience with a relentless parade of polarizing design choices. First, the 4 Series’ buck-toothed grille—a grotesque, oversized kidney that sparked a firestorm of fury among fans—set the stage for a brand seemingly hell-bent on self-sabotage. Now, at the prestigious 2025 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, BMW has doubled down with the M2 CS, unveiling a rear ducktail spoiler so audaciously exaggerated it’s as if Porsche’s 911 GT3 RS and a RUF prototype had a lovechild BMW decided to adopt without asking its loyalists. Is there any automaker better at pissing off its core audience?
Doubtful.
The 4 Series grille, introduced in 2020, was a slap in the face to BMW purists. Fans took to forums and social media, lambasting the comically large kidneys as a betrayal of the brand’s sleek, balanced aesthetic. “It looks like a beaver got lost in Munich,” one X post quipped, echoing the sentiment of thousands who felt BMW had abandoned elegance for shock value. The backlash was deafening, with critics like Jalopnik calling the M4’s face “just plain ugly” and fans mourning the loss of the Hofmeister kink’s subtle charm. BMW’s design boss, Domagoj Dukec, had the gall to suggest fans “look at the car as a whole,” but the grille’s cartoonish proportions made that impossible.
Now, the M2 CS’s Villa d’Este debut has reignited the rage. The G87 M2 was already a radical departure, but the CS’s prominent ducktail spoiler—described by autoevolution as a nod to Porsche’s iconic designs—has fans crying foul. “BMW’s ripping off Porsche while forgetting what makes an M car,” one X user fumed, capturing the sense of betrayal. The spoiler, while striking, feels like a gimmick, a desperate grab for attention that clashes with the M2’s compact, driver-focused ethos. Enthusiasts who cherished BMW’s understated aggression now see a brand chasing trends over heritage.
BMW’s insistence on these divisive designs—first the head, now the tail—shows a company tone-deaf to its audience. While the M2 CS’s performance may impress, its aesthetics scream disconnection. Fans aren’t just angry; they’re heartbroken, watching their beloved brand morph into a caricature. BMW, take note: loyalty isn’t infinite, and your core audience is running out of patience.