Is it just me or all the new BMW's butt ugly?

[wludavid]

Originally posted by Z-man
They simply won't do that -- it would dip too much into their 3-series and Z4 coupe sales. Just like Porsche won't make a beefier Boxster/Cayman. It is simply a logistics thing.

-Z.

The top of the line 3 now costs more than the basic 5 - no reason why a high-end 1 won't be at 30k, the low-end price point for the 3.

You make a good point about the Z4 coupe though - unless it's in the 40k range, it would overlap too much with a 130i. The funny thing is, BMW has all but said outright both models are coming to the states.

[Z-man]

wludavid -
If both the 1-series and the Z4 coupe are coming to the US, don't expect anything more than Mini Cooper performance from the 1. Just my opinion.
-Z.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally posted by singpilot
BUTT




UGLY.

I raise that to A$$ FUGLY.

[techweenie]

The BMW decline is so notorious that the industry had couned a new word for it "Bangle-ized." As in "when will the 3-series be Bangle-ized?"

I understand that after his first "design" -- the 7-series -- was on the road 9/10 months, a serious "de-Bangl-ization" program was undertaken on the subsequent designs.

Although my experiences with BMWs were very poor, I thought the pre-Bangle coupes & sedans were really beautiful.

They look flied licey.

[Tyson Schmidt]

It's spelled Bangle, but I think it's pronounced "Mangle".

[Tyson Schmidt]

"That car has been beaten with the Bangle stick."



The E46 M3 was perfect. Then the new M3 got some Banle-esque treatments, and now it looks Japanese.

[RickM]

The newly redesigned 7 are out with a more subtle azz....still looks the same to me.

The Z4 looks like a horrible cobble of over-exagerated, retro style cues.

Tech: I take it by decline you mean design-wise....I agree.

[Rick V]

This is what a B.M.W. is suposed to look like

Bangle need to go design for yugo

[wludavid]

Originally posted by Rick V
This is what a B.M.W. is suposed to look like

I beg to differ:

[scottmandue]

That reminds me...

[scottmandue]

Whoo hoo!

[Rick V]

should we forward this thread to Mr. Bangle?

[techweenie]

Originally posted by RickM
The newly redesigned 7 are out with a more subtle azz....still looks the same to me.

The Z4 looks like a horrible cobble of over-exagerated, retro style cues.

Tech: I take it by decline you mean design-wise....I agree.

Yeah, although the original I-drive was pretty much a disaster, too.

The Z4 is just stunningly ugly, IMHO. where the Z3 looked like a "clown shoe" the Z4 looks like some absent-minded whittling but some kid whose knife was sharper than his visual acuity.

The whole "Z" carved in the side trick (with a running light in the middle of the downstroke) is way too adolescent for a grown-up's car.

[jkarolyi]

My rant as a current '73 2002 owner and former E30 and E36 owner:

BMWs weren't ever about wild "styling" until this German company hired an American to style their cars (WHAT WERE THEY THINKING). Now you could swap the BMW badges for "Pontiac" badges and 90% of the public would believe they were Pontiacs.

BMWs weren't ever about the latest electronic gadgets until the i-Drive (WHAT WERE THEY THINKING). Scores have already been written about this abomination.

BMWs were about an attached-to-the-road driving experience until they introduced their numb electronic variable assist steering (WHAT WERE THEY THINKING).

My father just bought a new 2005 325Ci base model (without variable assist) because it's the last of the old-philosophy BMWs.

Yet BMWs are selling better than ever. Go figure. Marketing must know what they are doing. To me, BMW died with the old 3-series much like Porsche did with this last 993.

[artplumber]

Originally posted by jkarolyi
...(WHAT WERE THEY THINKING)...

It's a brave new world! Changing allegiance from enthusiasts to bored (hence need for gadgets), attention needy (status symbol) people.

And yes, there are a lot of them.

[arcsine]

While I have hope that some other makes do incorporate more "edgy" styling, I will stand fast on the idea that edgy does not have to be ugly. With the exception of the 6-series, all the recent Beemers are aggressively ugly and Bangles arrogance that this is right and appropriate makes it all the worse. You owe it to yourself to read about his "flame-surface" design and his belief he is unclothing Venus with these designs.

And don't even get started on their horrific I-Drive.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

very ugly new cars....

What was wrong with the E39 5 Series? they were beautiful cars.. Then thee new 5 series, looks like Fisher Price designed it....

[RickM]

"A clown shoe"....ROFL.


The gagetry flys in the face of the 7s target audience. IMO, that audience is the successful business owner/exec/you get the idea set. These people want things done for them efficiently and in style. "Charles, could you please program the VCR for me?"

The I Drive in a perfect example of what not to have in this type of car and against the inherent simplicitic style Germans capitalized on.

IMO, the "last" generation 7 series (E38?) was one of the most beautiful four door sedans every created. The ride and feel were second to none.

One of my favorites:

[yellowline]

Let's just be happy that Porsche didn't hire him...imagine Bangle getting his hands on the 911.

It's true that BMWs started to look a little dated, but they didn't have to resort to this. (BTW, I really like them too, but you can't keep selling the same bodystyle forever in this market.)