It may have been divisive when new, but almost two decades later the looks of the E85 Z4 actually seem remarkably undated. While emphasising that flame surfacing is not consigning to the history books, BMW says, “It has been developed to enhance its effect further.”. Autoweek may earn money from the links on this page. oh oh! According to Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design, it makes for a design that is “resoundingly function-driven, pure and reduced without compromise”. It had “flame surfacing” in spades, a diving shoulder line, a hockey stick lower lower character line, and (of course) a prominent “Bangle butt”. Are you as passionate about cars as we are. BMW fans should really have been well-prepared for the giant grille on the brand-new M3 and M4 models. The huge kidney grille accounts for 40% of the real estate alone, whilst other vents take up almost all the room left. The idea is to smooth the shutlines and joints within the body for what van Hooydonk describes as “a more cohesive and harmonious appearance”. By 1998, a team of BMW engineers had decided that the Z3 needed a coupe version, and set to work creating their own prototype. Buyers loved it, from the driving dynamics to the handsome but understated styling. Whilst there was nothing wrong with how the F82 BMW M4 looked, what upset the purists was the name. The elongated kidney design is said to be needed to supply the upgraded engine with cooling air. If customers are telling companies they want coupe versions of SUVs, then who are they to argue with them? Whilst not conventionally attractive, it did at least help BMW’s first mass-produced electric vehicle get noticed. But just look at the front bumper. The car maker is certain to raise a few eyebrows again with GINA, an animated cloth car that looks ahead to the future of the automobile. From Bangle butts, to gigantic grilles, the Munich-based company has found new ways to push the styling boundaries. The first model in BMW’s electric vehicle sub-brand, the i3 was truly revolutionary when first revealed. With up to 503 horsepower in Competition specification, it promises to be devastatingly effective on road and track. Like with the M3 and M4, BMW states it is necessary to ensure more powerful engines get enough cooling air. “Flame surfacing” created a trend of design being about adding “clever” crap to the surface, like Pontiac in the ’90s, except with less self-awareness, instead of design being about truly innovative thought regarding the surface. His work on the Z4 — a style he called "flame surfacing" — divided all viewers. Second, the Ohio-born Bimmer big-wig's insistence on pronouncing perfectly good English words with a German accent (e.g. This was all possible thanks to the introduction of the new 8 Series coupe, leaving the 6er name free. A hardtop coupe version was planned from the start, helping avoid the awkwardness seen on the Z3 Coupe. The fitment of Lexus IS200-style rear lights also meant this version of the Compact looked just as divisive from behind. Bangle is known best for his work as Chief of Design for BMW Group, where he was responsible for the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce motor cars. Under the design reign of Chris Bangle, it provoked a highly emotive reaction a few years ago by a fresh and courageous take on premium car design, and by introducing the world to ‘flame surfacing’. Giugiaro was responsible for the wedge-shaped machine, with initial assembly taking place in Turin, Italy by a group of former Lamborghini employees at Ital Design. Created by Italian design house Bertone, the Garmisch concept was built for the 1970 Geneva Motor Show to indicate what direction BMW could potentially take. Say goodbye to flame surfacing — and hello to layered surfacing. The reason for this design was to use BMW's new technology of 3D panel pressing allowing a single press for compound curves, which had previously needed multiple … Ignore the styling for a moment, and concentrate on the fact that the 2 Series Active Tourer was the first front-wheel drive vehicle sold by BMW. The previous-generation E39 BMW 5 Series had been lauded as possibly the greatest executive car ever made. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of BMW North America being founded, BMW wanted to build a special concept for the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Grafting the giant fastback trunk onto the sedan model again created some questionable angles. In hindsight, the big front grille should have been a warning as to the design direction the company was heading for. Since the introduction of the M3 in 1986 it had, almost exclusively, been applied to cars with two doors. I agree that the look did nothing to make BMW’s visually appealing, but without the flame surfacing back then, the fluid styling of the 2013 BMW 5-series would not be. Built at BMW’s factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the original X5 shared numerous parts with the E39 5 Series to keep costs down. The design was completed under the direction of Chris Bangle, and led to the enlarged trunk lid being branded as the ‘Bangle Butt’ by outraged BMW fans. Bangle acknowledges that his designs do not look good in photographs, suggesting to critics that they should see the cars in real life before judging them on their looks. The BMW X6 may be best summarized as an automotive example of ‘don’t hate the player, hate the game’. Penned by Davide Arcangeli, under the guidance of BMW former chief of design, Chris Bangle, the E60 5 Series introduced the “flame surfacing” … even if it was nice , can you imagine the repair bills? BMW has undergone a rapid expansion of its model range in the past two decades, but not all of the styling efforts of those models have been universally loved. In essence, the 5 Series Gran Turismo was aimed at customers who didn’t want to commit to a 5 Series Touring estate. That's exactly what plagued all the Bangle-era BMW sedans (the Z4 wasn't bad): The fundamental proportioning was just lumpy and misshapen. Since the X Coupé concept car in 2001, BMW design has been dictated by the flame surfacing theme introduced under Chris Bangle. Their hard work turned the new X7 into a luxurious five-seater pickup, with space to carry a BMW F80 GS motorbike. When it actually happens to be the replacement for the 5 Series Gran Turismo. We’re sorry, Chris. Critics branded iDrive as complicated and unitutive, with the single rotary dial hard to master. His styling themes have generated intense controversy among automotive designers, and have had a polarizing effect with respect to their visual cues. When is a 6 Series not really a 6 Series? Expect buyers to like it in spite of the looks, rather than clamouring for this one because of them. Chris Bangle was responsible for the dramatic ‘flame surfacing’ used on the aluminium body. If you thought Chris Bangle’s deconstructivist flame surfacing styling was tacky on early millennial BMWs, just remember that he was destroying the design language of Fiat in the early 1990s. Compared to the previous 7 Series, the E65 was radically different. As long as it has that badge on the front, eh? The all-new 2021 BMW M3 Sedan and M4 Coupe are packed with performance technology, including optional all-wheel drive and a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine. Design director Chris Bangle took the heat for the E65 and for the Flame Surfacing design language in general, but the design was actually penned by … Thanks to the distinctive proportions and Chris Bangle’s distinctive Flame Surfacing and contours, the BMW Z3M and Z4M are lovingly called “Clownshoes” by many BMW enthusiasts, and after looking at one, it’s easy to see how they got the nickname. From 1992 until 2009, BMW design was led by Chris Bangle, one of the most controversial car designers of all time. This would become his trademark during his tenure at … It wasn’t, with BMW selling fewer than 2,500 units of the 5 Series GT during 2010 and subsequently regretting ditching the estate. 2003 saw a double dose of controversial BMW launches, with the 6 Series badge reappearing after 15 years away. By 2000 the model moved to the new E46 chassis platform, and gained a more rounded design. That's the E65 7 Series up there, considered by many to be as ugly a car as they come. Opting for front-wheel drive allows BMW to make the 1 Series more practical, and helps save money with platform sharing. What stood out most where the piercing round headlights, separated by overlapping hood elements. BMW's top designer, Chris Bangle, describes the effect as ''flame surfacing.'' I partially blame Bangle for that. Chris Bangle was responsible for the dramatic ‘flame surfacing’ used on the aluminum body. Perhaps proving BMW’s cautiousness right, buyers were wary of the unconventional styling and the Z3 Coupe remained a slow seller. I think if you strip away the huge arches, silly Pilers (A&C), glass doors?!?. It does make the new Z4 look suitably sporty, yet its creation has caused stirrings amongst BMW fans. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. Yes, but at least the new 6 Series fastback looks slightly less controversial than the preceding 5 Series GT. Mercedes-Benz and Audi have also entered the SUV coupe game, meaning this trend is here to stay. Novelty came in the fact that the Z1 could be driven with the doors dropped. Despite being an acquired taste for many, the 1 Series went on to enjoy commercial success, remaining in production until 2013. Brave is possibly the kindest word used to describe the X-Coupe Concept when it appeared at the 2001 Detroit Auto Show. It took inspiration from the 1975 3.0 CSL race car, which had been entered into the IMSA GT championship. The M Competition model of the third-generation X6 is the ultimate expression of BMW’s SUV coupe range. The car's toaster-meets-city-bus design is the brainchild of Chris Bangle, a vehicle designer responsible for some of the more daring designs of the last 20 years -- … What made it more incredible was the plastic body panels were non-structural, meaning they could be completely replaced in under an hour. You would be left with a nice package. The X7 is the first full-size luxury off-roader from the German company, and it is properly big. Intended to replace the unloved 3 Series Gran Turismo, the 2 Series Gran Coupe is aimed at rivalling the Mercedes-Benz CLA. The handcrafted load area features a polished wood finish, with the new bodywork all created from scratch. BMW is not a follower. Christopher Edward Bangle (born on 14 October, 1956 in Ravenna, Ohio), is an American automobile designer. To learn more about how we use the information you provide to us please see our, Goodbye flame surfacing, hello layered surfacing, Matt Prior: Sometimes being a car journalist is a pain in the back. After the retro stylings of the Z3, BMW went thoroughly modern with the looks of the 2002 Z4. Actually, the Fiat Coupe (or Coupé, if you prefer) had styling that was a welcome departure from the boxy and boring Fiats of the 1980s and it is quite striking in person or in print, particularly compared to … I don't believe it was a secret. "that will be £26,500 + vat sir, it includes a new door, mirror, offside front panel and 215 hrs of labour". I've got a couple of bones to pick with BMW designer Chris Bangle. Related to the E60 5 Series, design inspiration came from the Z9 concept car created by Chris Bangle in 1999. The latest 4 Series Coupe, revealed in June this year, previewed the colossal kidney design idea. Offered in pure electric, or gasoline hybrid range-extender versions, the i3 was made to look like the future had truly arrived. A later facelift attempted to fix some of the more divisive styling elements, but could never truly change the car beneath. BMW Concept CS. The front end features plenty of design detailing, including the now trademark bold BMW kidney grille. BMW has been able to find numerous buyers for the X4, so much so that it launched a second-generation version in 2018. It’s amazing that they found space for the headlights. We are ignoring the obvious here though, in the shape of the simply humongous grille attached to the front of the X7. Some say that the styling is a bit too tame and lacks the polarizing effect of the Bangle design. A long-wheelbase Gran Tourer model was also added to the range, with seating for up to seven. By Autoweek BMW found that some owners of previous-generation models were oblivious to the fact they were rear-wheel drive. Arguably the big grille, with its three-dimensional mesh insert, has generated plenty of hot air from enthusiasts sharing their views on it. This convoluted process meant BMW missed the chance to compete in Group 5 racing, and instead created the M1 Procar. And, I can't think of another manufacturer that uses more frozen or matte finishes for special editions than BMW. Along with the challenging styling, it also became the first BMW to feature the iDrive system to control car settings and infotainment. The prime examples on his super-coupe concept, he says, are the A-pillars, which channel the airflow at the front in the same way as the wing-profile rear lights. It gave the industry its first look at the so-called flame surfacing that later characterized most of Bangle’s designs. In more naming gymnastics, BMW opted to call the new large five-door fastback model the 6 Series. However, the main showpiece were the doors that retracted vertically into the side sills of the Z1 by sliding downwards. That’s not a bad thing on a Korean C-segment sedan. Since the X Coupé concept car in 2001, BMW design has been dictated by the flame surfacing theme introduced under Chris Bangle. Design influences came from the CS1 concept car, and included copious amounts of flame surfacing. If you have been following the themes emerging through this gallery, you will most likely not be surprised at the revelation that the latest 1 Series is now front-wheel drive. With the release of the new M3 and M4 performance models, join us for a look at some of BMW’s most controversial styling exercises. Rolling out a custom-built pickup version, created by apprentices at BMW’s Vocational Training department. To the relief of many BMW fans, the impressive effort was purely intended as a one-off concept. It still looks modern and, compared to recent designs, manages to appear almost delicate and precise. More than 130,000 examples have been sold across the world since the i3 launched, with BMW even adding a performance i3 S version in 2018. Worried as to whether Lamborghini could complete the project, BMW took things back in-house. Instead the M3 would become a four-door sedan model, whilst the M4 took the coupe and convertible role. Yet it would always be the unconventional rear which people would remember the 6 Series for, no matter how hard it tried. 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