Chris Bangle Replaced - Good Riddance

[urban yan]

Good Riddance to the turd that ruined BMW.

MUNICH, Germany — Chris Bangle, 52, BMW's polarizing design chief whose influence touched vehicles from the BMW Z4 to the 2008 Gina concept, is resigning and will be replaced by the current head of BMW design, Adrian van Hooydonk, BMW said in a statement on Tuesday.

Bangle apparently is leaving the auto industry, according to the German automaker.

"Christopher Bangle has had a lasting impact on the identity of BMW Group's brands," said BMW executive board member Klaus Draeger in a statement. "His contribution to the company's success has been decisive, and together with his teams he has mapped out a clear and aesthetic route into the future."

BMW noted that Bangle plans to "pursue his own design-related endeavors beyond the auto industry."

In assuming his new position, van Hooydonk will head design development for BMW, Rolls-Royce and Mini. Car Design News on Tuesday described van Hooydonk as "Bangle's right-hand man," noting that the two have worked together for years.

Bangle, who was born in Ravenna, Ohio, and once considered becoming a Methodist minister, has been in charge of BMW Group design since 1992. One of his first creations was the Z9 Gran Turismo concept. Bangle and his teams were responsible for such vehicles as the BMW X3, X5 and X6 and the new 6 Series and 1 Series, as well as the Z3, Z4 and Z8. Bangle also built the company's consultancy subsidiary, DesignworksUSA, into a global design agency for international brands, said Car Design News.

"His styling themes have generated intense controversy among automotive designers and have often had a polarizing effect," said Wikipedia in a profile of Bangle.

Inside Line says: A major — and unexpected — passing of the torch at BMW design. It will be intriguing to watch where Bangle resurfaces. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent

 

[BIgDaddyChia]

Good Ridance. Ruined BMW?? Are you crazy.

 

[urban yan]

Nope. Bangle took well engineered automobiles and wrapped them in ridiculous sheet metal. If you check some bimmer boards you'll know what I'm talking about.

 

[Glenn B]

BMW was ruined LONG before he came on board, IMHO. No, I do not need to visit BMW forums to form my opinion. Yes, I know a thing or two about them. Yeah, I have even been to the BMW Museum in Munchen. :speepin:

Good Riddance to the turd that ruined BMW.

 

[urban yan]

Well... I'm not going to brag that I'm as well travelled as you, but I know what I like, and I know what I've read. Regular BMW fans, took a fit when the e90 came out... with good cause. I'm glad Bangle's gone, and I'm far from being alone.

 

[Glenn B]

I am not bragging. Just pointing out that I had an interest in their products, and not just reading about them on the internet. I too know what I like, and BMW is NOT on that list. Has not been for a long time.

What I went with instead was an VW 16V GTI, then an Audi, then a MB. The Audi had the quietest ride (great chassis) and much more reliable than the MB.

The only BMW I like is the early 2002.

Well... I'm not going to brag that I'm as well travelled as you, but I know what I like, and I know what I've read. Regular BMW fans, took a fit when the e90 came out... with good cause. I'm glad Bangle's gone, and I'm far from being alone.

 

[DeezUU]

Bangle could ruin a straight line. Glad he's gone. Hopefully BMW will be able to repair the damage he has done visually. The new 6s are pretty nice, but the GINA project?? Are you freakin kidding?? Was he smoking crack when he came up with that??? I pray that will never make it past conceptual framework.

 

[ZacSquatch]

BMW was ruined LONG before he came on board, IMHO. No, I do not need to visit BMW forums to form my opinion. Yes, I know a thing or two about them. Yeah, I have even been to the BMW Museum in Munchen. :speepin:

Or as we like to say in America, Munich... cause we're american...

Haha, Ditto, went in 02 with my Brother and his german ex-wife

 

[BIgDaddyChia]

I must be a BMW outcast becasue I am a fan of all BMWs be it a 2002 or the new 135i which is a bad azz little car.

 

[kujito]

ABOUT GAWT DAMM TIME! I hate what that man has done to those poor cars. The longer he stayed, the uglier they got.

 

[killer98xjsport]

I must be a BMW outcast becasue I am a fan of all BMWs be it a 2002 or the new 135i which is a bad azz little car.

You have never worked on one have you. Been an bmw tech for 5 years and my project today is a NEW x5 that none of interior electrical works. They are junk!!!

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

I found BMW's to be insanely boring as far as design before Bangle. I really like the current designs, and never really considered the brand before them.

 

[kujito]

"His styling themes have generated intense controversy among automotive designers and have often had a polarizing effect,"

I guess that polarizing effect extends beyond just designers. Truly love/hate designs.

 

[urban yan]

You have never worked on one have you. Been an bmw tech for 5 years and my project today is a NEW x5 that none of interior electrical works. They are junk!!!

But couldn't we say the same about all German cars? Mercedes had their fair share of electrical gremlins, and Audi's are no walk in the park either. All German cars are nice to own... just as long as they're under warranty/ someone else's problem.

I guess that polarizing effect extends beyond just designers. Truly love/hate designs.

Chris Bangles designs are exciting to some/ abrasive to others; some people like them, and some people don't. The problem is Bangle fans are under the impression only he could design exciting new generations of bmws. I'm simply saying that a BETTER designer could create cars that attract new clients without shitting on the current ones. The 7 series has-been a 'redo' since it's 2002 intro, the e90 3 series flows poorly from front to back, and the 1 series - albeit packing awesome engine options - is consistently reviewed as being unattractive.

 

[kujito]

...just as long as they're under warranty/ someone else's problem.

An old roommate bought a used S4 with less than 3grand on the clock. As a used vehicle, it was not eligible for 'lemon law'. It was under full warranty though, good thing. Nice car, but way overpowered and under-strengthened drivetrain; he drives everthing he owns hard, but not to the point of abuse. Combine that with incompetent/unlistening service people, and Audi put an additional $50k into that car via transmission swaps. It was nearly $10k each (parts and labor) to replace one of those Getrag 6-speeds. Every dealer he took it to, in at least 3 states (AZ, CO, SD, iirc), refused to replace the sheared motor mounts in addition to the busted tranny mount. Even though he told them that they needed to be replaced. We took it to a dealer here in Denver and physically showed them where the motor mounts were broken. He made his own notes on the service ticket. Still no fix. After a while, he quit bothering and just took them a broken car to fix on their own dime while he drove around in one of their loaners. He went thru 6 Getrags in total because they never fixed the whole problem. Fun to watch.

 

[Root Moose]

Some of Bangles stuff was good... current M3 springs to mind.

Some was atrocious: Z4.

Z4 always seemed to look like a transformer toy that wasn't quite transformed back into "car mode" properly. The headlight and sidelight design was awkward and the rear tail light and trunk/boot hike up was incongruous with the rest of the design. Not a fan of the interior as well but it was the least objectionable of the problems with the look of the car.

The current six series is a decent looking car. The tail is kinda bulbous but it works for the most part.

I took a 135i for a test drive back in the fall when I was shopping around for a new car. Nice car, good power, appreciated the lack of turbo lag but in the end came away with a "meh" feeling for the over all package. The styling runs a little cold for me. If the belt line was a little lower and more visually "rakish" it would look better in my opinion.

 

[Starboard D]

BMW has not really made a good looking automobile since the demise of the round tail light 2002's after 1973 or the 2.8/3.0 CS coupe in the same year. These cars are still in demand for their styling, performance, and general common sense in layout and design. I would take either one of these cars over anything they produce today !!

Chris Bangle has done more to bring dis-interest to the brand than any other single factor.

arty:

 

[Red90Laredo]

the problem for poor bangle was that he had to take over after the e39 was made. This is my modified e39 5 series.

The newer generation (e60/61) 5 series are a whole world apart from their fore fathers. If you check the 5 series boards you see the e28, e34 and e39 guys are the enthusiasts who are driving/tracking/ building these cars. About all the newer M5s have going for them is the V10.

If I had to buy a brand new BMW tomorrow I would get the 335i 6 speed coupe or the V8 M3.

 

[Root Moose]

The E6x five series cars are decent looking.

The e39 and e46 have very similar looks and look dated these days. Don't take that to mean they aren't great looking cars, but they do look out of step with more modern designs.

335i would be a great daily driver.

 

[Red90Laredo]

I agree with you, but the e39 kind of paved the way for the styling of the newer models. The e39 5 series was the first car on the planet to be graced with the now infamous Hella Angel eye headlights.

I'm just happy to be fortunate enough to own and enjoy mine for the last handful of years, and that it's been a very good car to me, mine is daily driver.

They are getting really cheap now, I am seeing 540i selling for 4-5 grand.