What happened to BMW?
 

I mean, I imagine they still run pretty well but why are all the new ones butt ugly? I went to a dealer today to get a few hard to find parts and as I was walking past 40 or 50 brand new bimmers it occurred to me that I wouldn't want any of them if I was at all going for style.

They all look like inflated Z4s. The same gimmicks writ larger. The Z4 barely pulls it off, those lines sorta work on a small car but not on a 5 or 7.

And the grill looks weird on most of these too.

The principal designer of the Z replaced Chris Bangle as design chief.

This was BMW's peak, IMO. 2001 740i sport.
http://www.dragtimes.com/images/19463-2001-BMW-740i.jpg

I have disliked all the other designs that had come out since.

3s quit looking nice in 2006
5s in 2004
7s in 2002
X5s in 2007

edit* and give me a Z3 over a Z4 any day.

To me, the best designs are the old 2002, 320i, Bavaria,basically the E3 to the E39.
Once Bangle got his dirty paws on the design they all went to crap!
Oh what gives with the stupid I-Drive? I would never buy a car I need a 400 page operator's manual to figure out!:eek:

Not a fan of BMW in general but the E46 is one of the best looking sedans/coupes ever IMO. The ones before are pretty decent too in general, but after the E46 the styling became a lot more "modern" with lines and squigglies everywhere.

I like the new BMW's. Did not like the "elven leaf" tail lights but now I seem to like all the models except the X5.

All new cars are butt ugly, why should BMW be any different?

+1 on THAT, brother! They either look like a soap bubble in a wind tunnel or some bizarre death machine from a science fiction movie.

i'll second the e38 i loved mine.

They are to complicated, the Idrive is just annoying.


OTOH they are built well and drive really nice.

BMW has lost its way.
 

Yes, I agree!!! The 2001 740i Sport, and the last 0f the E39 5 series in 2003 were the apex of BMW styling

As said above, the iDrive is a horror, ( <----- What next, a Video game called "Distracto" on the dashboard??), the iDrive instructions, I am told, are hundreds of pages long, nobody wants to bother with them) and the "run-flat" tires are a huge mistake. BMW owners themselves complained to me about these things, it is NOT just ME.


~~~~

All downhill from there when Bangle stepped in. Hatterasguy's comment about the Bangle cars, in his signature line, sums it up perfectly.

"I've taken a dump that looks better than a Chris Bangle chassis."
Adolf Hitler



I am certain the cultists that own the 2002tii join me in my disgust. They think the 2002tii is the only TRUE BMW, they look down their noses on even the 2002 owners.:eek:


That said, for reasons that utterly elude me, the BMW lines sell well, worldwde. ( <------- :confused: )

yeah

Idrive is just retarded

The only decent looking BMW made in the last few years. And not coincidentally, designed by someone other than Bangle.


http://www.forum-auto.com/uploads/20...9837756_z8.jpg

Grand Turismo
 

You think the new 5 Series Gran Tourismo is an ugly car? C'mon... :cool:

http://www.edmunds.com/flipper/do/MediaNav/make=bmw/model=5seriesgranturismo/year=2010/photoId=20318830/firstNav=Gallery

Not just BMW
 

In my opinion you could ask the same question about Mercedes.

- Peter.