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.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

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

This was BMW's peak, IMO. 2001 740i sport.


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.

__________________
1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

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!

__________________
"I have no convictions ... I blow with the wind, and the prevailing wind happens to be from Vichy"

Current
Monika '74 450 SL
BrownHilda '79 280SL
FoxyCleopatra '99 Chevy Suburban
Scarlett 2014 Jeep Cherokee
Krystal 2004 Volvo S60
Gone
'74 Jeep CJ5
'97 Jeep ZJ Laredo
Rudolf ‘86 300SDL
Bruno '81 300SD
Fritzi '84 BMW
'92 Subaru
'96 Impala SS
'71 Buick GS conv
'67 GTO conv
'63 Corvair conv
'57 Nomad

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.

__________________
1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

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.

__________________
You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

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

__________________
80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

+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.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

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.


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

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

yeah

Idrive is just retarded

__________________
1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

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

__________________
I'm sick of .sig files

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

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

__________________
1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

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

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S