BMW design years ahead

By: CAR magazine

BMW’s design chiefs say the marque’s heavily criticised design approach will be continued, since the strategy is years ahead of its time.

BMW’s design chiefs say the marque’s heavily criticised design approach will be continued, since the strategy is years ahead of its time.

Group design chief Chris Bangle sees the dramatic redesign of the model range, which began with the flagship, the 7 Series, as being a necessary overhaul of BMW’s styling.

The designer responsible for the radical exterior styling, Adrian van Hooydonk insists though that the time was right for BMW to try a new design direction.

Van Hooydonk said the styling, which has trickled down to the new 5, 6, Z4 and forthcoming 1 Series, reflects BMW’s position as a luxury brand using cutting edge technology.

“We have to chart our own course, and it can only be a modern course,” the designer told .

The storm began brewing when BMW decided to give each vehicle a distinct look. Previously the marque had produced three cars with one look, what CEO Helmut Panke has called “three sizes of the same sausage.”

The current trend of retro styling was especially inappropriate, van Hooydonk said, considering that BMW has only been producing luxury vehicles for the past 20 years.

As to whether the current design philosophy will endure, van Hooydonk admitted that it was hard to predict.

“I can’t tell you and nobody can,” he said. “Time will tell.”

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