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Good, Bad or Ugly - Current and Future styling trends of BMW

729 messages,  Last post on May 30, 2007 at 10:05 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum.

What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, BMW 7 Series

Messages Page 20 of 74

#185 of 729 Styling by f1buick

Nov 17, 2003 (6:19 pm)

Let me try this thesis: Styling has never been a BMW strong point. The name, after all, is Bavarian MOTOR Works, not Pininfarina, and if style is your bag, then the Italians, Brits, and, yes, the Yanks have plenty of offerings. While some Bimmerphiles might care to disagree, I respectfully suggest that a BMW body graced with, say, GM mechanicals, would be lambasted as badly engineered AND of questionable appearance.
 
Yes, there have been exceptions, and the 1995-2001 years featured decent looks pretty much across the board, but even then BMW saw fit to grace us with the M Coupe (ughhh).
 
My point is that BMW differentiates itself from the pack based on engineering, not great looks. The problem with recent bimmers is not so much styling as it is engineering for engineering's sake: technological gee-wiz devices of questionable utility but undoubted cost and complexity.

#186 of 729 f1buick, right on the mark! by bmwmrc

Nov 17, 2003 (8:54 pm)

I totally agree with you! I do however, like my '03 E39 style and my 1995 (E34?) body style as well. I bought the car because of the great fit and finish, engineering and OH THAT DRIVE. But I also like the looks. The new '04 --5? Blechh!!! The front looks like a Pontiac. The back looks like a Kia. Ouch. The interior looks and feels cheap. And the so-called larger size, seems to be more in the trunk than the back seat. I sat back there and the back seat did not feel any larger than my '03.
 
Great post!

#187 of 729 i'm sure it's been said here b4 by treehumpindog

Nov 18, 2003 (2:01 am)

but the new 5 series is the worst design to spring from chris bangle's hand since he took over at bmw. the 7 series has odd touches that i dislike, like the Buick SUV eyebrows over the front headlights and the add-on trunk lip, but right from the start it's basic body style had a kind of hulky muscular presence on the road that has grown on many initial haters. the z4 as well, is very CAD/CAM looking, with all of its intersecting cut lines and contours, but it again has a presence on the road that is powerful. the new 6 coupe is marvellous, clearly bangle's best work to date.
 
but the new 5 series?--ugh. double ugh! the front end is alright, even the rear end is strangely acceptable, but the side profile is... hideous! the waist line (the main line that runs along the side length of the vehicle, aesthetically dividing the upper section from the lower section) is much too high, making the car look fat and ponderous. the outgoing 5 series, the automotive paragon of a taut athlete with its clean, graceful, balanced lines, has been tragically transformed into a couch potato who wears his pants up high over his beer belly by fastening his belt over the hump. dbs8 is right to have snatched up a current 3 series. who knows what it'll look like the next time we see it. maybe like the droopy new solara? shiver.

#189 of 729 BMW Bonneville by dbs8

Nov 18, 2003 (8:34 am)

I have made the Pontiac comparison as well.
 
I guess the school of thought here is: "If it isn't broken, break it". Ask Coka-Cola how well this works! Risky business for such a successful car maker.
 
I think that many people do buy BMWs for their looks and image. They have always been distinctive and tasteful. IMO, the best way to describe the new direction is "Overstyled".

#190 of 729 dbs8 & treehumpindog... by bmwmrc

Nov 18, 2003 (2:54 pm)

Couldn't agree more. A new direction or bold direction is one thing. But a change in design to be different is another. This "another" is seriously wanting. If I have to grow to like it, then I'm in trouble. I don't like it now and I suspect I won't like it next year either.

#191 of 729 Bluetooth costs... by manybmws

Nov 19, 2003 (6:40 pm)

around $500 to install in an '03 5-series.

#192 of 729 ugly E60, but what a ride! by bmiz

Nov 19, 2003 (6:50 pm)

I was at my local beemerhaus today to see about giving them back my '03 530i, for an '03 M5.After the M5 ride, I tried an '04 545 6sp.Not thrilled about the looks, but the ride is definitely what this car is all about.More interior room,valvetronic V-8,incredible handling.I-Drive,was not bad at all.After this ride,the M5 was ruled out, and will wait and compare to the long-awaited 645

#193 of 729 I mean the only BMW to really catch your eye by carguy58

Nov 22, 2003 (12:58 pm)

is the 99 3 Series and thats it. I mean BMW is a luxury brand not a company that builds sports cars. BMW builds the cars to drive their cars to drive like sports cars but to look like sports cars? No. I mean if you want a car that girls check you out for the looks buy a old Pontiac Trans Am, Mazda Miata, or mid to late 90's Mitsubishi Eclipse. I mean the 5 Series is a big car size wise. Its just not meant to be sporty looking on the exterior. The 7 Series is like a full size car 1980's style: the car is not meant to be sporty. Lastly, If you check out a 92-98 3 Series sure its not sporty but it still looks good. Pre-Bangle BMW has always had an understated styling theme to it.
 
I haven't been happy with alot of cars styling wise lately from the Germans or Japanese it seems like the Germans and Japanese have switched their styling to get the Domestic Big 3 buyer off his or her "too bland for me" bandwagon. I have two words for the Germans and Japanese: Core Buyer.

#194 of 729 carguy58? by mckennamd

Nov 22, 2003 (3:30 pm)

Please tell me that you were being sarcastic and did not truly mean that a chick would check you out more in a Trans Am, Miata or Eclipse over a BMW 5. Are you kidding me? What kind of chick are you looking for?
 
The BMWs are not meant to be sporty? HUH? Are they not the bench mark of Sports sedans?

Messages Page 20 of 74

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