Chris Bangle quits BMW and designing cars entirely

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One of the most recognized automobile designers in the world, Chris Bangle, has announced today that he plans to quit the auto industry to pursue his own design-related endeavours. Bangle is the controversial designer behind recent BMW design traits such as ‘flame surfacing’ and the notorious ‘Bangle Butt’ boot lid, and his creative works have divided numerous BMW enthusiasts over the years who either love or hate them.

Bangle leaves the post of BMW Group's Head of Design and will be replaced by Adrian van Hooydonk, who is currently Head of BMW Automobile Design. Both designers have worked closely together for the past 17 years and have mapped out a clear and aesthetic route for the future of the German luxury carmaker.

"Christopher Bangle has had a lasting impact on the identity of BMW Group’s brands. His contribution to the company’s success has been decisive," said BMW development chief Klaus Draeger.

After studying at the University of Wisconsin and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, he began his working life in Rüsselsheim, where he worked for Opel. In 1985 he joined Fiat, where he became director of the Fiat Centro Stile in 1992 and designed the legendary Fiat Coupe. Shortly afterwards he left the Italian automaker to come to Munich.

Bangle became the first American BMW Head of Design in 1992, where he penned the Z9 Gran Turismo concept car. Despite the controversy and heated opinions behind many of his designs, his styling themes have gone on to inspire numerous designs at rival car companies and have had a significant affect on the global auto industry.
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http://www.motorauthority.com/bmw-design-chief-chris-bangle-quits-auto-industry.html

So there it is. The end of an era. I think that what he did was an enormous step forward for car design as a whole, changing everyone's perspective of the BMW brand. I can't say that what he did with every model was good, but it certainly proved him to be a very progressive design thinker. He doesn't seem like a particularly nice guy, but no influential designer is, really... As a designer, I'm anticipating seeing some of his other design work, that's for sure.

No hater can deny the great ideas being played with in one of his last concepts:

bmw_gina_3.jpg


bmw_gina_4.jpg
 
Personally I think most of his BMW designs were way off the mark, particularly the 7 series, 6 series convertable and the 3 series saloon. The flame style design however did work well on cars like the Z4 and Z8.

I guess he or rather BMW forgot who was actually buying most of their cars and some of the designs were just too bold and wacky for the traditional BMW owner. But for a few years now they have got back on track giving the cars a more square shape and more simple lines and this has paid off with models like the current 3 series coupe which I feel is one of the most beautiful BMW's. The 7 series was also sorted only to then be ruined again with the new 09 nose!

Some of the concepts he did were impressive but I feel his talents would have been better placed in the aftermarket world or private outfits like Fisker where their style is more compatable with his own.

To sum it up, yes his designs were bold and they should be because its always good for a designer to stand out but there has to be times were you hold yourself back to be realistic especially when it conserns a particular market or buyer.

Robin.
 
I always liked his designs, especially the 6 series. It'll be interesting to see how things shape up without his direct input though.
 
As a martyr of design, Bangle will be missed. I'd agree that much of his stuff was hit/miss, particularly with the 6 and 7 series models, but overall, I think the look of the 3 and 5 was pulled off successfully as they aged against their competition. Whether or not BMW fans liked him, I believe, is irrelevant. He most-certainly has left his mark on the industry as a whole.

But, I think that we as enthusiasts need to decide whats been more evil of BMW in recent years:

Bangle or iDrive?
 
Robin.
The flame style design however did work well on cars like the Z4 and Z8.
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Blasphemy! Z8 ≠ flame styling.

BTW everybody, don’t get too excited. Adrian van Hooydonk, Bangle’s successor, is just as responsible for ruining BMWs as Bangle is.
 
To me, some Bangle-themed BMWs were good-looking (Z4, 5-series, 3-series [although not much of a change]), some bad (7-series), and ugly (6-series).

I could seriously see his influence in Mazda's "Nagare-type" concepts, and he'd probably be a good fit, style-wise.
 
Wasn't the 3 from van Hooydonk? I know the 1 was.

Anyway, hooray!
 
Too bad that Bangle is going :( Now the majority of BMW's cars will never look the same again. Unless they decide to keep the same model for a new generation (that would be kinda stupid though, even with the 3 Series).

And the next 'Z' model (if there ever is one) will probably look like a Boxster, only shorter. And the Boxster is not a good looking car. Maybe the new M5 will look like a 911 GT2, only with more boxy looks on the bumpers and skirts and with no spoiler. And the new 1 Series might look like a bigger Vauxhall Agila. (The coupe will probably look like one too, but with an actual end.) WHAT WILL BMW'S CARS BECOME WITHOUT BANGLE IN TERMS OF DESIGN?! IT'S GONNA GO HORRIBLY!
 
Although I like much of Bangle's work, I can see why people weren't keen on it. Still, as soon as there was a name and a verb ("Bangle'd") to attach to it, there was immediate and prejudiced dismissal of any new BMW that looked even remotely like anything Bangle had made before -- which is why no one noticed that Hooydonk is the man with the pen now.

In fact, that may be something to worry about. The original "new" 7er was controversial, yes, but it had good ideas (evidenced by its success and the copycat "Bangle butt" cars) and cleaned up very nicely with the facelift. The 2009 7er is just ghastly; a Chinese-knockoff-looking wedge of bland with a face as ugly as sin.
 
Wolfe
The original "new" 7er was controversial, yes, but it had good ideas (evidenced by its success and the copycat "Bangle butt" cars) and cleaned up very nicely with the facelift. The 2009 7er is just ghastly; a Chinese-knockoff-looking wedge of bland with a face as ugly as sin.
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QFT. The same applies to the restyled Z4.
 
Omnis
Wasn't the 3 from van Hooydonk? I know the 1 was.

Anyway, hooray!
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It was by J Nagashima, If you ask how I know I have a replica of the original design framed in my room and it says in red letters J. Nagashima on top of the 3 series.

I liked his style, it finally got cars out of the bland square shapes of E30s E34s and E32s. But they also goined some nice things allong the way. I love the E90-93, E60/1 and 1 series, The X5 is also hawt.
 
Pupik
To me, some Bangle-themed BMWs were good-looking (Z4, 5-series, 3-series [although not much of a change]), some bad (7-series), and ugly (6-series).
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All of his work was give and take, and it really seemed to depend on what you wanted to focus on. Being a fan of the more "industrialized" look that the BMWs had pre-Bangle, yeah, it was a harsh change to begin with. But considering how well the car designs have aged, particularly when you start looking at how its influenced the shape of Audi and Mercedes products, Bangle was onto something.

...As for the 6-series, I actually think its a good-looking car now. Okay, the "shelf" on the back still looks silly, but overall, I like the swoopy shape. But who am I kidding, I just like the size and shape, matched with the otherwise excellent mechanicals.

Makes me wish they would have kept building the 8-series...
 
YSSMAN
But who am I kidding, I just like the size and shape
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Hmm...
Car & Driver
Lose a contact lens, or smear Vaseline on your corneas, and the details of the BMW 645Ci convertible haze over until only the proportions remain. Then it's apparent that what BMW has here isn't so much a rebirth of the old 6-series as it is the company's first Camaro.
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Don't ask me how I remember throw-away lines from 5 year old road tests, but I do.
 
I guess anyone can build a Camaro and I'd have it!
 
C-ZETA
WHAT WILL BMW'S CARS BECOME WITHOUT BANGLE IN TERMS OF DESIGN?! IT'S GONNA GO HORRIBLY!
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:odd:

They seemed to do okay before Bangle...

As for Bangle's departure, I'm indifferent. I didn't like any of his designs at first, but each and every one has grown on me (well, I'm not too keen on the Z4 cabrio or the 6 series), so in the end I think his presence has done more good for BMW than it's done harm. But I'm interested to see how the future designs will progress.
 
Wow.. Bangle leaving is a stunner.. I thought he was pretty happy with BMW... anyone know what made the relationship between the two go wrong? --- Randy
 
YSSMAN
...As for the 6-series, I actually think its a good-looking car now. Okay, the "shelf" on the back still looks silly, but overall, I like the swoopy shape. But who am I kidding, I just like the size and shape.
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Wow, those are the two things I hate most about the 6-series... other than its general pointlessness and lack of focus compared to the older 6-serieses from 10-15 years ago.
 
The advantage that I have against you is that I don't own a BMW, and effectively don't plan to, so I can blather on about the pinwheels as much as I want with no relative experience.

Ignorance FTW!
 
I think the brouhaha over flame-surfacing has overshadowed the fact that with his work on the E46, he made one of the best-looking BMW 3-series for a long time...

And if Adrian is still there, don't expect many changes... Adrian is at least as responsible (if not more so) for the current BMW design language as Chris is.

That said, I can appreciate their work. The 1-series is just awful, but not due to flame-surfacing... just due to the fact that they tried to put too many things together at the front end, and they didn't gel. Various manufacturers have emulated the rear end, though, which is a good compliment. The 5- and 6- are kind of hit-or-miss... the Bangle-butt shared with the 7- is mimicked across the industry because it's actually a practical approach, just not as stylish as the Volvo implementation of a tall trunklid many years earlier:
Volvo-S60-hinten_high.jpg


Other manufacturers couldn't ape that, as it'd be too obvious... BMW gave them another way out, by thinking outside the box. I don't like Bangle-butts, but I can see why they're popular with designers looking for more bootspace without raising the rear end too high.

The work on the Z4 is just fabulous. Purists may hate it, but the first generation Z4 just looks fabulous. So much going on, so many things to distract the eyes... it's a sculpture on wheels. The new Z4 looks more like anodyne dross. It could be anything from anyone, except for the double-kidney grille on the snout, it's lost all identity.

I think I'll miss the "Z" slash on the flank, most of all. That took chutzpah.

YSSMAN
But, I think that we as enthusiasts need to decide whats been more evil of BMW in recent years:

Bangle or iDrive?
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iDrive. Though thankfully, when people started copy-catting it, they improved it. The Audi version is almost bearable.
 
I immediately thought of the late '90s BMWs I liked design-wise. Like Bangle or not, you have to admit there's some meanness to match the character of BMWs. That even incldes the big car, the X6 (that was pretty cool when I went to the Houston Auto Show this past weekend). But wow... wonder where the future of BMW styling will lie...
 
YSSMAN
Bangle or iDrive?
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The new iDrive is supposed to be much better, and simpler. Expect reviews of it this summer or spring.
C-ZETA
And the next 'Z' model (if there ever is one) will probably look like a Boxster, only shorter. And the Boxster is not a good looking car. Maybe the new M5 will look like a 911 GT2, only with more boxy looks on the bumpers and skirts and with no spoiler. And the new 1 Series might look like a bigger Vauxhall Agila. (The coupe will probably look like one too, but with an actual end.) WHAT WILL BMW'S CARS BECOME WITHOUT BANGLE IN TERMS OF DESIGN?! IT'S GONNA GO HORRIBLY!
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The new Z4 has been seen. And it looks nothing like a Boxster.
 
Reventón;3297758
The new Z4 has been seen. And it looks nothing like a Boxster.
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The next one after this new one is what I'm talking about. I just hope it doesn't get that far. :nervous:
 
Bangle leaving...

I'm torn.

This means that atrocities like the 6, 7, and X6 will be leaving.

On the other hand, the Z4 looks fantastic. The 5 is growing on me, and the 1 and 3 are both capable of looking smart (in the 35i and M guises). Even the X5 looks good, for an SUV.
 
thread is worthless with out pics...

Lets see some 3 / 5 / 6 and Z4 pics pre bangle and with bangle... That will help a lot more in discussing the cons or pros to the desicsion
 

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