Bangle leaves BMW and car design altogether!

[gokartmozart]

Chris Bangle, polarizing and iconic BMW chief design honcho, is quitting "to pursue his own design-related endeavors beyond the auto industry," the German carmaker said Tuesday.


jalopnik.com: Chris Bangle Quits (http://jalopnik.com/5145161/chris-bangle-quits-bmw-auto-industry)

MUNICH -- BMW Group's design head Chris Bangle is quitting "to pursue his own design-related endeavors beyond the auto industry," the German carmaker said Tuesday.

Adrian van Hooydonk, head of design for BMW brand, will succeed Bangle.

"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 Klaus Draeger, BMW's development chief in a statement.

Automotive News story (http://www.autonews.com/article/20090203/COPY01/302039879/1144)

:yikes:

[jcatral14]

I think as much as traditionalists hate him, his designs were avant-garde and took BMW to a new level. Look at how many other cars have mimicked his work. I wish him success in his future endeavors.

[HW]

would be good to see ken okuyama take the reign for a while. :thumbup:

[gokartmozart]

would be good to see ken okuyama take the reign for a while. :thumbup:

Yeah, I recently saw the 'Sleek Dreams' documentary on him and the Maserati Birdcage concept design process. Nice inside look.

But I am pleased that van Hooydonk is in charge. Solid designer.

[Excitmnt94]

shocked...just heard this about 10 minutes ago. where i read it so many people were hating on him...just not cool. i love my Z4...he will be missed.

[Bcube]

would be good to see ken okuyama take the reign for a while. :thumbup:

I doubt he would if offered. Like Henrik Fisker, Ken is building his own cars from his design studio.

[tdd]

...he will be missed.
Like the flu. Glad he's gone.

[klu123]

Thanks to God, Bangel is gone. Actually gone or not, he has become less favorite to BMW in recent years. Look, E90 3, E70 X5, F01 7 and the upcoming Z4, they all got de-banglized, less flamboyant, back to basic.

Honestly, I think Chris Bangle has his value - bringing in many innovative design elements which are followed by Jappaness copycats. However, elements are elements, overall design is overall design. BMW should hire more Bangle-like new brains, but it should not repeat the same mistake by letting such people steer the overall design. Just like it'll be smart to could introduce some Versace finshion elements to BMW, but it will be stupid to turn the entire BMW product line into Versace-like sissy fashon boxes.

[jaaX3]

Personally, I liked his work on BMWs. I'd like to see what he works on next.

[SailinSand]

Personally, I liked his work on BMWs. I'd like to see what he works on next.
+1
Wonder what he will do after his work with BMW.

[adeberti]

I don't think he made a bad job: yes, the 02 7 series was a little weird, but i totally like the Z4 and the new X5. The E90 was a little weird at first, but with the new facelift it looks good. The 5/6 series are okay...

[mclaren]

I didn't care for Bangle's designs. My 1980 633csi was a killer but I don't like the current 6 series bacause of the Bangle butt. The 633csi drew crowds.

[EddieNYC]

You either loved him or not...

It is tough designing cars that need a refresh every five years. I keep thinking of the Merc SL and how they kept refining the product for a decade... Those days are ovah... :(

[tdd]

I didn't care for Bangle's designs. My 1980 633csi was a killer but I don't like the current 6 series bacause of the Bangle butt. The 633csi drew crowds.
And he took the 3-series and made it as big as the old 5-series. Had BMW's board not reigned him in, God knows what the 3-series would look like now. You gotta give him credit for one thing though: the man could sell "ugly".

BTW, he's being replaced by the current design chief, Adrian van Hooydonk, effective immediately which leads me to believe Bangle was shoved out the door. Changes like this at this level usually don't happen this suddenly. I suppose we'll know more as time goes on.

[EddieNYC]

Maybe the board didn't like the new 5 series!!!

[DSXMachina]

Most of his work was restrained elegance, but the appropriately named 'Bangle Butt' design was awful. Looked like the whole a$$ end of those models wanted to slide off. It didn't work on the Cadillac Seville back in the 80's and didn't work when ressurected on our favorite marque. Before I bought my 335 I wanted to get a 6 but just couldn't handle the look.
BMW needs to do something with styling going into the future; except for the grille, every freakin' Honda coming down the road looks like a BMW. This may signal a new direction, count me in!

[AzNMpower32]

Let us have a party to celebrate this occasion :beerchug:

[JSpira]

Ja, wrote about this this morning. News release wasn't even out - had to call BMW NA to confirm what was in the newspapers. See article here (http://bmwcca.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4479)

[gokartmozart]

I don't think he made a bad job: yes, the 02 7 series was a little weird, but i totally like the Z4 and the new X5. The E90 was a little weird at first, but with the new facelift it looks good. The 5/6 series are okay...

'02 7 series was a van Hooydonk design championed by Bangle, actually.

From Businessweek:
Van Hooydonk's first coup at DesignWorks was an early concept car for the Mini (see BusinessWeek.com, 7/11/06, "Maximum Mini"), followed by the Z9 concept car. But his first production-car win was the 7 Series (followed by the 6 Series). In fact, it was van Hooydonk***8212;and not BMW Design Chief Chris Bangle***8212;who penned the lines of the controversial 2002 7 Series and its provocatively heavy back end, since dubbed, erroneously, the "Bangle Butt."

The year was 1997 and Bangle had given a thrilling brief to BMW's Munich and California studios. The company's goal was to make a "design leap" to give BMW's flagship luxury car a silhouette that would match the huge technological leap the car was making. Van Hooydonk, then 33, was one of 20 designers pitted against each other in a heated internal contest. Bangle backed van Hooydonk's early sketches, ensuring that they survived the cuts. But it was van Hooydonk's full-size model that won the unanimous support of top management.

[tdd]

'02 7 series was a van Hooydonk design championed by Bangle, actually.
We are screwed :(

[jaaX3]

I love the E60. If I could afford a 535xi with the options that I want, that's what I would be driving.

[EddieNYC]

And he took the 3-series and made it as big as the old 5-series. Had BMW's board not reigned him in, God knows what the 3-series would look like now. You gotta give him credit for one thing though: the man could sell "ugly". .

The 3 series as big as the 5-series can't be blamed on Bangle. This is a problem that every car company has an issue with. Honda accord / Toyota Camry... It is the buyer's fault that forces car companies to keep making the basic cars bigger and bigger and bigger...

Just as the BMW 1-Series is supposed to be a basic BMW, regrettably, it isn't...

[jcatral14]

I'd love to see him work at Apple :)
Come to think of it, if I were Jobs I'd certainly interview the guy.

[Dave 330i]

:eek:

[Armensti]

i always like the sharp curves of the bmw's. the mean look of the front grill and the lights all together made a perfect car. his dumb ass turned one of the meanest looking cars into chick cars. cmonnnnnn what is wrong with ppl why would u buy those ugly looking cars. i was sooooooooooo into bmw but once the newer bodys came out i started hating it. me and my friends have this little joke and we always say that bmw died at 03 but the 3 series survived untill 06. :behead:

[jcatral14]

:eek:

Who's who in the pic besides Bangle? Is one of them you?:confused: