Chris Bangle: Misunderstood-Discredited / Chris Bangle: The Steve Jobs of Car Design

I seroiusly doubt bangle had anything say in the design of the F10, simply because the F10's design is too traditional and classical. Bangle likes radical designs, radical designs are great when it works, but in the E60's case, it fail miserably. There are a few BMW diehard that still like the design of the E60, but the majority of the public agree that it was not a attractive design. To this date, when I see a E60 on the road, I try to look at the driver and see who in their right mind would pay that much money for such a ugly car

Originally Posted by The X Men

I seroiusly doubt bangle had anything say in the design of the F10, simply because the F10's design is too traditional and classical. Bangle likes radical designs, radical designs are great when it works, but in the E60's case, it fail miserably. There are a few BMW diehard that still like the design of the E60, but the majority of the public agree that it was not a attractive design. To this date, when I see a E60 on the road, I try to look at the driver and see who in their right mind would pay that much money for such a ugly car

Of course bangle never actually penned any design. But he oversaw the entire F10 just like he did the E60. That's the very point. People give him credit for one but not the other. IMO as a story it showed that he had a clear vision: Shake things up with hard to swallow designs, then reveal his true plan: To cut right back to traditionally timeless virtues thereafter by heavily refining those initial designs.

Originally Posted by K-A

That's an interesting thought. Either way, the current design language came out under his direction, whether it was via him kicking and screaming or not. He gave it his all and we all see how great the turnout is, especially relative to the revolutionary but not so attractive vehicles that preceded them.

I saw a video where he was describing the thought process behind designing the 5-Series GT, of course that car is IMO a hideous beast but point is that car came out along with the F10, therefore the same parenting concept carries over. Also, I remember reading interviews where he was (obviously) very passionate about getting the F01 "right", I'm sure as proof to those who called his work "flawed" that he knew how to design "it just works" (to quote Mr. Jobs) as well.

The F01/F10 concepts were probably ideas close to getting underway not long after the E65 and E60 launched in 2001-2003. Bangle oversaw the whole thing from the ground up, he's the "parent designer". IMO this makes the cars extra special, but then again, I have massive respect for Bangle. Not because I love every product he oversaw, but because he showed two different sides of a great designer. Side-one wasn't for me, so I got to enjoy side-2.

Remember, the F10 debuted in Nov 2009, in Europe, and Bangle left in March 2009. There was NO time to do even the smallest of tweaks, even if they wanted to for whatever reason. That's a spec of time in car-land. Definitely completely frozen under his watch.

I accept your response and agree that you make good points. The previous generation cars were still ugly though.

Originally Posted by jjsC6

The previous generation cars were still ugly though.

Eye of beholder. I think the F10 design is better. But I loved the E60 design.

-Corey

Originally Posted by K-A

Of course bangle never actually penned any design. But he oversaw the entire F10 just like he did the E60. That's the very point. People give him credit for one but not the other. IMO as a story it showed that he had a clear vision: Shake things up with hard to swallow designs, then reveal his true plan: To cut right back to traditionally timeless virtues thereafter by heavily refining those initial designs.

Personally, I think it was probably more like the BMW higher up taking Bangle out of the loop for the F10 design after what they saw from his E60 design.

Fascinating thread. A fact-free mix of opinion and speculation.

Originally Posted by raleedy

Fascinating thread. A fact-free mix of opinion and speculation.

That is a fact, for sure!

Originally Posted by The X Men

Personally, I think it was probably more like the BMW higher up taking Bangle out of the loop for the F10 design after what they saw from his E60 design.

That is absurd conjecture.

Originally Posted by pharding

That is absurd conjecture.

Another fact-free post of opinion and speculation.

Dp

Nothing wrong with some healthy speculation.

Wall Street does it all the time so it must be okay.