[Cruzer]

...am I the last guy to figure this out? The article below says that Chris Bangle was "the man responsible with giving the [e39] Five a newer face." Well, I think he did a great job on the e39. :bigpimp:

 

[pixelated]

it's a good thing he didn't mess with the rear

 

[The HACK]

Why are we even surprised? Bangle was design director at BMW since '92. All models designed after that period, technically, are Bangle's responsibilities, and that includes all the wildly popular models such as the E36/7, E39, E46, X5, and Z8.

The main difference is that Wolfgang Reitzle used to be the head of BMW and he had a better "reign" on Bangle. However, from what I understand, all the new models appearing now (1, 5, 6, 7, Z4) all bore out of a huge design brainstorm in '96, when Reitzle was still head of BMW.

 

[Cruzer]

Thanks Hack...

As a relative newbie to the Bimmer world, the whole movement to hang Bangle is intriguing. If he's been the Director of Design for so long, why the furor all of a sudden? Do you have any good references for reading about Bangle and BMW's design history? Thanks.

 

[bmw325]

Re: Thanks Hack...

As a relative newbie to the Bimmer world, the whole movement to hang Bangle is intriguing. If he's been the Director of Design for so long, why the furor all of a sudden? Do you have any good references for reading about Bangle and BMW's design history? Thanks.

Cruzer-

The reason for the furor all of a sudden is that many people think that all of the recently introduced designs from BMW are awful. No one really complained much in prior years because the designs were generally good. Things started to go down hill with the X coupe and Z9 show cars and just don't seem to be getting any better.