Chris Bangle has been shouted down, hated and frowned upon at best by the brand’s fans BMW when he became head of design for the company. Or rather, a few years later, when the first models came out designed by him or by his team under his supervision.
Because in 1992, when he landed, the release of 3 Series E36Series 5 E39, Series 7 E38 that cannot be said to be eccentric, and of the roadster Z8 presented in 1999, in a style that was unanimously acclaimed. But nothing that comes out of his pencil stroke.
This is the brand’s first SUV, the X5 code E53, which came out at the end of 99. First example, still timid, of “Flame surfacing”, the first real representatives of which will be the 7 Series and the Z4, we will come back to this. But again, it’s passing the room with customers, and the X5 is a real commercial success. If we pose next to this first X5 E53, Current X5 (G05)guess which one is the least shocking?
No, where it really started to grumble is when the news comes out Series 7 code E65/E66. To compete with Mercedes S-Class and Audi A8, BMW has given carte blanche to Chris Bangle and his teams to do the new, the original. And he was far, before that time. When it was released in 2001, the 4th generation of Bangle’s 7 Series caused a stir. The clientele is conservative, the car innovative, with its wave-shaped headlights and its duckbill trunk… It’s also going to be a semi-flop. But if we just randomly put next to the new 7 Series that has just been presented, we will be tempted to conclude that the 2001 one… was actually very sensible.
After Series 7, Bangle takes it upon himself Series 5, and released the E60 in 2003, again criticized for its style. But if there was any criticism, it was mainly because of the quality of the finish, which was remarkably reasonable. Because in terms of style, we can say today that it fits quite well into the landscape, and that it has aged well. The Current 5 Series (G30)in the middle of a forest of gigantic double beans, distinguished by a grille in contrast to the measured size, remains in our opinion one of the most beautiful BMWs of the moment.
The roadster was also launched in 2003 Z4 E85successor of Z3, which was hugely successful. The Z4 is a pure Bangle product and representative of Flame surfacing, with very flat panels and original body joints. And folds of it in the shape of Z. Possibly visually disturbing when it comes out, today it is almost considered an example of purity. The current Z4 (3rd generation G29) is much more athletic and muscular. Not ugly, no, but clearly less pure. However, it did not result in rejection (or less), unlike the first Z4 of the name.
In 2004, Bangle also signed BMW’s first representative in the compact sedan segment, the 1 Series E87. And if his style does not provoke too much criticism, he will remain very distinctive for the time being. But what about today’s Series 1 (F40), whose grille beans have grown disproportionately, to spill over onto the hood? Too much the last Series 1? However, it is not signed Bangle!
Then, in 2005, Bangle signed the new 3 Series E90, and its Touring E91, Coupe E92 and CC E93 derivatives. Not much to say except that again, after an extremely classic and fluid design for the previous generation E46, she made fans of the model cringe a little. But despite all that, it sold well and today seems completely in the era of its time. Which is also the case with the current 3 Series G20, which, like the Series 5, has not succumbed to the gigantic double bean fashion. A good thing.
We don’t forget that the controversial Bangle also signed the 2004 6 Series coupe and convertible (E63/E64). By applying some recipes from the 7 Series E65, namely wave optics and a “duckbill” trunk. It is true that it caused a lot of talk at the time, especially after a first generation, stopped for at least 16 years, which looked good in its time, and an 8 series that is considered a masterpiece by purists. But what does the current Series 6 look like? It is a large 4-door coupe, with a particularly ugly rear.
Let’s end with an anthology of current models, which at the time of Bangle had no equivalents in the range. We can only notice the almost ridiculous overbidding in the size of the grids and their beans. Soon they will block the view and drag on the ground. We exaggerate, but hardly. We’re having a bit of trouble with this new style, even though we’re trying to be objective…
All of this almost makes us say, as do many nostalgic people, “come back Chris Bangle, come back… It wasn’t that bad when you were there. We’re sorry we yelled at you. You were, in fact, a visionary. . .”. Overdone? Yes. But perhaps not as much as the brand’s current stylistic eccentricities!
