Trashed by critics just a few years ago, BMW’s chief designer Chris Bangle
is “experiencing a pleasant reversal of fortune,” a report in today’s Wall Street Jorunal said. In 2001, when Bangle’s flagship 7-Series first debuted, Bimmer fans launched a “Stop Chris Bangle,” criticizing the “Bangle butt,” and other unusual design features. But at this year’s auto show in Detroit, designs resembling Bangle’s work are cropping up everywhere — in designs from Mercedes, Lexus, Toyota, and Infiniti. ”Suddenly, everyone is trying to do the kind of styling for which the auto journalists criticized the BMW group so loudly,” BMW Chief Executive Helmut Panke crowed at a dinner with reporters here. “You look at the Camry rear end and you see another 7 Series. It is not the ‘Bangle butt’ anymore.”
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01/12, 11:20 AM
posted by:
PMM
..and it looks just as ugly on the Camry as it does the 7-Series.
01/12, 11:31 AM
posted by:
Brian
The Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Lexus has changed its lines as well. The new BMWs are ugly, and EVERYONE KNOWS IT! Their DC Metro Area sales have suffered greatly. I see far more Acrua TLs, Lexuses or is it Lexi, and Mercedes. BMW needs a new designer ASAP!
01/12, 1:02 PM
posted by:
JSP
This doesn’t change my negative opinion of the “Bangle Butt”. My money is going elsewhere for my next vehicle.
01/12, 1:58 PM
posted by:
Geo
These cars are supposed to compete with BMW so if BMW goes ugly so do they. It doesn’t mean it’s a good look, hence why I will not be looking to BMW for my next car to replace my current 325ci. Porsche is one of the last automakers making cars with curves and I plan take advantage of that by getting into a Cayman S which I like to refer to as the poor man’s Carrera GT.
01/12, 3:29 PM
posted by:
Otis Wildflower
How to ruin a car in 2 easy steps:
1: Let it be Bangled.
2: install an iDrive.
Congratulations! Your car now sucks!
02/06, 9:58 AM
posted by:
bryant loungo
Chris Bnagle is a genious, let me first get that out there. The new 3 series are one of the most amazing cars i have ever seen or driven. I have recently driven the 330 at a performance center and i had the time of my life, so i hope there are more to come like the new bmws.
07/10, 8:55 PM
posted by:
Little Drummer Boy
Outstanding drive, with an ugly shell of a body. The new BMW cars approved by chris bangle.
07/10, 8:57 PM
posted by:
Little Drummer Boy
So that is what panke uses as logic?! Others are copying? Wow, what stupid man.