I don’t get y the 3-series, 6-series, 7-series, X5, X3, M3, M6, all look like the new generation BMW’s, while the 5-series and M5 came out of no where. Styling wise, i think, looks completly different then any of the other new generation beemers. I like the new styling on all the cars, except the 5. Was the 5 series the first car with a new design? or did BMW just decide to come out of left field with a totally different look.

and y does this car look so audi-ish from the side for some reason?

I duno why it looks so Audi-ish Anomynous, that’s just what you think. I think it looks Saab-ish from the side, LOLOLOL but that’s just me.

anyways enough comparing it to what other cars look like, I really like this car.
Does anybody have an idea when it’s coming out?

It must just be that side shot photo, but it looks way too long.

i agree it was a side audi looking like the a4 cabrio

Jay, the car will start production in December, and should be stateside by March 2007. I would advise you contact a dealership BEFORE the official press is released otherwise you may be looking at not getting this car until the end of next summer.

The 335i Hardtop is going to be a hot-ticket.

-Brett

That’s going to kill trunk space as well as raise the center of gravity.

At least it has a fully articulated 3-piece roof unlike the crappy 2 piece, bi-fold only roofs on the Pontiac GSux and CAdillac SuXLR

Thank you Brett for the info.

I can’t wait to see it at the LA Auto Show in December

Anonymous – The 5 series is either the 2nd or 3rd out with this design series. I get the Z and the 5 mixed up as to market entry. The 7 series was the first and most controversal. In fact the 7’s rear end got quite tweeked shortly after. The 3 series is the latest of the run and the least (paticularly the coupe) unusual of the bunch. They’ve evolved to a more conservative look with each series. Of all the series I like the 3 series. But the 6 series coupe which is more “Bangle”, I feel, is quite successful because it is a 2dr coupe. The overall design is quite integrated, ie. not fragmented like the 5 series. I don’t think the Bangle look is as successful with the 4dr configuration. The September issue of Automobile Mag has a picture of the next gen 5 series which much less Bangle/fragmented. It seems BMW is quietly toning down the “Bangle” look with each entry.

Bush,

Hopefully in 10 years, BMW will revert back to the fighter jet style ****pit which used to one of ‘THE’ BMW traits, along with the Hoffmeister Kink and the kidney grill.

Jon.

I agree with Jon. BMW is still a favorite brand of mine, but they’re so far gone from what they use to be. The last attractive 7 Series was in 2001, the 5 Series died in 2004, and now the 3 Series, one of the greatest cars made, is being dragged down too. I hope BMW find its old ways as well, because I want to drive a sleek kidney-grilled fighter jet too.

after 04 all BMW designs have gone downhill

I’ll agree too, BMW has lost its way, particularly with the 3. Where’s the driver oriented dashboard? And its time to grow up and admit that Runflats are a bad idea. There’s even a Leftlane news story about what a bad idea runflats are.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/06/27/even-tiremakers-dislike-bmws-run-flats/

Jon

I totally agree.

wish they would have had that when the E46 was out, not the biggest fan of the E90, though the M3 is shaping up to look nice, but not as nice as the E46. And Don, it was 05 that the E46 4 door went downhill to the e90 , and 06 is the last year for the E46 M3 and coupe.

The older, original picture looks like an Audi A4 Cabriolet from the side…

Let’s hope BMW is scraping the bottom of the barrel in design here.

The only thing keeping anyone loyal is the name … if this was a Kia, it would be a write-off with the usual fans.

what are you talking about to #1 comment? the 5 series is the best bmw design.

I happen to be a fan of the 5 series. I think it is the best of the Bangle design. However I do agree that BMW has really moved away from the things that made BMW a BMW in people’s mind. The changed dash and the grill come to mind, as pointed out by others.Although the 6 design has grown on me, I still think that they could have designed it much closer to the last model (the one I have) and still made it modern.

Back looks like a boat in the second shot…

the 2nd pic is a fake. look at the trunk shut line carefully compared with all the spy pics on the net as well as the profile of the kink in ‘c’ pillar.

the 2nd pic is a fake. Compare the truck shut line (especially near the tailight) and ‘c’ pillar kink with all the other images floating around on the net. Close but no cigar.

You idiot. They’re exactly the same. Nice name too. duh.

It’s designs like this that take a long-time BMW driver off my radar. My ‘03 BMW 3er just came off lease, and I’m switching to Porsche. At least they are consistent. I’d take that any day over this radical design change. Which commitee of fools at BMW keeps approving these poor BMW designs?

The Quandt family was rubber stamping Bangle’s work.It seems to be changing,though.

Where’s the trunk space? Can you say rattle? I can only imagine the warranty disaster waiting with this configuration.

I guess BMW is trying to mass market their products, filling every segment with bland products such as this. I expect many will consider it attractive, but for (repeat) e46 drivers lik emyself, this is a turn off.

The 7-Series has grown on me, but I can’t get to like 5-Series, I still like E39. Not a fan of design of ‘07 X5, but then again, I’ve seen only it’s pictures. I’ve learned that most new BMWs look lot better in reality, then on pics. And look at many other companies, they coming out with “bangledized” trunks in their car designs too. And most brands now have some sort of i-drive. Any selfrespecting individual, who knows how to use computer, can learn how to use i-drive.
-=Bimmer=-

Bangle doesn’t design BMWs any more you dumbasses

that’s some crazy roof gymnastics there. Can’t top the XLR’s for weirdness though.. It’s the most hilarious thing when someone opens the trunk in that car… the decklid travels almost 4 feet into the air because gm thought it would be easier to have the trunk open up and have the fwd edge fold inward rather than just tipping the deck backward from the rear edge like most designs. My fave right now is the miata’s… light (adds ~100 lbs), simple (2 piece), fast (10 s), doesn’t impede trunk space by fitting where the softtop fits.. looks almost identical to the softtop when up…