View Full Version : Bangle Quits BMW and Auto Industry Altogether
Bernardo
02-03-2009, 10:32 AM
http://img.worldcarfans.com/2009/2/mediumsmall/chris-bangle.jpg
Bangle Quits BMW and Auto Industry Altogether
Christopher Bangle, legendary head of BMW Group design, will hand the reigns over to Adrian van Hooydonk
Here is some news that will be a shocker to the industry: Christopher Bangle has quit as head of design for BMW Group and plans to leave the auto industry altogether.
BMW has announced the news in a press release. Bangle says he will be pursuing other design challenges beyond automobiles.
Bangle's influence on BMW's recent history and his contributions to the premium car maker's success are difficult to overstate. Bangle, only 52, is a legend in automotive design and has been head of BMW Design Development since 1992.
He headed the design evolution of the BMW 3, 5 and 7 series from the 1990s into the 2000s, an era of commercial and critical success for those models.
Bangle's team also designed all the new models introduced under his tenure - which include the Z3, Z4, Z8, X5, X6, the 6 series and the 1 series. Bangle was also instrumental in creating the MINI, a car that BMW revamped and launched as a new brand. MINI has also been a success for the Bavaria automaker.
Bangle did take some heat from critics for what was seen as a poor re-design of the 7 series back in 2002 but his achievements have far outweighed any missteps.
Adrian van Hooydonk, 44, currently the head of design at BMW Automobile, will take Bangle's place as Director of BMW Group Design. He has worked closely alongside Bangle for 17 years.
Source: BMW
Late he goes.
jorge
02-03-2009, 11:17 AM
Thank god :-D
HeilSvenska
02-03-2009, 12:21 PM
Many may revile him, but no one contributed more to the automotive design field than him in the last 10 years. Brilliant. Maybe too clever for his own good.
wolfganggt
02-03-2009, 12:46 PM
Many may revile him, but no one contributed more to the automotive design field than him in the last 10 years. Brilliant. Maybe too clever for his own good.
Having seen a video of a presentation he gave about design, he seems to know what he doing. Unfortunately, looking at the cars he is responsible for over the last several years, it appears he can't apply the knowledge very well.
The only thing he designed that I like is the Z4 hard top.
He has designed more production cars then I have, so maybe he is doing something right. Or maybe everyone at BMW is blind. Is there such a thing as beer goggles for cars?
nthfinity
02-03-2009, 01:08 PM
Having seen a video of a presentation he gave about design, he seems to know what he doing. Unfortunately, looking at the cars he is responsible for over the last several years, it appears he can't apply the knowledge very well.
The only thing he designed that I like is the Z4 hard top.
He has designed more production cars then I have, so maybe he is doing something right. Or maybe everyone at BMW is blind. Is there such a thing as beer goggles for cars?
I can't say his designs are particularly ugly. I may not like some of them... in fact, I'm pretty much in step with you where his best was the Z4 Coupe. The 5er was pretty good too, and the 3 is quite nice in 2 door form.
That said, he has had the most influence on car design in general industry wide; and that IMO is something special. I am shocked. But like some have said... maybe he felt limited in his design aspirations by staying with the auto industry. Maybe he was "too good."
10000rpmlover
02-03-2009, 01:24 PM
yes, good riddance to that asshole, I'd have fired him the moment I saw a drawing of the M5 he made, idiot
That said, he has had the most influence on car design in general industry wide; and that IMO is something special.
I dont think it was "something special" -I think it was a pity.
Too many pandared to the so called "Bangle rilliance" and for a long time car design suffered.
black_diamond
02-03-2009, 03:26 PM
Like him or love him he changed the entire car industry-every car maker has introduced his design schemes in one shape or form, personally I still love the Z4. Wish you the best Chris.
I found his new non-automotive design...
http://www.coolfinder.sk/wp-content/dream_toliet2.jpg
Bernardo
02-03-2009, 03:42 PM
/\ Well, seems like hes doing better in the non car industry... :laugh:
HeilSvenska
02-03-2009, 03:55 PM
/\ Well, seems like hes doing better in the non car industry... :laugh:
But his reputation still in the crapper.
Like him or love him he changed the entire car industry
Thats the problem.. the car industry didnt need him - he took the most classic and beloved BMW models and spent more time making them "hipper"... insetad of better ;)
Alelanza
02-06-2009, 06:19 PM
Shame, most of the cars were rather good
Shame, most of the cars were rather good
Better looking than pre-bangle BMW's?
10000rpmlover
02-06-2009, 11:36 PM
Shame, most of the cars were rather good
good is not a word anyone in the vehicle production business would ever associate with bangle created monstrosities, this guy and his couple of croonies converted BMW into bleh, look at a series 5 from before his time and you will understand
pitfield
02-07-2009, 09:25 AM
What about the E46? a real stinker?
10000rpmlover
02-07-2009, 11:21 AM
What about the E46? a real stinker?
the E46 carried over many of the things from the previous e36, as such it turned out not to be hideous, however the soul of BMW was on life support at this point as the car became more "unnoticeable" you could distinguish any e36 anywhere, the 46 started to look like everything else
the E90.... the most hideous thing ever conceived, it shames BMW for looking like a cheap Honda accord, this is what bangle considers his crowning achievement, even going into a rampage when someone asked him at a trade show if he was dumb deaf and blind...
I am not a fan, will never be, that guy needs to go back to making porcelain sinks
pitfield
02-07-2009, 11:48 AM
And when was the E36 introduced? it was also a radical departure from the E30, just like the E90 was from the E46. Not saying I love E90s looks but I love the car, I've had about 10 of them.
Alelanza
02-08-2009, 04:53 AM
Better looking than pre-bangle BMW's?
My favorite ones are the e30 and e46, neck and neck, now if i had to choose i'd stay with the e30, so the final answer would be no. OTOH the e46 stands out more in my mind as i really disliked the e36, despite the two of them sharing many design queues the e46 is a far better design in the end. This being said i don't follow the 5 and 7 series much so I don't have much of an opinion on those.
FoxFour
02-08-2009, 10:10 AM
Remember, when the first year BMW 'Bangled design cars' came out, they did not cause a design sensation like BMW hoped it would. It was the next year models which toned down his design influence which gave BMW buyers the confidence to buy these cars. There are some designers that can pull off an exterior car design, Bangle wasn't totally IT. Yes, some of his design cues will stay around and influence future designers. But IMO, his total exterior design did not strike me particularly well.
http://img.timeinc.net/time/2007/50_cars/bmw_7_series.jpg
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