Bangle’s long-lasting jangle
By Straight-Six, published on 29 January 2008
Birth isn’t a pretty sight. Usually messy, often unsightly and occasionally violent, few great leaps in human history – and the many disciplines it has generated – took place elegantly and with unanimous consent.
For many, the debate over the design direction Chris Bangle took BMW into has quieted with the passing of each new model. Some say this proves the value and appeal of the design – BMW continues to sell record numbers of cars, swelling its ranks with ever-new models – while others shake their heads and walk past the harlot of pressed metal panels. Most of the time, the debates on the matter agree on the continued driving excellence of BMW, even the courage it required for the company to wear new clothes such as these. But eventually, the camps divide and a bitter debate ensues with the generic conclusion: “If I like/hate it, then no-one can tell me otherwise!”
So, we agree it was time to give birth to a new design language. However, what emerged was half-finished, boisterous, badly articulated and intent on relying on sudden impact, as opposed to subtlety and finesse. The fact that Mercedes (already accomplished in the half-ass, consensus school of design) and even the once understated Audi aped such design cues was to be expected. You see, the masses had spoken and Ugly was the new Beautiful.
The automotive equivalent of hiking up your skirt and displaying the goods under the spotlights was graphic and deeply unpleasant. For every interesting design stab we recognize on Bangle’s creations, you then find a dozen sloppy angles and discordant touches. No, this isn’t a matter of taste, it’s a matter of longevity and adequately finishing what was started. We’re intrigued by the CS concept that BMW look set to turn into a production reality, but weep at the Chavtastic touches the E92 M3 sports (a bumper which fails to adequately cover the muffler; the hunchback hood?) or the ungainly rump of the 5-series, or the retarded snout of the 6-series, or…
The Guide believes that quality and excellence are as much about execution as they are about content. The reason a child gestates for 9 months inside a mother’s womb is to allow it time to develop properly, to grow as it should and prepare for the world. What Bangle gave birth to was premature and fragile, which is why it struggles to convince us so.
Bangle’s long-lasting jangle
Birth isn’t a pretty sight. Usually messy, often unsightly and occasionally violent, few great leaps in human history – and the many disciplines it has generated – took place elegantly and with unanimous consent. For many, the debate over the design direction Chris Bangle took BMW into has quieted with the passing of each new model. Some say [...]
