GOODBYE Chris Bangle - Hooray!

[M3_Power 636]

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/03/breakin...-auto-industry/

[Apex 693]

Hurrah!! Let’s hope the new chief designer has a classical eye.

I did like the E60 though

[martyyn 2]

I know this wont be popular but I like what he did to the 7 and I think the current 5 is one of the best looking cars ever. Especially when its kitted out.

Bangle was roundly criticised for his designs but look how many cars now have the shoulder line that he brought in. Even the latest Merc B-class has the same design.

[Jamez 2147483647]

Hurrah!! Let’s hope the new chief designer has a classical eye.

re-release the e30

[mr E34 11]

Your opinion Penry, however i have never seen a range of cars that display poorly balanced lines, a mixture of sharp creases leading to distorted panels.....massive weighting to some panels/bootlids & yet tight tapering on others...a mixture of THEMES that are plain horrible. (I don't use any of those terms lightly)

Good riddance to a twit!

edit: thought i should make clear this is only an opinion on good/bad design & has no disrespect to you penry.

Edited February 3, 2009 by mr E34

[Guest Simon*]

By and large when it came to his designs, IMO they required some form of bodykit to even start looking good. Very few of them stood on their own merit.

[*Glenn* 854]

I liked the way he designed the E36 Compact. They were manouvering a sedan in the design building and backed it into a wall... he stood back and said " that looks great for a girls car ...lets make it"

[Apex 693]

Think the E36 Compact is someone else’s fault, Chris was still in Italy at that stage working on Sexy Fiats.

[*Glenn* 854]

A sexy Fiat ??.... I dont think there is such a thing

Edited February 3, 2009 by *Glenn*

[Apex 693]

Well he did the Fiat Coupe, I think they look nice..although once againe I like the E60!

Just looked him up on Wiki..

Love or loathe his work, Bangle's impact on auto design has been profound. No other designer, not even legendary GM design chief Harley Earl, has so rapidly become a part of the industry lexicon. To "bangle" a design is now an auto-industry verb for ruining it. Auto writers use "Bangle butt" to describe a tail with an extra layer of metal on the trunk (think new Mercedes S-Class). Bangle, some rivals will remind you, is only one letter away from "bungle

[Cale 36]

It will be interesting to see what happens from now on.

I did like most of his designs, particularly the e60, e90 and e64. Just the e65 took a bit of figuring out.

[melowpuf 19]

A sexy Fiat ??.... I dont think there is such a thing

Bambina's are sexy

The E60/E64/E90 took quite a while to get used to, but they have slowly grown on me. I wouldn't turn one down if offered one. Any car will grow on me as long as it has the right engine But the E65????? yeah umm no..

Edited February 3, 2009 by melowpuf

[Apex 693]

Id have one, drove a few of them last year and couldn’t believe how awesome they are, they feel as small as a E39 to drive and are built like a Swedish yacht.

[M3_Power 636]

Personally I think he failed as a designer - whether other manufacturers ended up copying or adapting his designs is irrelevant (seems to be the theme in the automotive world, to copy each other) Bottom line is he made a name for himself by creating controversy and mass criticism ... not for creating aesthetically pleasing cars.

If I were a designer I'd rather be known for creating master pieces like Pinnifarina ...

Edited February 3, 2009 by M3_Power

[BLACK DORIS 9]

re-release the e30

+1, pre f/l design with everything on exterior exactly as is. Interior and running gear having the overhaul of modern improvements... 2c. p.s a bit more overall room inside wouldn't go astray either, hmm maybe they should resurrect the whole series (3,5,7 etc) of 80's designs...

[Avenged.SSE 0]

re-release the e30

From a sales perspective, I think this idea will run BMW into the ground.

[hybrid 1040]

Personally I think he failed as a designer - whether other manufacturers ended up copying or adapting his designs is irrelevant (seems to be the theme in the automotive world, to copy each other) Bottom line is he made a name for himself by creating controversy and mass criticism ... not for creating aesthetically pleasing cars.

If I were a designer I'd rather be known for creating master pieces like Pinnifarina ...

This is where my opinion differs .. I could't think of any worse than Pinnifarina. While the 7 was a blazing design It still served as a purpose.

As others have said, the 5 was actually an amazing look car (with a kit) standard a bit like all BMWs .. average at best.

However, things like the z4 which really are an almost perfect design.

at the end of the day, its all a matter of opinion, None of us liked the e9x series either, but we have come to like them.

I remember when the e46 was the new kid on the block, I thought I would never own one of those .. now look at me .. love it too bits.

Love or hate chris bangle, he has influenced design and progress, and for that he is actually a great designer.