Why the new grill looks bad on sport models

[thebmw]

I'm not a fan of Nissan, but look at the Altima. It has a "head to toe" grill. But it is symmetrically integrated and flows with the rest of the car's design language. THIS is how a large grill should be done, if it needs to be done at all.

The 4 series is discongruent and piecemeal. It makes no sense from a design language standpoint. It's all over the place in terms of themes. Nothing matches. It's like they had a different designer for the grill, the front, the sides, and the back.

The iX looks like a beaver is having an orgasm. But at least it looks like something and makes a little sense.

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by steker

So the iX just got announced and I think it proved my idea of the new grills: they look good (not that bad) on SUV's and station wagons (like the M3 station), but they look bad/wrong on sport models.

Interesting perspective. I'm buying it.

[BMWCCA1]

I took this photo a couple of weeks ago. I think it shows shock on the face of my E82 upon encountering the latest version of the iconic BMW grille!

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[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by Tacoma

Yes, if "future classic" means being on the list of top 10 failures in terms of turning a classic design into an abomination.

its a modern day edsel ford. lets be real.

[TheTallJS]

it reminds me of this

[Germanauto]

Agreed OP.

On a side note you wrote "sports car" then as an example placed a photo of the M8.

[LOW4LYF]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

I took this photo a couple of weeks ago. I think it shows shock on the face of my E82 upon encountering the latest version of the iconic BMW grille!

[

So you think the E82 is pretty?

[Vivek.]

Originally Posted by LOW4LYF

So you think the E82 is pretty?

The new grill is somehow uglier than an e82

[BMWCCA1]

Originally Posted by LOW4LYF

So you think the E82 is pretty?

I think the E82 is a well-proportioned sport sedan without non-functional excess and at a reasonable weight. My fourth BMW was a '73 tii in 1973. The E82 reminds me of that car in so many good ways. But then you probably wouldn't like that car, either.

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

I think the E82 is a well-proportioned sport sedan without non-functional excess and at a reasonable weight. My fourth BMW was a '73 tii in 1973. The E82 reminds me of that car in so many good ways. But then you probably wouldn't like that car, either.

It's generous to read the "non-functional excess" you speak of as excessive styling, but I can't think of a way curb weight would impact anyone's opinion about a vehicle's styling.

We're talking about styling here. If I may be so bold; I'd be more specific and contend we're really only talking about exterior styling.

[BMWCCA1]

Originally Posted by Dog Face Pony Soldier

We're talking about styling here. If I may be so bold; I'd be more specific and contend we're really only talking about exterior styling.

For 50-years I've contended it wasn't (just) styling that made BMW what it is today. If you accept that they'd be unknown or out of business but for the 2002, then what was it about the 2002 that compelled people to try a BMW? It certainly was far from styling (bloated NSU, or Corvair to some). But it is hard to say the feel of the car didn't for some overcome the appearance. And at the very least, the styling didn't scare anyone away!

Sure, you're talking about styling, but BMW has survived styling faux pas with superior engineering. Even that is questionable today. That's the beauty of the E82—its direct steering and responsive handling. The visceral connection of man and machine that still exists but probably only in the current generation M2.

[kyriian]

Originally Posted by Tacoma

No one has shown any evidence because there is none. Pure hearsay. Those who spout this idea are looking for scapegoats or someone to blame for this poor design. If you look at Chinese philosophy of Fung Shui, it's about balance, harmony and flow between elements, which is the opposite to the design of this pig snout grille.

Edit: And yeah, it looks better in a larger SUV, but that doesn't make it look good.

Those who do care about feng shui today are not BMW's demographics in China though, the traditional Chinese who actually care about feng shui isn't going to be buying a 4er if they aren't already sitting in a retirement home already.

This is for the new money in China, which is all about showing off ostentatiously. if it draws attention then they do it, look at the wealthy Chinese students today here on our shores, all drive flashy cars with the flashiest wraps, flashiest handbags, and flashiest clothes, and demands all the attention regardless if it looks good.

[IAmATeaf]

That Nissan is just plain fugly, nothing nice or proportionate about the design of that monstrous front end.

[Moflow]

Agreed, sports cars are not the place for verticality.

[fastboatster]

doesn't look half as bad as some people say:

[thebmw]

Originally Posted by fastboatster

doesn't look half as bad as some people say:

You specifically chose to a zoomed out picture where everything on the car is blacked out. This prevents the viewer from observing the lines of the car and the details that make it look so obnoxious. Ever heard the saying "good from far but far from good"? In this situation it's "average from far but far from average".

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

its a modern day edsel ford. lets be real.

It's actually twice as bad as an Edsel since the Edsel only had ONE bad grill opening. But typical BMW, it has to one-up everyone else...

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by fastboatster

doesn't look half as bad as some people say:

Right, it's actually twice as bad as some people say.

[thebmw]

Former BMW design chief Frank Stephenson, who has been called "one of the most influential automotive designers of our time" by Motor Trend and designed the original X5, Ferrari F430 and FXX, Maserati MC12, McLaren MP4-12C, P1, 676LT, 570S, and 720S, has completely torn into BMW's new design language, starting with the new 4 series. It is very rare for a highly regarded designer to rip on his colleagues. It is only done when the design is so repulsive and repugnant that there is no way to sugar coat things. I.E., it is not politically correct to do what he did unless the offender (BMW) is being offensive.

He stated that "the huge grille is unrefined", the design is "difficult to understand", and the grill "doesn't go with the proportions of the rest of the coupe". These grills have been widely regarded as pig nostrils, which is not a good thing. In addition, he states that "it's weird that the positioning of the front license plate doesn't seem to have been considered when designing this car" and that "You can't forget about the registration plate".

He goes on to say that he regrets that BMW seems to have nearly eliminated the company's iconic Hofmeister kink and says there's "a lot happening" at the rear. Overall, he states that "BMW tossed the baby out with the bathwater."

[thebmw]

"BMW Design Boss 'Fine' With People Customizing New 4 Series"
"Everyone hates the new grille. Now it's official."

https://www.motor1.com/news/457457/b...e-with-tuning/

[rlmesq]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

Exactly. I would want a more horizontal grill, not an Edsel behemoth. Give me a grill like MB has and I would not be complaining. So it is not change, it is ugly change that bothers me.

The Edsel grill actually looks understated next to the new BMWs.

[SteveinArizona]

Originally Posted by rlmesq

The Edsel grill actually looks understated next to the new BMWs.

Yes...but at least Ford only foisted one on us; BMW is foisting two on us. The Edsel grills are multiplying.