Hamann7

I was at the 3rd Street Promenade on Sunday, and as I was walking near the corner of 2nd St. and Arizona Ave, what did I run across? The same BMW E65 prototype that BMW testers have been driving around for almost a year on PCH, because they have a testing facility nearby up the coast in Oxnard.

My impression? THAT THING IS ******* UGLY!!! I tried to reserve judgment on the car until I saw it up close, rather than on the road... and all I have to say is congratulations to Mercedes-Benz, as the S500, S55, and S600 are all better choices than this FUGLY piece of ****! The back definitely looks like a cross between a Acura RL (the old boxy one) and a Plymouth Breeze sedan. The front is also despicable, with the eyebrows and the kidney that does not align with the bottom of the headlights. I tried to look on the inside, but they had a huge black cover covering up all the idrive ****, so I couldn't see it. The seats look pretty nice, but the steering wheel is almost as FUGLY as the car.

My sister, who is usually indifferent about cars, almost puked. She told me that she is surprised that BMW made such an ugly 7 series. She was particularly bothered by the Garfield eyebrows, and the big bonnet that looks like it was slapped on. Great job, Chris Bangle, great job... your debut car is the ugliest piece of **** BMW to ever hit the road!

WTF is going on, first it was Porsche with the stupid 996 sharing the boxster front end and now it's BMW? I swear, the only nice looking cars left will be the Aston Martin Vanquish and the Ferraris... Worst comes to worst, when it's time to turn in my 7 series 18 months from now, I will either buy it or step 'down' to an M3. At least the E46 doesn't look that bad...

I am so proud to have my 740 sport and my E39 M5's because at this rate, the current models are in a renaissance period for BMW! Every time I look at my E38 or E39, I admire it, as does everyone else in the parking lot.... Why mess with a good thing?

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BMW M5 - Carbon Black on Black, Luxury interior (SOLD)
Porsche 996 GT2 - Black on Black
Porsche 996 GT3 - Black on Black
Porsche Cayenne S - Dark Sea Blue on Havana
Jaguar E-Type 4.2 - Burgundy on Black
BMW 540i Sport - Gray on Gray

ydelta

Wow, sounds like this new 7 is going to be a nasty horror...
Keep your current BMW models because they will certainly gain value over the time. I own a E34 M5 and I think BMW styling is getting worst with the forthcoming models. I cross my finger for the new M5 but I am ready to be disappointed

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Y@nn

///MorePower

You know the difference between you and I? I didn't have to wait see in person it to decide the thing is FUGLY, I saw one pic, the insta decision. I fee sorry for BMW and Bangle, the release of this car will definitely not be good.

I think BMW is stuck up with the fact that their the 4th recognized brand name in the world. And think that people will buy their cars JUST BECAUSE it carries the BMW badge.

BTW Bangle decided to redesign the BMW logo also.



Notice the WMB, so you know what the ugly car in your rearview is.

BlueBiturbo

Do any of you guys know whether any BMWNA or BMW Germany personnel ever watch this board? I think I (and many other) was screaming a couple of times asking BMW to sack that smart ***-tronaut guy Mr. CB

I hope BMW E65 sales dropped like crazy, similar to the overproduction problem of the W140 Benz, and I hope they lose money on the new 7 and their stock price go down the drain because ot this so that Mr. CB gets his 'promotion' to TRABANT

Peace,
Taffy

KirklandM5

Why are you hoping BMW losses money?

If that happens they will have less money for F1 and to design great cars.

JL

BlueBiturbo

I figure that's the only way they will learn that the new 7 design sux big time. I don't really mean that they should go under though.

BlueBiturbo

I guess you are right, I was too harsh

Ice M

I hope this guy has been granted a small fixed salary and a bonus closely linked to the sales performance of the cars for which he is chief designer. If the new 7 series are a marketing fiasco, he will earn only a few nuts and will be rapidly fired (best-case scenario). Should the BMW stock price get down because of Mr Bangle's design mistakes, then his stock options will worth something close to zero

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'01 Carbon Black M5
'01 Titanium Silver Z8

MEnthusiast

I know that if the 7er is a flop then heads will roll.

BMW is in an interesting position. They are currently very hot and have desirable products.

Yet they know that the key to the future is leadership. This is done via technical innovation as well as styling.

The Z8 was the grand finale for retro- the new styling is to be futuristic, ala the Z9. To me the Z9 is very unattractive, but my wife thinks it looks great- she also loves the Z8 though.

Anyhow the 7 was supposed to be out by now, but the board at BMW thought it was way too funky looking and they ordered a restyling. So the model comming out is a restyled vehicle. Not necessarily a good sign.

Id call the styling a little choppy- the rear end is the worst of the car, IMHO. Yet, as I see more pictures I find myself warming up to it more and more.

I think the interior is just fantastic (from pics, Ill have to reserve final judgment until I see it).

But heres the challenge:

1- introduce a new body style that is probably viewed less favorably than the one it replaces AND;

2- introduce a whole new technology for operating the bells and whistles in the car.

I admire BMW for having the courage to do this. I think its a touch challenge, but the iDrive might just win people over enough and I think the styling isnt nearly as bad as I thought.

Finally though- when the best comments are "not as bad as I thought" that means a change should be made in the styling dept.


I forgot to add that there is no way the 7er is truly FUGLY- that honor belongs to the Pontiac Aztec. WTF were they thinking?!

ME

Panya

haha ain't that the truth