Shedding more light on Chris Bangle.... - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

kgk · 15th August 2001, 02:01

This is from p. 62 of BMW Magazine,

"SHARED VISIONS, SIMILAR PASSIONS---BMW and fashion designer Thomas Steinbruck announce a partnership of creativity."

``Four dozen or so of Steinbruck's creations---fluffy cashmere, elegantly draped taffeta, subtly dyed silk, sequins, chiffon and some brightly colored organzas---reveal why BMW, and especially its Chief Designer, Christopher Bangle, is is taken by Thomas Steinbruck. "We share a simple, clean design philosophy," Bangle explained at the first joint press conference with Steinbruck. "We view design as an expression of internal feelings and passions. We are both inspired by classics, yet create innovative designs. We both look to nature and the environment for ideas." "Most importantly," Bangle continued, "Thomas and I are both entirely dedicated to quality and meaning in eveything that we create."''

Does this sound like a car guy? No way. BMW is in real trouble. While it has been said, "most great empires decay from within," I prefer to remeber that "most gunshot wounds are self-inflicted." At least I can respect Steinbruck, since he likes clothes, but we're talking about cars, my dear Mr. Bangle, not clothes!

Rahim · 15th August 2001, 03:06

It sounds like he should be a rain forest advocate, not the designer of the most desirable vehicle in the world.

doug · 15th August 2001, 05:36

I remember that pic too, and the clothing was about as ugly as the car! One of the things I really love about bimmmers is the way they maintain their classic good looks.

Chris's new "design", I feel, ignores this in favor of some new eclectic genre. Sort of like going to one of those pretentious, overpriced restaurants that serves "Neuvo Italian" or "Neuvo French" 'cause they're trying to set themselves apart by being original, but they end up looking like they're trying to be something they're not. BARF!

Hopefully BMW will learn their lesson when it comes time to sell this monstrocity! And in case someone from BMW is paying attention, maybe someone should tell Chris that nobody really wears the clothes the girls wear down the runway... hint!

-Doug

Need4Spd · 15th August 2001, 08:49

The new issue of Road & Track has "future cars." Among them are pics of the new 7, new 5 and new X3. All share one thing in common: UGLY. There's also a picture of the 7's interior. "Odd" doesn't even begin to describe it. What ever happened to BMW's famed ergonomics and "form follows function" philosophy? It looks like it was designed as a futuristic stereo bench for a home, possibly, but not anything approaching what you would think of as a cockpit or place for a driver. Whatever, it is, it's a big departure and I dare say, a very risky one.

Assuming BMW did their homework with focus groups, who did they get to fill those groups? Cadillac owners? Rice rocket owners? Clothing fashion designers? People who actually LIKED the interior decor of the star of "Legally Blonde"?

Market research is not infallible. Remember the Edsel? All market research showed it would be a winner, but no one (well, not enough anyway) bought the car. I don't know what BMW was thinking, but there are several hundred BMW enthusiasts here on this board, many real owners of real BMWs, who will never trade in their current cars now!

MEnthusiast · 15th August 2001, 15:52

At this point I have two sets of feelings:

1- its BMWs decision and theyve done right in the past........... but, past performance is no guarantee............

2- that quote about simple and clean design is a load of you know what because the design of the new 7 is anything but that. Its heavy and is visually broken up by the trunk. the old 7 looks like someone took a brush and painted it in one stroke- this one looks like someone said "lets just glob on some stuff here and there" w/o seeing it in the metal at this point I am disappointed in the styling. and yes- I agree, he doesnt sound like a car guy- lets see what this new 7 looks like in person to determine that he really is an operative for dark forces.