Bangle is not "Gone" - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

CharlieMax · 4th February 2004, 02:25

Does this article (if true) in this weeks AutoWeek look like he is "Gone".

It looks to me that he is going to put in a position to ruin the rest of the
BMW line.

AutoWeek 2 Feb 04

In other hot Euro-designer news, reports are surfacing that soon after the Geneva motor show launch of the BMW 1 Series, Chris Bangle will move on after 11 years as BMW design maestro. But rather than leaving, Bangle reportedly will move up a spot to be in charge of design for all of BMW, Rolls-Royce and Mini. If that occurs, someone will be hired to take Bangle's spot in BMW design, and many of the rustlings stem directly from the prospect of the choice BMW design post being available. So far, BMW declines comment.
Rest assured, some or all of this will be answered by the time we leave the Geneva show.
-
MATT DAVIS & BOB GRITZINGER

DBBX · 4th February 2004, 15:36

ah nah don't post something like that....He should retire or something, let someone else take over, someone who will get bmw back to it's designing roots.

EBuyuk · 4th February 2004, 21:06

that is probably the worst news of the day

M! · 5th February 2004, 06:57

news update / Details:
Autoweek news

(11:57 Feb. 04, 2004)
BMW reorganizes design houses, van Hooydonk takes over at BMW autos

Chris Bangle, the oft maligned maestro of BMW design, has been officially kicked upstairs to Director of BMW Group Design, and will oversee a reorganized set of design departments including Mini and Rolls-Royce.

Individual studios have been set up for BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce as well as for BMW Motorrad and BMW M. The new studios will be involved in new model development from the first sketches to production.

The heads of departments responsible up to now for the design of Mini, Rolls-Royce MC, BMW Motorrad and BMW M will head the respective brand design studios: Gert Volker Hildebrand (Mini), Ian Cameron (Rolls-Royce MC), David Robb (BMW Motorrad) and Ulf Weidhase (BMW M and Individual).

The new member of Bangle's team is Adrian van Hooydonk, who will head the BMW automobile brand studio. Van Hooydonk had been president of DesignworksUSA, the Californian design studio of the BMW Group.

Below is an overview of the heads of the brand design studios of the BMW Group:

BMW Automobiles
Adrian van Hooydonk, 40, has been a designer at BMW since 1992 and president of DesignworksUSA, the Californian design studio of the BMW Group, since 2001. The Dutch designer developed the exterior design of the current BMW 6 Series and 7 Series among other projects.

BMW Motorrad
David Robb, 48, came to BMW as an exterior designer for automobiles and later headed the exterior design studio. In 1993 he took over as head of BMW Motorrad design.

BMW M and Individual
Ulf Weidhase, 51, came to BMW in 1988 and has headed the design team for BMW M Automobiles and BMW Individual.

Mini
Gert Volker Hildebrand, 50, has headed the Mini design team since 2000. Before this appointment he headed design teams at Volkswagen, Seat and Mitsubishi.

Rolls-Royce Motorcars
Ian Cameron, 53, came to BMW in 1992 as an exterior designer and among other things was project manager for the design of the 3 Series and the current Range Rover. In 1999 he was appointed the head of the newly-created design team of Rolls-Royce Motorcars.

BobRod · 5th February 2004, 15:27

One can read the move either way. He is being kicked upstairs to limit further damage (preferable to a public resignation), or he is being kicked upstairs to inflict further damage. Time will tell.

bernhtp · 5th February 2004, 15:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobRod

One can read the move either way. He is being kicked upstairs to limit further damage (preferable to a public resignation), or he is being kicked upstairs to inflict further damage. Time will tell.

For some reason another possibility has not dawned on many here: Bangle is being promoted because BMW likes the job he has done and the success of the company because of it. Having no inside knowledge, I don't know what the truth is, but this is certainly a plausible explanation, if not the most likely one.

Tom

vndkshn · 5th February 2004, 16:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by bernhtp

For some reason another possibility has not dawned on many here: Bangle is being promoted because BMW likes the job he has done and the success of the company because of it. Having no inside knowledge, I don't know what the truth is, but this is certainly a plausible explanation, if not the most likely one.

Tom

I am not sure the statement "not dawned on many here" is correct. Perhaps the true statement may be "many here don't want to believe or admit"

7 series sales being up is a pretty good statement.

MEnthusiast · 5th February 2004, 20:28

The info I have it its an eventual face saving move by BMW.

That said- lets consider the facts

sales are up.

Adrian Van Hoodynk (sp- sorry if its wrong) is now getting Chris Bangle's former job and he is the one who drew the 6&7 & Z9 Concept where they came from, and Chris Bangle is getting promoted.

I say lets wait and see. Either way we can have fun with our debates on where this is going or not, and if the new direction Chris Bangle has put BMW on is a great success then great for him and his team. No matter what I think of the new designs, I have to respect the fact that he seems to have great passion for what he is doing.

From my standpoint, at least he signed off on the Z8

vndkshn · 5th February 2004, 22:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by MEnthusiast

Adrian Van Hoodynk (sp- sorry if its wrong) is now getting Chris Bangle's former job and he is the one who drew the 6&7 & Z9 Concept where they came from, and Chris Bangle is getting promoted.

Definately would indicate that the design is not changing anytime soon I think.

M! · 5th February 2004, 22:27

i think it has to do with damage control or his compensation package. somehow there must be something negotiated. or perhaps BMW doesnt want Bangle to end up somewhere such as in DC or VAG (unlikely) or Ford or whatever and 'help' other brands.

(OT: ****, that new SLK 55 AMG's nose is plain ugly. these german car manufacturers really need to get in touch with people's taste.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MEnthusiast

....
From my standpoint, at least he signed off on the Z8

i remember bangle mentioning each Z8 owners should go wash their Z8 the first time so that they can appreciate the lines and body of the Z8. bangle loves the z8, but i think Henrik Fisker had more contribution to the Z8 than bangle... www.bmwz8.us/history/MarkVaughn_Bangle_Fisker.doc]old story[/url] those aston martins are getting better and better looking without alienating past customers.

Bangle had some odd presentation skills.

I don't like how his works, but his direction is understandable. i want to drive cars that does envelopes excitement, in both driving and feeling. those flame surfacing things do make the car look exciting but i don't think it execute that well in the Z4.

many people or even cultures associate the car's front as the face. some car looks aggressive with wide vents, etc etc. these are one of the first thing they see a car.

the 7 plainly looks stoopid. droopy eyes. dumb nostrils.
the Z4 looks like those "The Dog" series of fisheye lens captured canines.

the butt, of course, is another thing.

i hope his move upstairs can leave room for the chief designers freedom to explore and encapsule each brand's identity and excitement.

MEnthusiast · 5th February 2004, 23:08

oh there is no doubt that Henrik Fisker designed the Z8- the point is Bangle, as the head of BMW design, gets a lot of flack, from myself included, so why not give him a little credit.

I agree on the SLK- the SLR is hideous and they are now migrating the look downstream....