Chris Bangle leaves BMW

Influential American designer parts company after nearly two decades of ruffling feathers

Chris Bangle first leapt onto the automotive scene with the dramatic Fiat Coupe, a car that derives its unique looks as from Bangle’s pen as from the aerodynamicist’s  slide rule.

His move to BMW was seen as a courageous step for the Bavarian automaker. He was their first head of design to parachute to the top position, all previous design chiefs were home grown and climbed up the ranks.

Even before the first flame-surface car rolled out, industry insiders expected him to bring a breath of fresh air to the classic BMW lines and styling cues.

By the time the first design left the studio, fans were taken aback, the 7-series looked like nothing that the company had ever produced before, the explosion of awkward angles and unfamiliar surfaces made it difficult to peg, there was nothing like it. Criticism flowed thick and fast but the BMW board stuck by Bangle and he delivered a 5-series that was a cross between a bird of prey and a hyena.

The 7-series was a hit in Asia and the US, selling in more numbers than ever despite harsh words from fans. Some say Bangle judged it about right balancing presence and interior space and luxury with BMW’s traditional styling cues. Truth be told the only thing he kept for the seven were the double kidney, Hoffmeister kink, quad headlamps andsubstantial side crease.

We have to remember that this car came after the W140 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which was so big and loaded with tech that it was more of a land yacht  than a car… but fat cats loved the space and the road presence adn they mewed at the slimline profile of the James Bond 7-series.

The 5-series came at about the same time as the production Z4 ( the concept was called the X4 and gave birth to teh term Flame-surfacing, which is now mentioned in hus tones in Munich, for some reason) and together they epitomised everything that is right about flame surfacing. Both cars showed the way when it comes to sculpting muscle and tension into steel.

The current-gen 3-series looks very conventional by comparison and there are many theories behind that. some say the BMW board got cold feet because most of the critics of flame surfacing were young enthusiasts and they can actually make the purchase decision in the compact luxury segment so they kept it as safe as possible. In short the car was very nearly clinicked to death.

bangle will be succeeded by Adrian Van Hooydonk, the talented designer who came up with flame surfacing that Bangle loved so much, so some people say we should expect more fo the same but my bet is on Hooydonk goign as far away from flame surfacign as he can or at least he will take it to the next level…

Hooydonk will want to put his stamp on BMW design during his tenure, expect the first big change to come with the next generation 7-series, which is probably starting to take shape as a few paragraphs of design brief in Munich…

Bangle was a true design maestro, committed and courageous, that he managed to convince the board of BMW, probably the second most conservative of German carmakers ( the first beign Porsche, of course – both family owned companies you see)  was an achievement in itself, taht he gave us interesting cars that we will talk and disagree about for years to come is the icing on the cake.

We hope to see more of his work in teh future, that’s for sure.

Below is the original Dow Jones article announcing the move.

BMW Says Van Hooydonk Replacing Bangle As Design Chief
Dienstag, 03. Februar 2009, 14:49 Uhr

FRANKFURT -(Dow Jones)- BMW AG (BMW.XE) said Tuesday that its design chief Christopher E. Bangle is resigning and will be replaced by the current head of BMW automobile design, Adrian van Hooydonk, with immediate effect.

“Christopher Bangle has had a lasting impact on the identity of BMW Group’s brands. His contribution to the company’s success has been decisive, and together with his teams he has mapped out a clear and aesthetic route into the future,” said BMW executive board member Klaus Draeger in a statement.

BMW said Bangle’s plan to “pursue his own design-related endeavors beyond the auto industry marks the start of a new phase in his life while maintaining strong ties with the BMW Group”.

In his new position, van Hooydonk will be responsible for design development for the company’s BMW, Rolls-Royce and Mini brands.

Among other cars and concepts, van Hooydonk’s team has been responsible for the designs of the revamped BMW 7 Series and the new version of the Z4 as well as for the so-called Concept Progressive Activity Sedan, which is due to be presented at the Geneva auto show in March.

Bangle, 52-years-old, has been in charge of BMW group’s design since Oct. 1992. He was the driving force behind designs for the core BMW 1, 3, 5 and 7 series as well as the Munich-based company’s roadsters and sports-utility-vehicles. Some of his characteristic designs such as the Z4 roadster sparked controversy among BMW enthusiasts. However, several of his design features are regarded as highly influential as they were later adapted by other car makers.