Good news/Bad news

Bad news: the new Mazdaspeed3 has a grinning upside-down 1948 Oldsmobile grille.

Good news: New Mazdaspeed3!

Great news: Chris Bangle is leaving BMW!!!

Bah. I still don't understand why everyone busts Bangle's balls.

Is there any doubt that he designs beautiful cars?

Autozine said: Designer Chris Bangle gave it a retro look that was said to be inspired by the BMW 507.

Remember that Bangle designed the E46, too.

And he was responsible for the new MINI...

But, I know, somehow our "enthusiast" world is still stuck on the E30 as the last "REAL" BMW so my words will fall on blind eyes.

I will agree, those are great looking cars. But, he also drew some utter crud. IIRC, Lee Iococca (SP?) drew the Mustang, but also the Pinto.

Bangle had nothing to do with the Z8. Design architecture was overseen by Mr. Henrik Fisker at the time...

beautiful design.

(not that I have a problem with Bangle, the current 6 is one of my favorite designs)

Iaccoca did not "Draw" anything.

he was an exec...execs don't draw.

he is called the "father of the mustang" because he approved its production...as well as made the call to Shelby to "liven up a secretary car"

I hated Bangle's work when it first came out, but I will say it has aged very well. I would definitely put him in the design visionary category!

Bangle also was responsible for the Z4, which in my opinion is an abomination, and every ugly BMW this century up until when he then re-designed them because nobody was buying.

(kicks hornet nest) I am not a huge fan of the Z4 but it looks WAY better than the Z3. IMHO, that's the only good thing Bangle ever did. Unless he is really responsible the MINI, which I honestly kinda doubt. (ducks rain of rocks and broken bottles)

mistanfo wrote: I will agree, those are great looking cars. But, he also drew some utter crud. IIRC, Lee Iococca (SP?) drew the Mustang, but also the Pinto.

Yeah...I wish they still made the pretty one of the two

I think the worst thing Bangle did was the trunk lids. Everything else is fine with me. I like the Z4. In a different way than the Z3.

Joey

Jensenman wrote: (kicks hornet nest) I am not a huge fan of the Z4 but it looks WAY better than the Z3. IMHO, that's the only good thing Bangle ever did. Unless he is really responsible the MINI, which I honestly kinda doubt. (ducks rain of rocks and broken bottles)

I'm not a fan of the Z4's looks either, but I'd drive one if I got a great deal. I think the Z3 actually looked great...in its 4 cylinder incarnation. When they stretched the front end to stuff an inline 6 under their, they ruined the looks.

Of all of those pictured machines up there I most desperately want the FWD 4 banger.

joey48442 wrote: I think the worst thing Bangle did was the trunk lids.

AGREED. I actually like every other aspect of the Bangling done to later BMWs, but the trunk lid area is a big bag of rusty fail. it looks like it was made out of legos, and they slipped an extraneous flat brick under the trunk lid (best way to describe how it looks to me).

When I first saw a new Accord Coupe, it was from a rear 3/4 view, and my first thought was "Oh nice! BMW fixed the ass on the 6-series!"

I had no idea Bangle designed the MINI and the E46. Those designs have many redeeming qualities.

My biggest Bangle gripe is with his front end treatment on the 1 series. Makes the whole car look ugly and silly.

To my eyes, BMW had evolved a wonderful design language that was clean and very purposeful. The cars were handsome. Claus Luthe was the guy to thank.

Then Bangle happened.

The MINI redesign (not the classic Mini to new MINI, but the new MINI to newer MINI) might have been on Bangle's watch, but he obviously wasn't allowed to touch it. Frank Stephenson did the MINI work in the 90's.