BMW's Future Vehicle Design Might Look a Lot Cleaner
August 07 2023,
While BMW has been lauded for its engineering prowess, the German automaker's design decisions have caused some controversy. Specifically, the brand's oversized front grilles and eclectic design elements have been criticized. However, as Adrian van Hooydonk, BMW's chief designer, recently told TopGear, this trend might be shifting toward a more streamlined aesthetic.
Van Hooydonk, a protégé of Chris Bangle, another polarizing figure in BMW's design history, asserts that the company isn't ignoring the public's reactions. “We don't ignore the chatter,” he stated, highlighting the ongoing dialogue with the BMW community.
Despite the design disputes, BMW enjoyed robust sales figures in 2022, with 2.1 million units sold worldwide and 177,000 units of its BMW M series alone. Clearly, the brand's design audacity has not hindered its popularity.
Van Hooydonk elaborates on their design philosophy, "We need to keep adding new elements to the design; we cannot keep repeating what we have. Sometimes we have to depart and do new things. We want to ensure our success in 10 years." The design process, he says, is strategic, not simply experimental.
With regards to the contentious grille, van Hooydonk believes BMW's design repertoire, from slim, vertical grilles to wide, low ones, provides the flexibility to shape future aesthetics. However, he hinted at a shift towards a more streamlined design, stating, "I think in the future what is going to be important is our design will be cleaner. We will design the grille according to the proportion of the overall vehicle, or according to the expression that we want to give it."
As BMW embarks on this new design era, the possibilities seem exciting and endless. To experience the evolution first-hand, visit BMW Aurora and get behind the wheel of the future today.
