Bangle exit

[henk4]

Chris Bangle will be leaving BMW, to be succeeded by Adrian van Hooydonck.
Bangle will leave the automotive industry, and pursue a career in industrial design.
Not sure what to say.
He has been controversial, but his successor has done the X6. 'nough said.

[ruim20]

Why don't they both marry and go away together?

[henk4]

Why don't they both marry and go away together?

do you mean marry each other??????

[dydzi]

i think industry can now offer much more money and less stress than automotive business... right?

[Ferrer]

I don't think that designing a good looking car is that diffcult.

The problem is every manufacturer wants to be differnt, hence some atrocities. And then, there's Jaguar which by being modern and different has actually lost distinctiveness.

As or the news it self, we'll se if that has any real effects on new BMWs.

[cmcpokey]

vanHooyedonck has done a lot of the principle designs for the last 5 years or so, so i doubt it will do a whole lot to change the design path BMW is currently headed down.

[LeonOfTheDead]

apart from the fact all the next generations still to be unveiled (3, 5, 6 X3 and probably X5 too, oh and the X1) are already defined for as regards the style, and apart from the fact his successor has been quite influenced by Bangle himself, I doubt we'll see a real change or even a slight turn in the near future.
maybe his car weren't good looking, but at least they were something to talk about...I'm watching you Audi, and even some MB too.

[Kooper]

vanHooyedonck has done a lot of the principle designs for the last 5 years or so, so i doubt it will do a whole lot to change the design path BMW is currently headed down.

I think he actually oversaw most of the design on the previous 7 and 6 Series, amongst others. Or I'm lying.

[ruim20]

do you mean marry each other??????

Yes each other.

It was a sad comedic atempt that bombed, sorry...

[teatako]

Contributing to thread with sauces:

Bangle Resignation

Van Hooydonk appointed Head of BMW Design

[Revo]

I, for one, am sad to see him leaving automotive industry. You guys may think of him what you want, but C.Bangle has been hugely significant designer in reshaping modern cars.

And he was the man behind the Fiat Coupe....

[kennyknoxville]

i knew a guy that once designed chairs. really comfortable ones too. they were all made of steel tho. i asked once for a sample that was laying around and he beat me with it pretty bad untill my head bled profusley. we had to call the ambulance which he did, but didnt apologise. i was hit repeadiatly. i think he broke a bone in my hand too. i didnt notice it then, but i have a bubble type thing on my hand where the bone fused all wrong and i suspect it was from the beating. i was never beat up before, i mean i got into lots of fights, but i know how to kick ass. designers are generally known to be pretty weird. we dont talk anymore because of that day. i mean i call him every now and then, but he doesnt answer back

[Pando]

Van Hooydonk admits BMW has made mistakes - the first generation iDrive cabin control system was "not right, right away" - but he passionately defends BMW's design revolution.

He dismisses press critics as blinkered, says the market was more intelligent than the media, accuses rivals Mercedes and Audi of copying the Munich marque, and promises even more avant garde design to come.

:sigh:

[Ferrer]

I, for one, am sad to see him leaving automotive industry. You guys may think of him what you want, but C.Bangle has been hugely significant designer in reshaping modern cars.

And he was the man behind the Fiat Coupe....

Yep, now all cars have damn messy lines down the side panels...

(Altough the Coupe was good)

:sigh:

"I'm sorry Mr. Van Somethingorother, BMWs have never been avant garde."

[NicFromLA]

While not everything out of BMW in the last ten years was a 'homerun' overall I've liked most of the designs t come out of BMW and I'm looking forward to what Adrian van Hooydonck will come up with.

Van Hooydonck is credited as the actual designer of the 6 and 7 series and has overseen BWM design for the past four years or so. Bangle as head of BMW Group Design has overseen BMW as well as Mini, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorcycles for the past ten years or so.