Well, the article still states that Bangle is leaving BMW design, BUT it almost seems that he's been promoted!
Autoweek article. scroll to the bottom.
Autoweek article. scroll to the bottom.
New Bangle rumor...
- Thread starter vlad
- Start date
My friend who just returned from a half-year stay in different parts of Europe stated that most Europeans really like the new BMW designs.
It's no surprise that the Europeans and the Americans have differences of opinon when it comes to design. I may be generalizing, but my experiences with Europeans and living in Europe would lead me to believe that Americans are more "conservative" and less daring.
Just take a look at our clothes, furniture, architecture, and housewares. There's quite a disparity.
It's no surprise that the Europeans and the Americans have differences of opinon when it comes to design. I may be generalizing, but my experiences with Europeans and living in Europe would lead me to believe that Americans are more "conservative" and less daring.
Just take a look at our clothes, furniture, architecture, and housewares. There's quite a disparity.
I personally like the new design changes and think that BMW is taking car design a leap ahead of the competition (look how many critics there were of the 7 series redesign and I-drive yet sales soared vs. previous years....and other car makers are starting to do the joystick control module...i.e. Audi). I think it has been smart for them to redesign their product lines in the normal 7 year rotation, and think that other car makers are coming out with more eye catching body styles and gobs more power. I love BMW's and will never stray from the brand, however I wish they would pump up the 6's to be more in line with some of the output seen on the Japanese V6's (250, 260, 270 hp ....etc.). I would love to see the 3.0 pumped up to the 3.2 powerplant and maybe push out 300hp and bring the 2.5 up to 240hp or somewhere in that range. Oh well I can only hope for know....but there is no japanese brand that could ever put a smile on my face like my Bimmer!!!
It would appear it's now official....HELL YEAH!!!!!!!!
http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...=carnews&loc_code=index&content_code=05800170
http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...=carnews&loc_code=index&content_code=05800170
Bangle is Boss, and he apparently made all the changes. Here's another article:
Bangle strengthens design teams of the BMW Group (03/02/04)
Munich. The BMW Group has reorganised its development departments as it focuses more strongly on its brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce. In the course of this new orientation Christopher Bangle, Director of BMW Group Design, has also aligned the design area towards the various business areas of the BMW Group. Brand specific design studios have been set up for each of the three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce as well as for the areas BMW Motorrad and BMW M. These new brand studios will now accompany the entire development process for new models from the first sketches to the start of production. They will receive support from cross-brand specialist departments responsible for strategic and technical tasks, for example model technology.
The heads of departments responsible up to now for the design of MINI, Rolls-Royce, BMW Motorrad and BMW M will head the respective brand design studios: Gert Volker Hildebrand (MINI), Ian Cameron (Rolls-Royce), David Robb (BMW Motorrad) and Ulf Weidhase (BMW M and Individual). A new yet familiar member of the team of Group Design Director Christopher Bangle is Adrian van Hooydonk who will head the BMW automobile brand studio. Until now Van Hooydonk was president of DesignworksUSA, the Californian design studio of the BMW Group.
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 for Volkswagen, Seat and Mitsubishi.
Rolls-Royce:
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 Motor Cars.
Bangle strengthens design teams of the BMW Group (03/02/04)
Munich. The BMW Group has reorganised its development departments as it focuses more strongly on its brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce. In the course of this new orientation Christopher Bangle, Director of BMW Group Design, has also aligned the design area towards the various business areas of the BMW Group. Brand specific design studios have been set up for each of the three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce as well as for the areas BMW Motorrad and BMW M. These new brand studios will now accompany the entire development process for new models from the first sketches to the start of production. They will receive support from cross-brand specialist departments responsible for strategic and technical tasks, for example model technology.
The heads of departments responsible up to now for the design of MINI, Rolls-Royce, BMW Motorrad and BMW M will head the respective brand design studios: Gert Volker Hildebrand (MINI), Ian Cameron (Rolls-Royce), David Robb (BMW Motorrad) and Ulf Weidhase (BMW M and Individual). A new yet familiar member of the team of Group Design Director Christopher Bangle is Adrian van Hooydonk who will head the BMW automobile brand studio. Until now Van Hooydonk was president of DesignworksUSA, the Californian design studio of the BMW Group.
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 for Volkswagen, Seat and Mitsubishi.
Rolls-Royce:
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 Motor Cars.