NYTimes - BMW Tries to Refresh the Look of a Successful Model

[aNoodle]

Wonderful. For Bangle the recent re-designed 7, 6, 5, etc. are 'acts of a play.' What a lunatic. And we thought they were cars....hmmm.....

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/26/business/worldbusiness/26bmw.html

"BMW Tries to Refresh the Look of a Successful Model
By MARK LANDLER

Published: February 26, 2005

MUNICH, Feb. 21 - As he prepares for the introduction of BMW's new 3 Series, Helmut Panke, the company's 58-year-old chairman, sounds almost like a dad misting up over his debutante daughter.

"Emotionally, the 3 is the heart of BMW," Mr. Panke said in an interview here, using the in-house shorthand for this perennially popular compact sports sedan. "Replacing it is close to everybody's heart."

As with many fathers, there is also an element of cold calculation in Mr. Panke's hopes for his baby. The 3 Series accounts for 44 percent of BMW's worldwide sales, making it the linchpin of a company that is generally regarded as Germany's most successful carmaker.

With so much riding on a single car, Mr. Panke cannot afford to put a foot wrong when he squires it on to a floodlit stage Tuesday at the Geneva Motor Show, where it will make its formal debut......"

 

[tool fan]

As I posted earlier, I saw 2 whole truckloads of new 3's I really am disappointed. They look almost to "business like" now. Maybe BMW could have left a sportier version out for people that want that sporty look and made this business looking one for the more "established" group of Bimmer owners. We shall see how the world reacts.

 

[Monika_Leila]

I think the new 3's at first glance look rather ordinary and remind me of the new Mazda 3's (ironically I've seen references to this as the Japanese Bimmer)... It's very disappointing.

 

[bmw555]

Agree with you guys, new coupe looks much better though than sedan (hey, coupes always look better) but still disappoints. I don't know what to say at this point, what dope are the smoking there in BMW?

 

[deutsch100]

Are there any real pictures of the coupe even out? Pictures that are not disguised? I have not seen a coupe pic, but if it is anything like the sedan...."We are not pleased"

Even if the coupe looks somewhat better...the interior will be exactly like the sedan, and that is what I hate about the E90. I honestly don't hate the exterior...I am so thankful it does not look like the 5, 7 or Z4. The flat, cold and business like interior of the E90 can really make a guy go soft

 

[bmw555]

That's the only coupe picture I saw, E46 looks much better in my opinion

 

[deutsch100]

That's the only coupe picture I saw, E46 looks much better in my opinion

Thanks a lot bmw555. Honestly, thats not as bad as it could have been. Is that a real picture, or an artisit's interpretation? The rear lights in that picture are soooooo much better than the sedan. Once the door is opened though, that flat, cold and hard-plastic intensive dash layout will be staring us right in the eye.

All in all, better than I expected, but it doesn't give me the urge to drop my E46 M for it at all. Yeah, the next one will have a V8 with crazy hp....but M3s should have sweet inline six engines, and a wolf in sheeps clothing sheet metal.

If a new model does not almost instantly make one want to trade in their current model...then don't change the current model. Just add some new features and do a face-lift and rear-lift again. Doesn't BMW realise...If It ain't broke, then don't fricking try and "fix it".

 

[Wadula]

a facelift would not be a good idea in my books. technique gets older and concepts get old fashioned. that is not what a companies policey should be like. I agree that something that ain´t broke should not be fixed, but in this case i´d call it evolved.

they should have stayed with the constant evolution they had from the E30 to the E46. the newest 3er should have been a new car, no doubt about that, but with less changes in design.

the idea to make complete new car is good and necessary otherweise it wouldn´t take 2 years and mercedes c-class, A4, and also some japanese models would be better. better, not only in the eyes of the enthusiast from the competion car but in reality.

 

[Wadula]

btw, that pic of the coupe is a computerized pic. there are only pics of covered and disguised coupes, tourings and convertibles in the net.

 

[bmw555]

btw, that pic of the coupe is a computerized pic. there are only pics of covered and disguised coupes, tourings and convertibles in the net.

So it's not a real pic you think? Too bad, it means real thing wil be much worse, they always make recent BMW models look better in those pics, I guess artists making those pictures have much more taste than BMW designers. Screw them, I'm not going past E46 then!

 

[Wadula]

wait and see...there are only camouflaged pics out there where you can basicaly can see nothing. at least i haven´t found real pics of the new one uncovered.