Photo: Roman Arlt on Behance
Let’s be frank here for a brief moment and agree that BMW is facing a sort of mid-life crisis in terms of design. The oversized kidney grille of the 4 Series comes to mind, along with the Austin Allegro-like hexagonal steering wheel of the iX. But worst of all, the Bavarian automaker doesn’t understand how much it alienates brand enthusiasts.
Design chief Domagoj Dukec famously said “you can’t listen to social media reactions. It won’t help you.” Adding insult to injury, the Bavarian automaker’s very own social media peeps have made the headlines over a quirky post regarding the iX.
To make a long story short, BMW has alienated even more people by defending the iX with two words. “OK boomer” is often used humorously or ironically on the Internet and IRL as well, but when most of your customers are boomers, that’s a big no-no for the people who can actually afford a Bimmer.
A certain someone highlighted that “BMW should appreciate customer loyalty and feedback instead of coming across as arrogant.” A man called Simon, who is “speaking as a marketing professional who used to work in the automotive industry,” would like for the German company to “fire whoever came up with this message. Oh, and the designer as well as the product manager while you’re at it.”
As for me, well, I’m definitely not a fan of the automaker’s new design direction. The BMW that speaks most to me is the E9, the New Six CS succeeded by the first generation of the 6 Series. Penned by Wilhelm Hofmeister with the compulsory Hofmeister kink, this iconic model also happens to be important for the Motorsport division thanks to the 3.0 CSL “Batmobile” racing and road-going variants.
But even the entry-level 2800 CS, which was manufactured between 1968 and 1971, was a pretty little thing with a well-tuned chassis. A desirable classic by all accounts, the two-door coupe also serves as the basis for this modern tribute by Roman Arlt.
Rendered in Blender 2.8 and spruced up with a dash of Photoshop, this fellow is gifted with a larger grille than the original but still keeps its dignity - as opposed to the 4 Series and iX. Even the widebody kit, side skirts with integrated exhaust tips, and the over-the-top aero makeover aren’t enough to dilute the spirit of the 2800 CS.
From up front, the side profile, or rear three-quarters viewpoint, this rendering can’t be mistaken for anything other than the E9 while the 4 Series is - dare I say it - a "meh" from almost every angle. Oh, and speaking of which, the Hofmeister kink is absent on the 4 Series whereas Lexus integrated this design element into the IS.
To make a long story short, BMW has alienated even more people by defending the iX with two words. “OK boomer” is often used humorously or ironically on the Internet and IRL as well, but when most of your customers are boomers, that’s a big no-no for the people who can actually afford a Bimmer.
A certain someone highlighted that “BMW should appreciate customer loyalty and feedback instead of coming across as arrogant.” A man called Simon, who is “speaking as a marketing professional who used to work in the automotive industry,” would like for the German company to “fire whoever came up with this message. Oh, and the designer as well as the product manager while you’re at it.”
As for me, well, I’m definitely not a fan of the automaker’s new design direction. The BMW that speaks most to me is the E9, the New Six CS succeeded by the first generation of the 6 Series. Penned by Wilhelm Hofmeister with the compulsory Hofmeister kink, this iconic model also happens to be important for the Motorsport division thanks to the 3.0 CSL “Batmobile” racing and road-going variants.
But even the entry-level 2800 CS, which was manufactured between 1968 and 1971, was a pretty little thing with a well-tuned chassis. A desirable classic by all accounts, the two-door coupe also serves as the basis for this modern tribute by Roman Arlt.
Rendered in Blender 2.8 and spruced up with a dash of Photoshop, this fellow is gifted with a larger grille than the original but still keeps its dignity - as opposed to the 4 Series and iX. Even the widebody kit, side skirts with integrated exhaust tips, and the over-the-top aero makeover aren’t enough to dilute the spirit of the 2800 CS.
From up front, the side profile, or rear three-quarters viewpoint, this rendering can’t be mistaken for anything other than the E9 while the 4 Series is - dare I say it - a "meh" from almost every angle. Oh, and speaking of which, the Hofmeister kink is absent on the 4 Series whereas Lexus integrated this design element into the IS.
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