Jan 29, 2005 03:30 PM
7768 Views
(Updated Jan 31, 2005 01:08 PM)
Unless you've been living in a cave, you would know Bangle is the chief styling designer for new BMWs and he bungled it big time!
I always hated ''Bangle-bungle'' styling in 7-series, 5-series and Z4. What the f**k was he thinking, did he have too much pot and he forgot to look it from back. There is a big 'hump'' at the back. Although car looks good from front, yet the ''hump'' is good enough to ruin the otherwise good looking car.
The first time I saw somebody driving 7-series on the street, I saw it from the back and I thought I was going to throw up! Anybody driving ''Bangle-Bungled'' BMW is telling the world he is an oxy-moron with no taste for styling.
Aah! Don't give me ''it-is-still-a-BMW'' sh*t. Believe me, it is no longer cool to drive Z4, 5 or 7-series cars anymore, atleast not in States so just stop drooling over Z4. New Mustang is cool and so is Dodge Magnum with 345 BHP HEMI engine. The glory days of ''propeller''cars are over!
In fact I saw new 3-series and to my dismay even that looked awful compared to previous generation. Although it is not as bad as 5 or 7-series. Suddenly it hit me, how pretty old 3-series was.
Not to mention, BMW's much hated and complicated ''iDrive'' system is as much a failure as its styling. Most BMW owners hate controlling all the operations through a single rotary knob from opening the windows to radio controls to AC! What's wrong with good old buttons ? Most people would rather study quantum physics than using 'IDrive' system
Sure, BMW has fancy-shmancy mechanical things going for it like ''active steering'', all aluminium body, V8 engine , blah! blah! blah! but what good are they in such ugly cars?
You have to see all these cars in person to understand what I am saying, pictures do not give 3 dimensional perspective. Anybody who wants to argue with me on new styling, here are the facts:
7-series sales were whopping 20% down in its second year, a feat unheard in the entire history of 7-series. 5-series and Z4 sales are down 3%, that's not good considering these cars were recently redesigned.
Finally, BMW has accepted criticism from people like me and they have redesigned 7-series and it will be be available in showroom in spring. However, it still looks ugly, they have changed tail-lights, tried to add some lines here and there but ''Ugly-Bangle-Butt'' is still there.
On the other end Acura, luxury brand of Honda is releasing pure eye-candy cars right one after another with sharp styling. New Acura RL with 300 BHP has the most advanced All Wheel Drive(AWD) system in the world, period. It even transfers power from side to side wheels using twin electro-magnetic clutches. Depending on which side Sun is there of the car, air conditioning is increased or decreased so that optimum temperature is maintained for passengers. How do they do that, AC is linked to satellites using GPS system. Acura has introduced first real-time time GPS navigation system in the world.
Audi S4, S6 are really eye-pleasing cars. Lexus is going to introduce new GS models and they are super hot! Infiniti is having redesigned ML45. With competition like that, unless BMW is able to pull a rabbit out of its hat, they are in serious trouble!
So be happy if you don't own new ''Bangle'' designed BMW! You just saved yourself from making a total a** out of yourself! :)
