What is BMW doing?

I dunno what’s going on with BMW these days… That i car is all kinds of terrible.

Latest X7 got a lot of bad press, but I actually really like it tho. The grille is huge, but I think it works on a XL SUV like this. Straight vertical lines is very Range Rover and there’s a lot of Volvo XC90 in it, but I enjoy the overall vibe and geometry to it.

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I get a weird “an X5 had a baby with an Escalade” vibe from it. I love the X5. I think it is one of the few designs that has gotten better with each generation. This pig nose grille mixed with the architecturalness of the Escalade look gets a bit muddy for me. But maybe it will simplify for production. I like what they are doing with the tail lights in the last few concepts (they had to walk from those stepped tail lamps at some point). I think the right angled metal trim on the side is a bit gaudy, but gaudy cars are selling…

  • Loved the Z4 concept.
  • The i Vision is horrendous. Nothing redeemable here. And I actually like the current i series.
  • At first glance I hated the X7 too, but the more I look at it, the more I like it. I definitely see the Volvo XC90 gestural quality and Range Rover boxiness, both of which I think work well here. I just can’t get over the grill, though. It looks like a pig snout.

Their heritage is so minimal and visually light but now they’re moving to this crazy techno-luxury look at me form factor that just seems dishonest. The surfacing is really cool for sure, but I don’t think it’ll have much staying power. The i8 is already getting dated imo. I think that they’re losing their touch (with the exception of the z4). Which sucks because BMW has made some of my favorite cars.

The X7 front is OK. The side and rear 3/4 view are bugging me. It looks kinda '90’s Land Cruiser mixed with '90’s Grand Cherokee. I don’t think either of those cars should pop in my head when I look at a BMW.

I’m more interested in the Mini in the background. Unfortunately, it does little for me. And from what I have read about it’s intended specs, it’s going to be a dog. The only possible advantage is to have all-wheel on a 2-door hatch with a low center of gravity.

I still have a hard time saying whether or not it’s going in the wrong direction since they’ve done a higher than normal amount of concepts, but their production models still feel good in general. I have no qualms with the new 5 series or X3 that just came out, they feel BMW and buttoned up.

Waiting on the new X3M as a potential future dad mobile to replace the GTI.

Might I recommend this as a dad mobile if you enjoy the GTI? Review: the Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line Reviews 2022 | Top Gear

Eton I agree with you. I like the classic BMW style too, but especially what Bangle did and how BMW took it further afterwards was a genius move.
BMW’s were distinctive, sexy and powerful and managed to look the least boxy with a spectacularly coherent set of lines and details.
Now what they did with the X7 was create a box, stick on separate details and tweak surfaces separately that would deem to make a car less boxy, and then hide the mismatch with all these chrome details and angles. If you look at the Pininfarina Gran Lusso, the surfacing is coherent in tension and the lines are well proportioned and co-align with the volumetric approach. They are addressing a totally different market here than the true BMW fans.

I love the Z4 concept too, it is a slight bit too concepty but it is there.
The i series were too 2000/iRobot and to me already outdated when they came out but still a nice surprise.
The last vision concept was just that, a blue sky approach into the future, but with the new one, they are showing that it is possible to design a BMW in line with other electric vehicles and incorporating original techno-progressive features without looking too ‘Japanese’. If they find a middle way between the Z4, this one and maybe some other concepts they did I think they will have a brilliant new fleet.

The beer opener side window is horrendous though on the new Vision.
That is a shame for a brand that has Bangle and the Hofmeister kink in their heritage.

The R-Line looked cool but not sure when it’ll hit the states. If I go for something less powerful the new XC60 will probably win, gorgeous looking thing. If only Volvo didn’t over-inflate the price of the V90.

I saw a current gen R line Tiguan yesterday. it really improves the look of the car.

What about an Audi A4 Allroad Avant.

I’m not a big fan of the butched up wagons like the Cross Country/Allroad. If I ever had any intention of ever driving on anything dirty I could see the appeal, but I can’t justify the amount of money they charge for unpainted plastic bits.

Saw a late 2000’s S6 Avant (Or at least an A6 with a lot of money spent on cosmetic mods) today, now that was a nice looking car. Sleek as the sedan with just a little extra storage.

Saw a v90 wagon today. Wowza!!

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I saw this on the road the other day and to be honest i thought it looked like a kids toy. Not what i would expect from BMW (in a bad way)

i3 has been out for almost four years, and you just spotted your first? Ouch.

i3 has not aged well, imho. It started off looking a little extreme. Now it feels cheap and pasted together.

we aint so progressive up hear in da north. or maybe we have better taste as to not want to own this things…

R-Line Tiguan = budget SQ5…?

Another cool thing that we won’t get is the Golf R Wagon. The US likes crossovers - handling and visibility be damned. Such a bummer. I saw a new BMW X4 M, in turquoise parked at our building visitor spot the other day - can’t understand how people make these choices.

I didn’t;t even know they made a R version of eh Golf Wagon… like the Rs3 and S3 hatch/wagon… we just don’t get it. I’m happy we have the 5 door Golf R hatch. My wife is loving hers! … and by my wife, I mean I borrow it a lot…

I’d like a GTi wagon. The R is too much power and AWD is inefficient. Although, it would make winter driving more fun.