New BMW iX. They’ve completely lost the plot?

colm_mcm

BMW recently unveiled its forthcoming electric SUV. Styling is along the lines of the more recent BMWs which have been criticised for their, erm - unusual styling.

What makes this all the more bizzare is the marketing campaign BMW undertook, basically undermining the pretty much universal criticism of the direction BMW are taking with their cars.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/37673/bmw-pushes-weirdly-hostile-marketing-campaign-to-say-youre-dumb-for-thinking-the-ix-is-ugly


Now, in recent years we have seen the likes of Bentley and Lamborghini reinvent themselves, Jaguar ditched its lovely heritage in favour of Korean style bland boxes which have been quite popular for whatever reason.

BMW has a loyal and enthusiastic fan base who have already seen front wheel drive cars replacing the traditional RWD, turbocharged 4 cylinders replace the beloved straight 6, the arrival of the BMW SUV and electric ranges, and the casting aside of the hallmark BMW styling rules.

Can this be compared to the Bangle era, where we all eventually got used to the new direction, or is this just an abomination?
Is this just progress, and I’m out of touch for wanting BMWs to continue with its old formula?

Vicxas

No dancing around it, thats ugly

Atlantic Dawn

The colour they have used is terrible, I think if it was shown in silver or black it would look a lot better.

quokula

I'm pretty sure the "change" the marketing campaign is intended to refer to is the change from fossil fuels to electric, and electric cars are undeniably the future so I don't think it's that bad a campaign.

But it's easy to see how it's been interpreted as the change to the styling. Hard to see how they decided that was a good look, it's hideous.

That gives the original Fiat Multipla a run for it's money :

kdevitt

quokula wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the "change" the marketing campaign is intended to refer to is the change from fossil fuels to electric, and electric cars are undeniably the future so I don't think it's that bad a campaign.

But it's easy to see how it's been interpreted as the change to the styling. Hard to see how they decided that was a good look, it's hideous.

Its not. They've been telling people on IG / facebook they're wrong for not liking their new design direction.

Their designs are hideous across the range now - not just that abomination above - mainly driven by the grilles. That said, the new 4 has also abandoned the hoffmeister kink and is pretty bland from the front wing backwards. They're just all over the place.

The chief designer even admitted their designs are now going to be split 50/50 between people who like them and who don't like them, as well as the fact that they've been clearly targeting the Asian market. With the exception of the 8 series, there's nothing in their new line up I'd be particularly interested in at the moment.

Wailin

I don't know lads. Show me an electrical suv that's actually nice to look at. Or any EV for that matter, tesla included.

The marketing is cringeworthy though.

Renault Zoe is the best looking supermini available at the moment irrespective of whether it is driven by ICE or electric motor.
Taycan and its mini-me e208 aren't bad looking.
Honda e and latest 500 look good too.

kdevitt

kdevitt wrote: »

With the exception of the 8 series, there's nothing in their new line up I'd be particularly interested in at the moment.

In fairness the new facelift 5 series is still a very handsome looking car.

kdevitt

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

In fairness the new facelift 5 series is still a very handsome looking car.

Not for me. I think they ruined it with the update.

Wailin

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Renault Zoe is the best looking supermini available at the moment irrespective of whether it is driven by ICE or electric motor.

Ah jaysus you must be joking!

Wailin

Wailin wrote: »

Ah jaysus you must be joking!

That is a good looking inoffensive car.

I saw a video saying that its all for the Chinese Market as its so profitable. They are big into those huge ugly grills. Not sure how true it is.

Did you smash it

Wailin wrote: »

I don't know lads. Show me an electrical suv that's actually nice to look at. Or any EV for that matter, tesla included.

The marketing is cringeworthy though.

I love how the Ipace looks.

bazz26

Deleted User wrote: »

That is a good looking inoffensive car.

Your in luck then:

https://www.specsavers.ie/offers

kdevitt

FillaName wrote: »

I saw a video saying that its all for the Chinese Market as its so profitable. They are big into those huge ugly grills. Not sure how true it is.

Its definitely true - Europe isn't a top market for the likes of the 7 series and X7, so they're been given over the top styling to cater for the tastes of the likes of China, the Middle East etc. The problem now is those styling cues are filtering down into the models which do sell well in Europe (admittedly not a problem if you do like the way they look - and given someone just said a Renault Zoe was a good looking car, it pretty much proves that taste is subjective).

Read not so long back that BMW can't keep up with demand for the V12 engines either - mainly down to the same regions, no one wants to be seen in anything other than the top of the range version.

What else is the V12 in other than the 760i/Li/M760Li?

kdevitt

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

What else is the V12 in other than the 760i/Li/M760Li?

Just the 7er and the Rolls Royces as far as I know. Not sure on the engine lineups in the X7 - I try to pretend it doesn't exist!

maddness

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

The colour they have used is terrible, I think if it was shown in silver or black it would look a lot better.

You can’t polish a turd.

maddness

I’ve been a BMW fan since I was a kid but the latest design are just terrible. The current 5 series and the 7 before they ruined it with the ridiculous LCI grill are good designs and the new 3 series looks great in touring guise.
The latest 1 series, 4 series and even the new 8 series in GC form are all much worse designs than their predecessors. As for all their X models. The X5 is a good looking SUV if that’s your thing but the rest are just hideous.

Wailin

4 series is a true love or hate style but the m4 looks sensational, in my humble opinion...so aggressive.

Stallingrad

BMW E60 - "They have lost the plot."
BMW E65 - "They have lost the plot."
7 series LCI - "They have lost the plot."
4 series - "They have lost the plot."
iX - "They have lost the plot."

It's an old refrain, you would think everyone would be used to it by now. The classic E39, E38 and E46 were all a long time ago. I'm no fan of the new approach either, but only because I grew up with BMW's of yesteryear, when car styling was very different to today. New markets, new customers, combined with brand loyalty not being what it once was and here we are.

Still prefer this the Cookie cutter Audi's and Mercs, at least it provokes a discussion. No one is taking about the new S class anymore.

Banana Republic 1

maddness wrote: »

You can’t polish a turd.

People have tried:rolleyes:

kdevitt

Stallingrad wrote: »

BMW E60 - "They have lost the plot."
BMW E65 - "They have lost the plot."
7 series LCI - "They have lost the plot."
4 series - "They have lost the plot."
iX - "They have lost the plot."

They're all still terrible looking. At least BMW admitted the E60 was ugly and dumped every single styling cue it introduced.

Wailin

Wailin wrote: »

4 series is a true love or hate style but the m4 looks sensational, in my humble opinion...so aggressive.

I'm warming to that front end. It looks better with that kind of grille slat design as opposed to the honeycomb.

That's also my car...see my initials on the reg? :pac:

maddness

Wailin wrote: »

4 series is a true love or hate style but the m4 looks sensational, in my humble opinion...so aggressive.

Yeah in fairness I do like the new M4/M3 but not in yellow. No car should ever be yellow.

Oops!

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

In fairness the new facelift 5 series is still a very handsome looking car.

No it's not... I don't really understand the horn people have for the BMW brand over the last 20 years in this country... It's clear its all an ego thing.

Oops!

Oops! wrote: »

No it's not... I don't really understand the horn people have for the BMW brand over the last 20 years... It's clear it all an ego thing.

Thankfully we're all allowed our own opinions and my opinion is that the new 5er looks class

Royale with Cheese

Wailin wrote: »

I don't know lads. Show me an electrical suv that's actually nice to look at. Or any EV for that matter, tesla included.

The marketing is cringeworthy though.

Tesla Model X is hideous and the Y doesn't do much for me either. It's more a crossover than a proper SUV but the new VW ID4 is not a bad looking car to me.



That BMW comfortably the ugliest of the lot. If you painted it fully black I'd have thought it was some futuristic electric interpretation of a London cab.

GreeBo

If the ditched the blue bits of tacky trim I think it would look grand, maybe not my cup of tea but at least it would like like a car and not something out of animé

bazz26

Their marketing people have achieved what they set out to do - cause some controversy and get people talking about their product until it becomes accepted.