BMW Design Boss defends Style: Some Cars Must be Polarizing, More Irrational

BMW Design Boss defends Style: Some Cars Must be Polarizing, More IrrationalA majority of buyers prefer a traditional look while 33 percent want to stand out.

We’ve come to learn that we should be cautiously optimistic when a new BMW is released. When we look at the comments made on the Internet about the new BMW, it is clear that the loudest critics are those who are critical of the large grille. The split headlights, which were first shown last year at Concept XM, are a hot topic. It’s in the 2023 X7 facelift, the 2023 7 Series / i7 and the production-ready XM.

These cars look so different. Why is the M3 equipped with XXL kidneys and not the lesser 3 Series? Domagoj Dukec, BMW’s chief design officer, explained why the radical approach was taken in an interview with Car Magazine. According to Domagoj Dukec, two-thirds customers desire an “elegant and harmonious aesthetic.” This is why volume sales like the 5er and 3er keep it simple in terms of design. Spy shots of the updated 3 Series, and the next-generation 5 Series revealed that there will not be any significant visual changes.

BMW Design Boss defends Style: Some Cars Must be Polarizing, More IrrationalBMW Design Boss defends Style: Some Cars Must be Polarizing, More Irrational

But what about the other 33 percent? Dukec said that these people want to be different from the rest. This is why the 4 Series and the updated 7 Series caters to people who want to “polarize.” He continued, “In the past the 4 Series was just an sporty 3 Series. But these customers are different. They want a more irrational vehicle and are willing to pay more to express their emotions and make a statement.”

Adrian van Hooydonk, chief designer at BMW Group, echoed his sentiments:

“I don’t believe good design should be polarizing, but I do think that the idea of beauty can be. It all comes down to the customer. If one type of customer wants a timeless and beautiful car, we will design it. Customers also want something like an X6. This is polarizing, as you either love it or hate it. This approach would not work for a 3 or 5 Series, as they are more popular. It’s obvious that you won’t be able to come up with a single solution.

The numbers aren’t lying, good or bad design. The BMW enjoyed its best year in 2021 with 2,213,795 vehicles sold. This is even more impressive when you consider the coronavirus pandemic and microchip shortage. They must be doing something right, because they beat Audi (1,680k512) and Mercedes (2,093,476 each).

We won’t know if some sales were lost due to the bold design of some cars. We do know the sales figures, which show that deliveries increased by 9.1% compared to 2020.