It is only a matter time.
Although BMW’s recent move to larger grilles isn’t a popular choice, the big, yellow kidney beans are unlikely to be. The recently refreshed BMW 5 Series has an even larger grille. When BMW overhauls the fourth-generation HTML5, it is likely that its grille will also grow. TheSketchMonkey YouTube channel created a preview of the future by imagining the SUV with a larger grille and other details.
TheSketchMonkey began with an X5 BMW from a few decades ago. He gradually reshaped its front, adding the kidney grille and tweaking the lower fascia. The BMW i4 Concept EV that the automaker presented in March was used by him. It looks a lot more production-ready then the BMW Concept 4 which he saw at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September. The video below will show you how to judge the results.
The larger grille makes it easier to place other styling elements at the edges of the front end. The lower fascia grille inserts have a more angular look. New headlights for the BMW are slimmer and have a more streamlined side profile. The design line that used to be below the door handles and arching over the rear tires now cuts through them. The rendering shows the design line running from the front bumper down to the side and then into the rear taillights. This is also where it was before.
The fourth-generation BMW X5 was introduced in 2018 and went on sale in 2018. Performance variants followed in 2019. The all-new X5 is still a ways off, but a mid-cycle refresh could see a little more grille growth before a total redesign changes the styling. You can bet that we will be looking at the grille when BMW develops the next-generation model and the refreshed version.