View Poll Results: Bangle, what are your thoughts?
I always liked the design, then and now
11
25.58%
I hated it then, I hate it now
15
34.88%
I liked them in the past but not anymore
2
4.65%
I did not like them at first but I like them now
5
11.63%
Dude invite me for some curry goat for X-mas
6
13.95%
After ten years I am still on the fence!! Not sure
4
9.30%
Voters: 43. You may not vote on this poll
1SICKBLOG: I was wrong, Chris Bangle is a genius and I invite him for X-mas dinner
09-14-10, 02:56 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
1SICKBLOG: I was wrong, Chris Bangle is a genius and I invite him for X-mas dinner
I've been wanting to write this for sometime even though it is to say I was dead wrong.
Yes, I was wrong about Bangle. I shouted and screamed like many for his head and for his designs, similar to how Honda boys scream for my head. We both enjoy our stoning.
Maybe it was too early for me? Maybe I was too spoiled by the near perfection of the 1 design, different sausage lengths of the E36/46 E39 and E38 I wasn't quite trying to hear anything Mr. Bangle was saying.
Let me quickly get out of the way that I am not saying I still like ANY of his designs. None have really grew on me. The last gen 7 series still looks like some giant whale abortion. The 5 series still has Miss Edna's eyes, slab sides and cheap butt. The 6 series is how to design a car drunk. etc etc. I still rather don't like them much with the 5 series getting the pass once its in black with a sport kit and I have sunshades on.
You see the other day I was driving around Buckhead (our version of F U poor people Atlanta) and I saw quite a few new BMWs. And I commented to myself "I much like how the 7 series looks from behind". Until the guy passed and it was a 5 series. I then confused a 7 series and 5 GT from the front as well. Then it all became a blur as I noticed they seemingly were all in silver, beige or black and all looked the same. This doesn't happen often, being a car guy at all. I was quite offended.
Got me to thinking about Bangle, who I wished would have been sacrificed over a live volcano. Well now I want to save him and ask him to come back. Even if I don't like how they looked, damnit Mr. Bangle actually made BMWs look different without resorting to all looking like a version of the 3 series, as they are doing again. Yet they still looked like BMWs.
We all know sales didn't suffer (we can argue how they were sold but that is another story) and we also know a lot of people did like the new designs. If you have not noticed by now, the blind people market is a growing, exploding market, cornered by Honda, Acura,the old BMW and Mitsubishi. BMW took a chance with Bangle and damnit, the man gave us vehicles that were instantly recognizable as BMWs without all looking THE SAME.
Amazingly enough love it or hate it, Bangle's design was emulated by others, hell maybe everyone. From droopy eyes, to the "Bangle Butt" that Sir Mix-A-Lot surely had some say in to his avante garde interiors. BMW went from safe and dull to "damn, look at that"
or "damn, look at that" 
. It caused an opinion, it got us talking, it got people enthused about a cold machine.
I was wrong. Boy was I wrong. Bangle left BMW, surely knowing his designs were being asked to be watered down. To be safe again. He left on his terms with is vision untouched. He rather leave knowing what he did will forever be remembered in automotive history as one of the greatest design risks and executions of all time.
I salute you Mr. Bangle, I apologize for my previous opinion and retract. You were brave, a leader and truly visionary. Would you like some curry goat for X-mas dinner?
Yes, I was wrong about Bangle. I shouted and screamed like many for his head and for his designs, similar to how Honda boys scream for my head. We both enjoy our stoning.
Maybe it was too early for me? Maybe I was too spoiled by the near perfection of the 1 design, different sausage lengths of the E36/46 E39 and E38 I wasn't quite trying to hear anything Mr. Bangle was saying. Let me quickly get out of the way that I am not saying I still like ANY of his designs. None have really grew on me. The last gen 7 series still looks like some giant whale abortion. The 5 series still has Miss Edna's eyes, slab sides and cheap butt. The 6 series is how to design a car drunk. etc etc. I still rather don't like them much with the 5 series getting the pass once its in black with a sport kit and I have sunshades on.
You see the other day I was driving around Buckhead (our version of F U poor people Atlanta) and I saw quite a few new BMWs. And I commented to myself "I much like how the 7 series looks from behind". Until the guy passed and it was a 5 series. I then confused a 7 series and 5 GT from the front as well. Then it all became a blur as I noticed they seemingly were all in silver, beige or black and all looked the same. This doesn't happen often, being a car guy at all. I was quite offended.
Got me to thinking about Bangle, who I wished would have been sacrificed over a live volcano. Well now I want to save him and ask him to come back. Even if I don't like how they looked, damnit Mr. Bangle actually made BMWs look different without resorting to all looking like a version of the 3 series, as they are doing again. Yet they still looked like BMWs.
We all know sales didn't suffer (we can argue how they were sold but that is another story) and we also know a lot of people did like the new designs. If you have not noticed by now, the blind people market is a growing, exploding market, cornered by Honda, Acura,the old BMW and Mitsubishi. BMW took a chance with Bangle and damnit, the man gave us vehicles that were instantly recognizable as BMWs without all looking THE SAME.
Amazingly enough love it or hate it, Bangle's design was emulated by others, hell maybe everyone. From droopy eyes, to the "Bangle Butt" that Sir Mix-A-Lot surely had some say in to his avante garde interiors. BMW went from safe and dull to "damn, look at that"
or "damn, look at that" . It caused an opinion, it got us talking, it got people enthused about a cold machine. I was wrong. Boy was I wrong. Bangle left BMW, surely knowing his designs were being asked to be watered down. To be safe again. He left on his terms with is vision untouched. He rather leave knowing what he did will forever be remembered in automotive history as one of the greatest design risks and executions of all time.
I salute you Mr. Bangle, I apologize for my previous opinion and retract. You were brave, a leader and truly visionary. Would you like some curry goat for X-mas dinner?
09-14-10, 03:00 PM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
Influential yes, unfortunately some real ugly designs were his doing in many cases too (his first 6's and 7's were the height of ugly, before getting watered down somewhat later).
09-14-10, 03:26 PM
#5
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Apr 2006
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<personal comment removed>
I've been wanting to write this for sometime even though it is to say I was dead wrong.
Yes, I was wrong about Bangle. I shouted and screamed like many for his head and for his designs, similar to how Honda boys scream for my head. We both enjoy our stoning. Maybe it was too early for me? Maybe I was too spoiled by the near perfection of the 1 design, different sausage lengths of the E36/46 E39 and E38 I wasn't quite trying to hear anything Mr. Bangle was saying.
Let me quickly get out of the way that I am not saying I still like ANY of his designs. None have really grew on me. The last gen 7 series still looks like some giant whale abortion. The 5 series still has Miss Edna's eyes, slab sides and cheap butt. The 6 series is how to design a car drunk. etc etc. I still rather don't like them much with the 5 series getting the pass once its in black with a sport kit and I have sunshades on.
You see the other day I was driving around Buckhead (our version of F U poor people Atlanta) and I saw quite a few new BMWs. And I commented to myself "I much like how the 7 series looks from behind". Until the guy passed and it was a 5 series. I then confused a 7 series and 5 GT from the front as well. Then it all became a blur as I noticed they seemingly were all in silver, beige or black and all looked the same. This doesn't happen often, being a car guy at all. I was quite offended.
Got me to thinking about Bangle, who I wished would have been sacrificed over a live volcano. Well now I want to save him and ask him to come back. Even if I don't like how they looked, damnit Mr. Bangle actually made BMWs look different without resorting to all looking like a version of the 3 series, as they are doing again. Yet they still looked like BMWs.
We all know sales didn't suffer (we can argue how they were sold but that is another story) and we also know a lot of people did like the new designs. If you have not noticed by now, the blind people market is a growing, exploding market, cornered by Honda, Acura,the old BMW and Mitsubishi. BMW took a chance with Bangle and damnit, the man gave us vehicles that were instantly recognizable as BMWs without all looking THE SAME.
Amazingly enough love it or hate it, Bangle's design was emulated by others, hell maybe everyone. From droopy eyes, to the "Bangle Butt" that Sir Mix-A-Lot surely had some say in to his avante garde interiors. BMW went from safe and dull to "damn, look at that" or "damn, look at that" . It caused an opinion, it got us talking, it got people enthused about a cold machine.
I was wrong. Boy was I wrong. Bangle left BMW, surely knowing his designs were being asked to be watered down. To be safe again. He left on his terms with is vision untouched. He rather leave knowing what he did will forever be remembered in automotive history as one of the greatest design risks and executions of all time.
I salute you Mr. Bangle, I apologize for my previous opinion and retract. You were brave, a leader and truly visionary. Would you like some curry goat for X-mas dinner?
Yes, I was wrong about Bangle. I shouted and screamed like many for his head and for his designs, similar to how Honda boys scream for my head. We both enjoy our stoning.
Maybe it was too early for me? Maybe I was too spoiled by the near perfection of the 1 design, different sausage lengths of the E36/46 E39 and E38 I wasn't quite trying to hear anything Mr. Bangle was saying. Let me quickly get out of the way that I am not saying I still like ANY of his designs. None have really grew on me. The last gen 7 series still looks like some giant whale abortion. The 5 series still has Miss Edna's eyes, slab sides and cheap butt. The 6 series is how to design a car drunk. etc etc. I still rather don't like them much with the 5 series getting the pass once its in black with a sport kit and I have sunshades on.
You see the other day I was driving around Buckhead (our version of F U poor people Atlanta) and I saw quite a few new BMWs. And I commented to myself "I much like how the 7 series looks from behind". Until the guy passed and it was a 5 series. I then confused a 7 series and 5 GT from the front as well. Then it all became a blur as I noticed they seemingly were all in silver, beige or black and all looked the same. This doesn't happen often, being a car guy at all. I was quite offended.
Got me to thinking about Bangle, who I wished would have been sacrificed over a live volcano. Well now I want to save him and ask him to come back. Even if I don't like how they looked, damnit Mr. Bangle actually made BMWs look different without resorting to all looking like a version of the 3 series, as they are doing again. Yet they still looked like BMWs.
We all know sales didn't suffer (we can argue how they were sold but that is another story) and we also know a lot of people did like the new designs. If you have not noticed by now, the blind people market is a growing, exploding market, cornered by Honda, Acura,the old BMW and Mitsubishi. BMW took a chance with Bangle and damnit, the man gave us vehicles that were instantly recognizable as BMWs without all looking THE SAME.
Amazingly enough love it or hate it, Bangle's design was emulated by others, hell maybe everyone. From droopy eyes, to the "Bangle Butt" that Sir Mix-A-Lot surely had some say in to his avante garde interiors. BMW went from safe and dull to "damn, look at that"
or "damn, look at that" . It caused an opinion, it got us talking, it got people enthused about a cold machine. I was wrong. Boy was I wrong. Bangle left BMW, surely knowing his designs were being asked to be watered down. To be safe again. He left on his terms with is vision untouched. He rather leave knowing what he did will forever be remembered in automotive history as one of the greatest design risks and executions of all time.
I salute you Mr. Bangle, I apologize for my previous opinion and retract. You were brave, a leader and truly visionary. Would you like some curry goat for X-mas dinner?
Last edited by encore888; 09-14-10 at 04:30 PM. Reason: unnecessary personal comment
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09-14-10, 04:45 PM
#9
Pole Position
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Mike, you musta had bad goat for lunch...
You want to re-evaluate Bangle??? Give him a new salute?????
RE-HE-HE-HE-HE-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEALLY?????
When EVERY premium manufacturer is copying it's entire line= see Audi, Mercedes, etc.
What do you think his co-worker's opinion is???
los·er /ˈluzər/ Show Spelled
[loo-zer]
–noun
b. a person who has failed at a particular activity: a loser at marriage.
c. someone or something that is marked by consistently or thoroughly bad quality, performance, etc.: Don't bother to see that film, it's a real loser -or-The design specialist for BMW, Chris Bangle, is a loser.
3. Slang . a misfit, esp. someone who has never or seldom been successful at a job, personal relationship, etc
RE-HE-HE-HE-HE-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEALLY?????
When EVERY premium manufacturer is copying it's entire line= see Audi, Mercedes, etc.
What do you think his co-worker's opinion is???
los·er /ˈluzər/ Show Spelled
[loo-zer]
–noun
b. a person who has failed at a particular activity: a loser at marriage.
c. someone or something that is marked by consistently or thoroughly bad quality, performance, etc.: Don't bother to see that film, it's a real loser -or-The design specialist for BMW, Chris Bangle, is a loser.
3. Slang . a misfit, esp. someone who has never or seldom been successful at a job, personal relationship, etc
09-14-10, 05:22 PM
#10
Damn mike that's kind of just uncalled for
But 1sick, I have to agree with this new post by you 100%. Despite not being a big fan of any of the Bangle designs, they were revolutionary and influential. I don't care if you guys hate on the designs or anything; I dislike the 5er, I dislike the 7er, I dislike the 6er, but car design would NOT be the same without the flame surfacing, complex surfaces and ideas that BMW introduced to the design game. The ideas presented in the BMW concept cars of the era and the Z4 were revolutionary and game changing. And no matter how much you like the new BMWs more than the Bangle designs, they wouldnt' exist without his influence either. The subtle surfacing, design cues and ideas did NOT exist before Bangle. And for that I applaud him
But 1sick, I have to agree with this new post by you 100%. Despite not being a big fan of any of the Bangle designs, they were revolutionary and influential. I don't care if you guys hate on the designs or anything; I dislike the 5er, I dislike the 7er, I dislike the 6er, but car design would NOT be the same without the flame surfacing, complex surfaces and ideas that BMW introduced to the design game. The ideas presented in the BMW concept cars of the era and the Z4 were revolutionary and game changing. And no matter how much you like the new BMWs more than the Bangle designs, they wouldnt' exist without his influence either. The subtle surfacing, design cues and ideas did NOT exist before Bangle. And for that I applaud him
09-14-10, 05:29 PM
#11
here's how i see it. years ago when bangle put out his designs and everyone went wtf, he said that's the "future" and that's how things will be in the future. well, i guess time has proven that right for him (sort of).
but in my eyes? sure that might be true, but leave the future where it is -- in the future. we don't need future today yet, and a lot of times we aren't ready for it. what we consider cool now were wtf decades ago. that's how evolution is, and i would rather stick to that
so to me? yeah he's good, he saw (sees?) how the future will be. but as a chief designer, i still can't stand by his original 7 series. it doesn't work for me
but in my eyes? sure that might be true, but leave the future where it is -- in the future. we don't need future today yet, and a lot of times we aren't ready for it. what we consider cool now were wtf decades ago. that's how evolution is, and i would rather stick to that
so to me? yeah he's good, he saw (sees?) how the future will be. but as a chief designer, i still can't stand by his original 7 series. it doesn't work for me
09-14-10, 05:35 PM
#12
Lexus Champion
I didn't really care for his designs, but you gotta admit, the "bangle butt" is widely accepted and by a good majority of the automotive buying public. You see it on every Camry nowadays and no one seems to be knocking it... 
09-14-10, 06:18 PM
#13
Nice thought provoking post 1SICK 
I believe that at work the legacy we leave behind is just as important as doing the best we can everyday. So to me its more than being successful in the moment, its having people look back 20 years from now with a positive opinion of your leadership.
Whether you liked his designs at the time or not it seems that with a short period of time having passed you have found at least one thing that he should be remembered for in a positive light. Pretty cool 
Mr Bangle my advice to you is to add 1SICK's blog to your accomplishments and I'll take the curry goat dinner at the 1SICKHOUSEHOLD this holiday season for ya 
I believe that at work the legacy we leave behind is just as important as doing the best we can everyday. So to me its more than being successful in the moment, its having people look back 20 years from now with a positive opinion of your leadership.
Whether you liked his designs at the time or not
it seems that with a short period of time having passed you have found at least one thing that he should be remembered for in a positive light. Pretty cool Mr Bangle my advice to you is to add 1SICK's blog to your accomplishments
and I'll take the curry goat dinner at the 1SICKHOUSEHOLD this holiday season for ya
09-14-10, 07:03 PM
#15
Guest
Posts: n/a
Don't now the goat till you try the goat
This is something that racked my brain as it was someone I felt destroyed BMW. I stated in another blog Bangle's timing could not have been better and that was a blessing. We lived in times of lavish spending and "bling" and BMW's Bangle cars were perfect for the time. Today maybe not so much.
It was very hard to admit to myself that I could be so wrong about this guy. He designed BMWs to look like BMWs but be distinctive to their own class. You could not confuse a 3, 5 or 7 with Bangle. You could before, you can after (today).
This is something that racked my brain as it was someone I felt destroyed BMW. I stated in another blog Bangle's timing could not have been better and that was a blessing. We lived in times of lavish spending and "bling" and BMW's Bangle cars were perfect for the time. Today maybe not so much.
It was very hard to admit to myself that I could be so wrong about this guy. He designed BMWs to look like BMWs but be distinctive to their own class. You could not confuse a 3, 5 or 7 with Bangle. You could before, you can after (today).