BMW is working on a new future with a new design strategy. The Vision Neue Klasse concepts show what we can expect in terms of design. Car designer Niels van Roij previously commented on the two studies of sedans, but now he writes about BMW’s beautiful past in relation to the Vision Neue Klasse X Concept. That is the most recent study, that of a new SUV.
Desperation may seem like a somewhat dramatic term to describe the feeling evoked by the current state of BMW design. However, for anyone even remotely passionate about car design, the current state of affairs is a sad one.
Ironically, BMW’s bright past has become such a huge burden that its products now seem completely devoid of vision, conviction and creativity.
Because whether we look at the BMW classics…
…the outspoken cars signed by Chris Bangle…
…. or the visionary concept cars such as the Mille Miglia concept and the M1 Concept from 2006 and 2008 respectively…
… these cars share poise, a strongly proportioned body and above all: vision!
Strange balance between conservatism and futurism
The BMW Vision Neue Class X Concept design maintains a strange balance between conservative and supposedly futuristic. The basic architecture was clearly designed for a fuel engine, leaving only a few details to convey some sense of progressiveness in the design.
BMW itself did this exceptionally better a few years ago with the i3 and i8. Both were born prematurely, but are nevertheless strong in terms of vision (what do we do?), conviction (this is what BMW i looks like next to the regular BMW) and creativity (the proportion-, surfacing- and jewellery-solutions).
If only that could be said about the Vision Neue Klasse X Concept. The unpleasantly shaped plastic additions to the bottom look very cheap. Unfortunately, this is also consistently the case for the very basic two-dimensional lines that – probably – according to BMW Design, refer to the Corona rings. Unfortunately, the headlights underline how suffocated and at the same time arrogant BMW has become, because from very wild and busy graphics and surfaces on, for example, M4 and XM, the brand has now switched to an overly clinical whole without character. The Neue Klasse X Concept looks like a mess of matte gray plastic.
The generic architecture of the Vision Neue Klasse Considering the BMW Vision Neue Klasse Concept, the expression also seems to be a grille over a grille, because that Neu Klasse aimed to surround the graphic of headlights and air vents as a whole, thus forming a wide kidney grille. This X also seems to do that at first glance, although BMW did not find it necessary to mount two small kidneys over it.
Against the backdrop of this utterly disgusting rejection of one of the strongest visual identities in the automotive world – a detriment that BMW has been working hard to achieve for several years, as described previously – the controversial use of the grille seems negligible. That those responsible seem to believe that the apparent lack of creativity – betrayed by both Vision Neue Klasse Concepts – can be disguised by radically playing with the brand’s heritage immediately indicates a worrying lack of both respect and real daring . All this is alarming for anyone with any connection to the Munich automaker.
You can read more about the BMW Vision Neue Class
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl