BMW boss defends edgy design direction

BMW says its latest edgy designs are intended to attract new buyers.

The CEO of German car-maker BMW claims the company’s new controversial and edgy design language – adopted by recent-introduced models – is part of a plan to attract new customers.

BMW has a history of heading in new design directions, the most recent of which include sharply-creased bodywork and over-sized grilles, such as the nose that debuted on the updated 4 Series in 2020.

In May 2021, BMW’s head of design, Domagoj Dukec, said the new grille on the 4 Series, M3 and M4 – which some describe as a “koala nose” or resembling “buck teeth” – is “best experienced in person”. 

Despite the controversial new look, the redesigned BMW 4 Series proved popular in its first full year in Australian showrooms, with the car-maker reporting 1107 examples as sold in 2021 – compared to the 478 a year prior.

The 2021 BMW 4 Series

In a recent interview with US publication Forbes, BMW boss Oliver Zipse said the company’s bold new designs are driving engagement with new customers, despite critics suggesting the bold styling would turn buyers away.

“Of course it’s a plan, otherwise we wouldn’t do it,” Mr Zipse told Forbes. 

“If you want to change design, any step into the future that is perceived as new will be controversial automatically.

“There’s no such thing as a future-oriented design without controversy.”

BMW’s new M2

Mr Zipse also told Forbes a car is not successful if it fails to generate controversy – such as the recently-revealed M2 sports coupe, XM SUV and 7 Series sedan.

“I want controversy. If we don’t have controversy, I already know it’s too easy”, Mr Zipse told Forbes.

“In the early design if you do not have controversy, that’s the mistake you make.

“Out of the controversy you get engagement. You get people thinking about it and thinking about alternatives.”

The 2022 BMW i7, based on the 7 Series

According to Mr Zipse, BMW’s core models such as the 3 Series, 5 Series, X1, X3 and X5 will continue with relatively conservative and predictable designs.

In Australia, the sedans and SUVs account for more than half of BMW’s sales, with the X3 leading the way as the car-maker’s most popular model locally.

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