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Post by Tim on Mar 19, 2020 9:21:21 GMT
Actually that doesn't appear to be as hideous as the spy shots from the last year or so have suggested.
They've widened it and I reckon once you've chosen black paint with the sport plus black grille and surround and then shoved a numberplate on it then the grille won't be too noticeable - certainly not as bad as a current shape 3 series in white with the black grille!
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Post by PG on Mar 19, 2020 12:21:14 GMT
Actually that doesn't appear to be as hideous as the spy shots from the last year or so have suggested. They've widened it and I reckon once you've chosen black paint with the sport plus black grille and surround and then shoved a numberplate on it and only drive it at night then the grille won't be too noticeable - certainly not as bad as a current shape 3 series in white with the black grille! I've added the missing piece from your post..... |
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 19, 2020 15:30:37 GMT
I think this is the look they're trying to retro-update:  I'm not sure that's the era of BMW that everyone associates with the start of their luxo-sport dominance. |
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Post by johnc on Mar 19, 2020 15:55:04 GMT
I think this is the look they're trying to retro-update: I'm not sure that's the era of BMW that everyone associates with the start of their luxo-sport dominance. They obviously don't remember that it was really these two cars which propelled them upwards in volume and desire:   |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2020 16:17:42 GMT
Am I alone in missing those?
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Post by Tim on Mar 19, 2020 16:19:22 GMT
Am I alone in missing those? NO! |
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Post by ChrisM on Mar 19, 2020 16:45:09 GMT
... and that's a "no" from me too
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2020 16:56:58 GMT
I think this is the look they're trying to retro-update: I'm not sure that's the era of BMW that everyone associates with the start of their luxo-sport dominance. I've seen cars that look sad or angry, but never before have I seen one that looks caught on the spot and baffled. |
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Post by racingteatray on Mar 19, 2020 17:00:19 GMT
I had assumed they were channelling this - the 2000 CS...which was another broadly elegant BMW coupe with a WTF front:  |
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Post by johnc on Apr 10, 2020 13:48:53 GMT
I was reading a bit more about this car and apparently the initial models are going to be about 530HP and rear wheel drive. I hope it comes with a couple of extra sets of tyres as standard. With all the torque that could be a very "entertaining" drive in the wet and swift getaways will be a wheelspin fest (unless of course it weighs about 3 tonnes).
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Post by michael on Apr 29, 2020 15:20:56 GMT
www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/first-drive-2020-bmw-4-series-prototypeA bit more in Autocar about it as the launch draws closer. It's a shame Jaguar couldn't do more with the XE as I think that would have made a very pleasant coupe (and estate) but I do understand the economies of it all. They could have cleared up, though with Audi and BMW abandoning the good looking car market.
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Post by PetrolEd on Apr 29, 2020 15:49:52 GMT
It does look a big unit. Given what the designers have done with the rear of 8 series and 2 Gran Coupe I'm just as worried about the back side of this as I am the front.
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Post by Tim on Apr 29, 2020 16:16:54 GMT
When you look at the rear flank and window/roof line in the first shot taken from the front 3/4 all I can see is Maserati 3200GT.
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Post by racingteatray on Apr 29, 2020 16:49:07 GMT
It hasn't a hope in hell of being as handsome as the current model.
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Post by johnc on Apr 29, 2020 17:48:35 GMT
I would be concerned about rear space as well. The roof has a slight 8 series dip which could reduce headroom and spoil what has always been a 3/4 series coupe strength of having proper rear seats. The 8 series is a masterclass of making the interior like an inverted tardis - the rear seats are basically useless unless the driver is less than 5'9" and the rear seat passengers are under 5 feet tall.
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Post by Martin on May 27, 2020 16:21:21 GMT
It’s getting closer to a full reveal....  |
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Post by michael on May 27, 2020 18:57:08 GMT
They’d be better leaving it at that.
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Post by racingteatray on May 27, 2020 19:13:12 GMT
They’d be better leaving it at that. Looks like the designer needed a trip to Barnard Castle... |
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Post by ChrisM on May 27, 2020 19:27:28 GMT
Yes well.... even with just basic photo editing software this becomes obvious:  |
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Post by Sav on May 27, 2020 22:31:48 GMT
I'm probably wrong, but I think they've taken it too far applying a big grille to a relatively compact coupe. Its not my view, but it kind of works on an X5 and X7. Those customers want that sort of thing. Not on a 4-Series.
It looks like the next 2-Series Coupe won't get such a big grille, its on the same CLAR platform so RWD with 6 cylinders. Yes please.
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Post by johnc on May 28, 2020 11:51:07 GMT
Coupe sales have been falling for a few years and there is talk that Mercedes will drop both the S Class and E Class coupes for the next model update. This 4 Series coupe isn't going to do anything to make coupes more popular.
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Post by Tim on May 28, 2020 13:20:00 GMT
If you buy a black one and get the grille and surround in black then you might not really notice.
The top of the grille is certainly a better treatment than on the 3 series where it has that odd blanked off section.
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Post by Sav on May 28, 2020 14:44:47 GMT
It looks goofy. John is right, coupe sales have been falling. After the great looking F32, and 3 Coupes, this just looks like a bad joke. Piggy headlights, and that grille. Bah.
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Post by PG on May 29, 2020 12:39:51 GMT
There was an article on Autocar ealier in this week about a new Citron big saloon. All the usual "it'll be an Audi rival" guff, but the Citroën CEO Vincent Cobée made one very interesting comment that was quoted -
He said: “We need to find the right balance between global balance and local adaptation. When you talk China, you talk more electronic equipment, more chrome plus the face of the car. In China, [the front end] must deliver the right status, presence, reassurance that you made the right choice. It’s a concept extremely hard for foreigners to grasp.
“There’s a very particular demand of the Chinese market, which might appear a bit too grand in European markets. There is where you need to tweak bumpers, headlights, chrome or headlights."
Ford got slated for their awful one Ford programme, which was basically about selling American designed stuff to Europeans. We did at least get the Mustang from that so it was not all bad. BMW, Merc and Audi seem to be falling into the same problem. They design now for Chinese and other markets where statement (aka fucking ugly) front ends clearly matter. And we European get lumbered with them. If Citroen can be thinking about that, then surely ze Germans could redesign the front ends for European markets?
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Post by racingteatray on May 29, 2020 13:02:39 GMT
Piggy headlights, and that grille. Bah. Mind you I said something similar about the front of the Jaguar XJ and got shot down by most of you for a lapse of taste... |
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Post by Big Blue on May 29, 2020 13:27:02 GMT
We should all be blaming Rolls-Royce for the hideous grille debacle. The large prominent grilles of Rolls' through the ages have long been a symbol of wealth, power and grace over the years and now marketing numpties see it as the go-to symbolism for the newer markets that haven't had the good grace to develop /acquire differing tastes.
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Post by michael on May 29, 2020 13:34:21 GMT
I blame Audi. The looked saw Alfa Romeo (who I may also blame in the future) had raised their image and profile helped by the prominence of their grille. That's when Audi started to define their brand through their grill rather than the overall styling and grilles become a 'thing'.
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Post by Tim on May 29, 2020 13:34:34 GMT
BMW, Merc and Audi seem to be falling into the same problem. They design now for Chinese and other markets where statement (aka fucking ugly) front ends clearly matter. And we European get lumbered with them. If Citroen can be thinking about that, then surely ze Germans could redesign the front ends for European markets? You're right but the problem that we have as Europeans is that we value the brand more highly than we value taste so ze Chermans can go on designing ugly shit for the Chinese market and we'll keep lapping it up so long as it has one of the right badges on it. |
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Post by Tim on May 29, 2020 13:35:46 GMT
I blame Audi. The looked saw Alfa Romeo (who I may also blame in the future) had raised their image and profile helped by the prominence of their grille. That's when Audi started to define their brand through their grill rather than the overall styling and grilles become a 'thing'. It's that all Walter Da Silva's fault then, what with him being ex-Alfa and moving through VW Group to head up Audi 'design'! |
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Post by michael on May 29, 2020 13:37:27 GMT
Yes, you're right. I think it is his fault. You got the stake I'll get the pallets.
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