For the 50. anniversary of BMW ///M, BMW releases this abomination. To celebrate 50 years of a brand built around handling and driving pleasure a big, fat, inefficient SUV for badly behaving “nouveau riches”? Awful… And calling it XM in essence “stealing” the name from a Bertone designed Citroën? Just sad…
I just think they completely lost their fu**** minds. It’s been a while now of awful designs (X4, New X6, 1 series, 2 series, 4 series, 6 GT, etc). BMW needs a dramatic change in design direction. Or we have to wait till the sales hit their low so they take actions about it. It’s a shame to see BWM like this. Usually the industry was looking forward to new designs, now, they are look forward but for the wrong reasons. Hell, even the Tesla Pick up looks mature compared to this monstrosity. BMW needs you back Frank.
I'm starting to think BMW has been infiltrated by rival car companies that are sabotaging them from the inside out via their design team. There's no way you screw up this bad.
The main problem is the Left / Greens / Marxist politics in Germany. This wants to destroy the auto industry in Germany. The car must not look too masculine, it must be gender neutral and be able to impress homosexuals.
@@ElectronicHouseFlash wtf, FDP is the liberal party, which just cut the middle-to-left politics of SPD and Greens. And this "Marxism" is called socialistic capitalism...
The design isn't the problem for me. It's the fact that they thought the best way to celebrate 50 years of the M division would be with a goddamn SUV. Edit: Well, I sure as hell didn't expect this comment to blow up the way it did...
Here's my theory: With Hyundai and Kia designs being so well recieved as of late, BMW decided to kidnap their designers. Unfortunately, they kidnapped the Kia Soul designers.
@@stephenmccabe9507 Oohhhhhhhh it all makes sense now, for the life of me I couldn't understand why I like their new cars, it all makes sense now. That's smart business right there!!!! Thank you so much for this comment, I learn new things everyday.
My childhood friend works in the BMW Design Department and his explanation was quite simple: The people actually making the decisions are not designers, but marketing-agency bourne storytellers with non-automotive backgrounds honestly thinking, that being different is the uttermost important thing to stand against the wave of chinese cars, that will flood the markets soon. He hates his job.
Now that makes sense. I think most times we see horrible decisions (especially in car makers) it's because of people not in tune with the products themselves
@@andreasb6971 This is interesting now - i can only talk about the information he gave me. But in case he's wrong, and you're right: Who exactly is making the actual decisions then? And i don't mean the details. I am talking about the design philosophy and the rough guidelines? Is it Dukec? I always thought he's just following orders/others..
@@Lotterboy no worries, it starts with customer feedback from previous projects and ends with the feedback on final design suggestions. All along it is never only one person or a few. There are many videos on this online. It is definitely not only Zipse.
At first glance of the side I thought they copied a highlander, then threw in the busyness of Honda, gave it a giant snout and never stopped. The current BMW design is just hideous unfortunately.
🤣🤣🤣 but then the fact honda has designed the Honda E, which is one of the greatest example of great car design in which BMW themselves haven't done in like 15 years
@@valian8985 I think a good example of that would be Lamborghini, there lines are mostly sharp, but the shape of the car is more organic (kinda), they're a good example of how to use sharp lines.
Boy am I glad to see this! I'm a designer as well and I've been seeing recent model BMWs around and wondering if I'm the only one who thinks they're hideous. So I'm relieved an expert feels the same! I've got skin in that game with my 2009 328i and I'm always impressed by the looks of even older models, like the 2003 M3. Sorry to see the company fall so far so fast.
Previously, owning an M used to be a special, exciting experience. Those M cars had proper screaming engines which could be thrashed on track but would have no problem around town. It was special and heart-pounding. RWD, manual and capable of the most demanding tracks and tricks. An M wasn’t just a letter that you add to a car. It reskinned and remade the entire car from what was already a fantastic car, to a impeccable car. Designs were subtle yet striking. Everything worked harmoniously together to achieve the feeling only an M car could replicate. Now M is a letter you slap onto a glorified washing machine with a pig nose and sell to a soccer mom or a quirky gen-z or a millennial and call a day. M now stands for money, not Motorsport.
When I had my 2005 M3, my wife was driving a friend who commented, "This doesn't ride very well for a luxury car." She obviously had no idea what she was in, but that's what people think. BMWs are prestige cars, the Ms are the most expensive, so they must be the most prestigious.
M definitely doesn't mean the same thing as it used to, but not all M cars are a "glorified washing machine with a pig nose". I have a 2020 M2C and this car is not for the masses, especially not for soccer moms. It's always quite rough riding and when you select sport plus, it becomes loud and tail happy. I only wish this car wasn't the exception.
I like to think that the current BMW "design" team previously designed _gaming hardware_ . They have the same ridiculously clownesk redundant and convoluted attributes as for example a gaming laptop from Acer in their _Predator_ lineup... I wish that this was just an anomaly in our universe but I'm afraid that this is the new reality.
@@adrianburna4464 its cyberpunk without the actual anticapitalist punk which makes it interesting, it's like companies saw cyberpunk, saw they were the bad guys, but still decided "hey this is cool"
@@sephrosemary Same, with only one exception. I think we do have punks, just not publicly. For instance games like watch dogs 2 would be a prime example. Its a beginning, its hacktivism first. The reality would always be more boring, but its happening regardless. If they do exist they wouldnt just jump around saying "HEY LOOK ",its a red flag.\
Those wheel arches have been tried before. On the Pontiac Aztek. That monster also utilized stacked front lights and split grille. Secret theory #4: BMW is rebooting Breaking Bad.
Obviously It's all in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I've always seen BMW design as very mundane and boring. But this seems to be a common thread with all German manufacturers. The only German cars I can think of, that had any real style were the VW Beatle (designed in 1938) and the Porches (based on a design from 1931. It seems everything they've designed since has just been very staid and utilitarian. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. There are more important factors to a car's design than aesthetics.
Completely agree. The word that I always used was "clean". Just the right amount of detail to look luxurious without drawing your attention away from the whole. Nowadays... every inch just has so much excessive eye shit thrown at it. Its almost like the designers went to a bachelor party and skieeeeedddd all night long and the current line up was the result in the morning.
I can't imagine the pain you feel when you see the direction BMW is headed, I've also grown up with the brand and I drive a bmw now as an adult and I feel extremely bad about everything they have done in the past 2-3 years.
@@TheFlyingClutchman True my father used to own one so I know from experience but I'm talking about how their design language is changing as a whole not just specific cars.
@@bret4o9 I think it's changing to cater to the US and Chinese market as they're the markets that buy the range topping vehicles like the M cars and SUVs the most. In Europe most people get the 1/3/5 series but rarely the M version which is why the normal 3 series and 5 series still have the looks we expect from BMW
I stopped loving BMW when they started fitting oversized grills a few years back. Destroyed the looks of the cars. This looks hideous, like an apprentice graphic designer was given the job.
I found it very amusing when they were producing this advertisement with Christoph Waltz for the iX where he arrived in an old BMW with those "large" kidneys in height rather than width, and they were explicitly showing and noting that so they had a connection to reintroduce them on new cars...the only thing is that is looks just fine on the old cars but just looks odd and displaced on the modern cars. They also often don't even look like BMW anymore, they lost their look. Often enough I thought it was an Audi when it was actually a current gen BMW 3 series. It's sad, somehow.
the reason is the same reason why Mercedes grill badges have gottten bigger over the years, money. bmw believes and has said china is the future, so they design for china and Chinese like big grills and badges because the culture there is to show off money and out do everyone, so they want the flashiest instantly recognizable from a mile away shit.
It's just like modern art. When you can't envoque enough emotion with your talent, then you go the easy route and shock the audience. Can't make another Mona Lisa? Sign a urinal. Can't make another Alfa Romeo Tipo33 Stradale? Make the BMW XM. Can't make something pretty? Make something controversial. And in a way, it works - BMW is talked about a lot now!
That's the first thing that comes to mind. I'm having a hard time reading the XM as a serious car design. But as a statement? It comes off as a self-parody. Like it's egging you on. Almost sarcastic even. It's like they want their critics to know they're fully aware of what everyone thinks about the new 2 Series and the M4, and this is their way of flipping us all off from atop a mountain of million dollar bills.
A few years back now, I leased my LAST BMW. It wasn't just the exterior design that lost me, it was the interior and the functionality of the dashboard, controls, especially the annoying climate controls. The whole thing was way over thought. I remember how great BMW was in the 2006 to 2010 era. The designs were minimal and functional. The fit and finish were clean and tight and the materials felt expensive, like a Leica camera. I wish they would make at least one model that appealed to the traditional BMW lover. I grew up with those cars. My parents drove 528s. I felt abandoned by the brand from about 2013 onwards. Then I finally left and have not looked back.
New cars is horrible and dangerously complicated... All new cars now seems to come with touch screen for everything, her in Norway you now get a 1150 US dollar fine if you they see you use the touch screen while driving.
I would never even consider buying a car with a "fob" instead of a key. An electronic parking brake. Ugly, Inconvenient, Tedious, and potentially very Dangerous ipad screen instead of buttons with satisfying tactile feedback that you can operate purely from muscle memory without looking at them or even having to think. ...And don't even get me started about cars not even having dipsticks to check the engine oil.
My theory is it’s a corporate strategy that once you run out of design ideas, make a really ugly design as a kind of reset, and then every year after make it slightly less ugly to simulate design improvement
@@mattportnoyTLV probably genisis but it still does not give the company a right to lose their identity in the process. Like did they hire a bunch of college kids who were playing cyberpunk before the got to the drawing board?
Makes sense, Mercedes is doing the same thing, ugly turtle looking cars they're making, not quite as bad as bmw but damn they're tryna outdo each other
The sales numbers are telling a quite different story :-) There are many more people who would like to own a BMW. So maybe you are a breed that's dying out 😜
So true, I get the same feeling when I get my car in for an oil change and walk around the showroom. The only exception is the M2 but the widow sticker violently ends the daydream.
BMW has gone from making some of the most timeless designs on the road to making cars that seem as though they are in competition with one another for the most laughable thing on 4 wheels award. BAD. Just plain bad.....
This was hard to watch, because I agree so much with the sentiment of utter and complete failure on all levels from BMW. There's one current car that they design that pays homage to the past, present and future. It's the current 5 series, and more accurately the M5CS which also happens to be Evo COTY. This was basically foreshadowed by the complete disregard for fanbase, history, and the absolute comical last year or so in marketing that has alienated the core group of followers of the brand. Owners and fans that have grown up on clean, pure design of BMWs past (E30/36/46), utter pinnacle of elegance in the E9 and E38. And then, we got the G series. IMO @Frank Stephenson you've gone easy on BMW in your videos past because of your history with them. My dads first car was an E21 315, 4 speed, beige. I grew up in it too, it became the catalyst for the virus that has consumed me and my adult life. I own an E46 M3 and I'm making it into my own vision of a CSL of sorts. Parking my M3 across from the new one... it's like ... I have no words. Every time, and I mean every time I get out of my car, I always double take and I cant believe the purity of that design, the cohesiveness, the purpose and how understated it is. BMW of old is gone. I pressed F to pay my respects circa 2018. The king is dead, long live the KING. Amazing video, thank you for the truth, from someone that can speak it with aplomb. PS. $#*# you BMW.
Totally agree on the 5 series. The M5CS has to be one of the best looking sedans of all time. The same company also made this so I’m confused by what they are doing.
the longest top comment ive ever seen. by far. thank you for sharing. honestly i have to admit that i love the looks of the 2019 M2cs even more than the M5cs. the momment when i lost my last shred of faith in BMW is when the new M2 launched. its almost incomprehensable how that could make it look so similar to the previous generation, yet look like (objective) shit. ps #@%$ you BMW
Hey Frank, would love to see your take on Volvo’s design language. I think what they’ve been presenting alongside Polestar has been stellar so far. Would greatly appreciate your input.
I have been buying new BMW motorcycles since 1977. Bought my first BMW car 2 years ago - what a disappointment. Don't get me wrong the 2018 F31 is a nice enough car itself and great to drive. What gets me is BMWs after sales service, I get regular letters and phone messages telling me that there is an urgent recall for my car but the dealer tells me everytime that there are no parts to do the work. This has been going on for nearly 18 months now! My next car will be an Audi.
I agree this design is awful in so many ways! One thought I had is, BMW watched Tesla announce the hideous cyber truck and how much press it got from the design. Even though Tesla's design(or lack of) was negatively received, orders for the truck flew in. Maybe BMW thought they would try their hand at being totally different from anything else even if mainstream voices hate it. As a young kid I remember playing the car game, who could spot and name the cars first. I was really good at that game back then. In today's world I suck at that game, i have a hard time telling manufactures apart from one another anymore. And its not because I dont stay on top of all the new cars that come out, its that for the most part they all share the same design language. Maybe BMW wants to be that stand out identifiable vehicle everyone points at even if they hate it. P.S. I would absolutely love if your first theory was correct!
Great thoughts! When BMW started with the insanely huge kidneys, every designer had critique, but their sales went extremely good. Never change i winning team i guess 🤷🏻
Same here. I could pretty much name every car on the road even before I could form coherent sentences. Miss those times...every car nowadays has the silhouette of a Hyundai. Even the previous gen 3/4 series is too tall and bubbly for my taste, the only nice part about that car is the front end. I miss the sleek and low side profile of the E46 (honestly, the face lifted 330ci more than the M3).
Thank you Frank, for saying out loud what we all have been thinking about this utterly horrific piece of car design. As far as what is happening at BMW.... who the hell knows? I honestly wonder if it literally is lots of people with totally different ideas shouting over one another, thus creating these mixed up, messy designs with absolutely zero cohesion. I realize BMW will just say they are being "challenging" but they simply aren't. Car designers should be challenging, for sure, but you still have to respect the basic principles of car design. Car companies like Kia/Hyundai, or Mazda for example, are challenging in a lot of their designs, but they are being challenging in a good way. Their designs certainly aren't orthodox, but they have good proportions and are cohesive. Although I wouldn't say I love their designs, I respect them for pushing the boundaries of design and doing something different. The thing is, they aren't just being different for the sake of it, they have a clear design language, and you can see the direction they are following. With BMW its almost like they have 30 people who all have thrown some random, often terrible feature at the car, resulting in the horrible mishmash that we have seen from them.
I like hearing the perspective of a car designer with stuff like this because I have a hard time comprehending how car designs can get messed up so bad
Your original X5 design is timeless, it defines what a BMW SUV should be. Its lines are clean and cohesive, but it still tells you the machine underneath the skin is the ultimate driving machine, especially in V8 form
The e53 manual 6 speed X5 with the m54 I6 is one of the best BMW SAV/SUV's. Throw in a few modifications and it's a blast to drive. Less wieght compared to the V8 siblings( -500 lbs ), power difference blurs. It's nimble in the sport package settings and can be refined further. I call mine a baby X5 Lemans.... and is heavily modified. 😂
@@ChrisPatrick-q6kAnd the XM is supposed to be the peak of BMW design? I’ll still much rather prefer the E53 than the pile of compromised crap lard that is the XM.
I would like to see a paintover or sketchover of the changes you would make to make these designs even if it was just very rough. Great content though and agree with pretty much everything you said.
To be honest I don’t se a line, angle, or starting point with which to coalesce a good design from this garbage. The only part he could keep is the line that runs across the door handles..
@@rudolfdesadeleer7995 well the running gear be what it is, the look of the car is developed around it. And it's not like he has a limited amount of digital paint, he can change every pixel and the outline as well.
Love this episode Frank! As usual no denying all of your comments. What hurts me the most is that someone with that much budget and resources could come up with this is quite miserable. Would really have loved if you could make your version of XM like one of your other episodes where you design the car in 3d etc. I really crave for that render where you clean all the mess the original designer made. Please make that for this car.
I used to be a BMW fan having owned the E34 330i and then the E70 X5, but they've completely lost their way, especially the last 10 years or so. Or at least, whatever audience they are targeting, it's not me!
I am so happy that a professional, such as yourself, is explaining what I felt. I wrote a comment about this car on a croatian dealership FB page, saying it had an unnecessary cacophony of design ideas, a plethora of redundant lines, shapes..it's a mess. I know the beauty is in the eyes of beholder, but I still believe we can explain why something looks like crap.
You nailed it Frank! Every comment is spot on. They have absolutely lost their mind. Its "design for controversy" versus for style, beauty, or even aggresiveness. Alas, what happened to the designers of even the most recent X7, which is much nicer.
BTW the place where they shot that XM video is a monument in Bulgaria, called "The Creators of the Bulgarian State". It's pretty awesome, highly recommend visiting it if you're in the region.
Loved this video Frank. This car reminds me of when Clarkson reviewed the Ssanyong Rhodius. He said the car looked like it had been badly injured in a bar fight, then sewn back together by a blind man. I think it applies here too.
The first x5 4.8is with 315 tires in the rear had an amazing stance that appeared both aggressive and aesthetically pleasing. When I compare the feelings it evoked to the new x5, it just doesn't invoke the same emotions.
We've entered an era where design is about volume - how LOUD you can make something. The more over the top you can make something, the better. It's about making the loudest statement possible. It doesn't matter if it's a beautiful statement or an ugly statement. People just want a statement. And in this regard, BMW is succeeding.
welcome to the social media era where any idea is diffused to millions no matter how stupid it is... Style now days is about being quirky and different for the sake of being different.
This toxic behavior comes from social media circles where any engagement is considered 'good' irrespective of quality or accuracy. This itself is an extension of the pre-internet era marketing and PR mantra of 'any publicity is good publicity'. When people are not penalized for perpetuating wrong ideas / concepts then the logical outcome is to go for the 'loudest' and most controversial positions to stir up conflict that maximize 'engagement'. It's a horrible thing but it's here to stay unless the rules are adjusted for the better.
Okay, I'm old... and have old-school tastes! This XM is the antithesis of the new Mazda 3 (or to be a little more apples to apples, CX30)... one is busy, frantic, and anxious... the other calm, soothing and graceful. One is trying to impress with it's outrageously looks, the other has no need to boast or attract attention! I have over a dozen BMWs in my "car barn" with over half being E30s. The latest and newest additions are E46s... that's the end of the BMW road for me. My next vehicle will likely be a Mazda, possibly a Subaru. Either way, it will definitely have three pedals!
Great analysis, Frank. The design of a car (or any object) is a direct reflection of the team that created it. If you have a team that works harmoniously, you will have a harmonious design. If you have a team that genuinely cares about delivering the best product for their customer without any ego or arrogance, you will end up with a car that people want to buy. If you have a team that doesn't have a clear direction, or there's political infighting, well....you end up with a BMW XM. I say with total respect for the team at BMW. They are excellent designers. But if you don't have a singular vision that comes from a place of empathy for the customer, it doesn't matter how amazingly talented your team is. The product is doomed. I think another decent theory that someone else also wrote is that ugly cars get a lot of press. The cybertruck is a great example of this.
This feels like a similar situation as with billionaire's row in NYC. Watch B1M video on it. It's ugly because it needs to stand out for super elites who will pay whatever money BMW charges.
In cybertruck case there is at least a very good reason for the truck to look like that and the design in itself isn't bloated or without a purpose. Of course I get what you are saying about press being more interested in those designs.
Excellent Thank you Frank I am glad someone of your stature has the courage to challenge the dreadful design and leadership currently at BMW. This is from a 50 year old who has the ability to buy an new BMW but chooses to own an E30 M3.
Any startup or low esteem company making an ugly ass car: "look at those fools they don't know what they're doing" A typically reputable brand making an ugly ass car: "they probably have a long-term plan and a good reason for their decisions" I'm sorry I can't. This car is taking the piss on everything that ever granted BMW their status to begin with. They are completely lost, no sense of direction in the brand. Their lineup of new cars is 90% SUVs and crossovers. BMW has been selling their soul for the better part of the past decade, and now that everyone are going electric they have lost touch with their identity, and thus their legacy by extend. BMW no longer holds any brand value in my book.
A couple things made me laugh: Frank's physical pain/discomfort looking at some parts of this car. And those BMW badges stuck high on the back - it really looks like an 8 yo's idea of where car badges would look good. I also think it interesting to compare this to the Cybertruck. I actually quite like the CT, though of course, it's obvious why so many think it's an eyesore. But, to me, the CT looks the way it does because Tesla have let function rule over form. BMW have no such excuse: they've just, for whatever mad reason, decided to design a car that looks this bad.
I think you mean Tesla let form over function dictate… they wanted it to look like it came from a Robocop film. But yeh, this BM is a steaming big pile of shite.
Haha, I love how you digest what is wrong with the design very well. When you hear about line flow, that's when you know you're hearing from a true car designer. I can't express how important line flow is to creating a coherent car design. Lets hope this is a marketing ploy, but with BMW's current direction, I have my doubts. Thanks for another great video!!
Perhaps but it's a lot more costly to redesign an exterior of a car than a coke can label. It impacts aerodynamics which in turn will impact fuel economy and vehicle stability at speed. It may require repackaging of internal modules and components. If any camera, radar, ultrasonic sensor is repackaged it will require all new calibrations. I mean this is all just a tiny taste of all the engineer redesign for a marketing stunt. Imho BMW is just doubling down in these weird designs hoping they get bought for standing out. Rich people often lack taste and will buy expensive and tacky things because of a recognizable design or logo to show it off.
Difference is M-division just made record-high sales with the new M3/M4. Personally love to see brands like BMW making changes and wouldn’t pull the trigger for the G80 M3 if BMW didn’t modernize the look. Allocation will be hard to get for XM for sure. Money talks
Thanks again, Frank, for yet another in depth thoughtful analysis, as a previous owner and a fan, nothing hurts more than watching these designs produced by BMW, I would suggest they lost the plot ever since they introduced the infamous E65 with the so called "Bangle butt", my last BMW was the E39, arguably the last great design BMW gave us, it is sad to see how previous BMW designers were capable of giving the world icons like E24, 28, 32... in comparison to what they are currently doing, I wish they can bring back that sensibility and elegance.
Once I asked a TV executive who brought on TV shows why he can’t bring something like MASH back, he laughed and said “No one can write like that anymore“. I think same goes with design. Korean and Japanese designers though are doing some amazing work. The reimagined RX7, Mazda SP is truly something to behold. Even the Hyundai N Vision, it has that satisfying flow in design. However I think there is finally a shift when you look at the new Accord, new Civic or even the Mustang, they are cleaner, less busy and it feels like their way could be the future of design. Less is more.
"The reimagined RX7, Mazda SP is truly something to behold." Clearly beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. It looks like a Lotus Elise and a Tesla 3 had a child with d0wn syndr0me.
Amazing stuff Frank ... I learn so much by watching your videos about a topic close to my heart, which is car designs ... As a kid I dreamt of studying car design, unfortunately it was never an option where I grew up and life had other plans for me, but your videos are now taking me back to that dream once more, so thank you very much. I love your honest and unbiased feedback. I agree with your marketing theory, but not to play the markets but rather to reveal something in the near future. I personally think BMW is allowing its designers to go WILD, BIG, and EXTREME, BIZZARE, and WEIRD to grab attention of every single eye in the car word... No matter how negative or extreme that may be they are testing out all their theories and experiments out in the open and get all the attentions in the automotive world and this is also seen with their new active color changing innovation. I believe that all these extreme decisions are a build up to wards a major MAIN ACT which could be a shift, a rebrand, or anything in those lines. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Wish you all the best from Finland
As a Bimmer fan and owner, I'm shocked myself by their design language. I remember Bimmer Leadership Team saying you'll see less lines with more purpose few years back. They definitely didn't follow their own vision. Car design and its language has gotten more ubiquitous. So, legacy car makers like BMW have had to reinvent their design language vs Kia and Hyundai - which have taken more share of wallet than projected. BMW is in a state of juxtapose with its own identity. Hang on to legacy design language or create a new design language? They've chose latter. However, execution has been horrendous.
then you're not a fan. I never was a fan but now I like what I see. I'm a genuine fan of the XM and IX. You people just got your head up an ass. Being snobbish.
@@carlosandleon Or its just as simple as the design beeing all over the place. Did they do it on purpose, of course they did, but it still look like s**t. Its outrageous design just for the sake of it. That, if anything, is snobbish.
I loved this review, I was laughing so hard while watching it. What in the world are BMW doing!? They have been creating a lot of controversy with their lastest models and their design language change, even their advertising is hitting the wrong areas. I fear though, that with the widespead of the internet and accessibilty to designs, I seem to see a trend of terrible or way OTT designs, in the professional and amateur sectors getting tons of love and likes, because people have not been trained in car design or maybe becuse its something crazy and OTT? Are we going to lose all elegance of design? I really hope not! Elegance does not mean boring, it just means spot on and well designed. I will definitely be doing my best to create nice pure and pleasing designs, while pushing the limits and technology, but no need to overdo it. I do see a lot of nice things from OEM companies, but even so, I hope bad design doesn't become the norm one day without people realising it.
This is just a boomer opinion. You are gettin old, get around it. new cars shouldnt look the same for 20 years because people like you are not open for exciting futuristic designs.
The first time I saw it on the road, I said to my wife oh my that’s grotesque but interesting enough that people will gawk at it and wonder what kind of car it is.
I sincerely believe that the BMW design department are seriously thinking these are great designs and that people need to get on board with these bold changes. What BMW customers should do is buy Mercedes because that would show BMW they shouldn't mess with their client base.
Long term BMW fan, usually change them every 2 years, but the only car I ever kept for 4 years, was a facelift E53 3.0 Exclusive. Loved that tank of a car so much! Truly amazing timeless design inside out. My feeling is that a younger Quandt is getting involved in BMW and he/she is tired of all that is sacred in BMW design, wants something new and radical. BMW decided that they want to be a Chinese EV startup instead of being a mature company with design heritage and company values. Everything is gone, including that instrument cluster design. Now we get those stupid vertical triangles on two ugly screens that are just glued to dash. terrible! I hate it so so so badly. iX is one of the ugliest cars, second ugliest in history right after this XM. Porsche shows how to respect heritage and move forward with Taycan. Mercedes successfully reinvented itself with the latest gen cars... BMW latest crop makes me physically angry when I look at them.
bruh, the e53 (and i still own one) is really messed up in the back as if Frank rushed it at the end just to be done with it. the e70 is way more beautiful... but sadly way to unreliable
You are spot on but I believe they are targeting a new younger “new money” tech design audience. They are no longer classic car design enthusiasts who appreciate the hand sculpted ART OF DESIGN esthetic...... maybe you are correct.... SHOCK AND AWW!
@@grtbgf Exactly. And those that have money are old enough to remember, likely fondly, the good generations of BMW design. Gen Z doesn't even like the idea of owning cars. I still don't get who this new gen of BMWs is for.
You know, a lot of "young" people aren't as shallow as you might think. Good design is good design, and bad design is bad design. This is bad design and doesn't appeal to most people imo.
One of your best and funniest reviews, and interesting parallel to the new coke and sonic situations. This seems a little more complicated, but if BMW went back to clean lines and small grilles after all of this, as a consumer, I would have the inclination to want to reward a company changing course and putting good design ahead of this tasteless and ubiquitous series of car design trends we're currently experiencing.
Unfortunately for those with taste, vulgarity is in vogue. Elegance is dead in the era of SUVs, since they're inherently shouty. I really don't think there's any underhanded sonic tactics going on here, It's just simple capitalism. People are buying SUVs, so that's what they're going to make. It saddens me that they've called it the XM too. That name belongs to Citroen, who designed a much better car with it.
Stephenson's own X5 design was shitty! I cringe every time this guy moans and groans about other people's designs! Not saying BMW's current designs are good.
Totally agree with you, i used to be sent to school in a 2012 BMW X3 Xdrive 20D. Despite it being a normal SUV, it looked really nice and its harder to make SUV's look good especially base model trims. It lasted 475'000km so it was also reliable. I really liked that thing, that car is the reason i could visit my grandmas that lived far away, be sent to my school, etc etc. At the time, other lineups of BMW also looked really nice, even the entry level cars. Now i grew up (teenager) and look at the lineup like: "Really? Alright, im switching to Audi now." *My childhood brand ruined itself...*
Frank, I think you really nailed it! I’d also add they have started to lose their way with the new Z4 which looks like more a FiAT 124 of my time (I’m 47 and have proudly owned a 2004 z4 and a 2014 X3 which I still drive) so I love BMW as you do and it hurts to see their current designers making cars without recognizable bemmer roots. I hope your theory #1 is what they’ve in mind and as CocoCola did back in the ‘80 also BMW will go back to their beautiful classic lines with a twist of modernity. You know: new ride with an old pride !!!
I saw a clean, unmolested '74 Charger the other day, it looked so much like (but with its classic charm) the modern 392 from a few years back. That is how you do it.
You are praising a guy that has done 1 car for bmw which really only took off with the 2nd generation which he had no part in. The XM doesn’t replace anything and still speaks in bmw design language, it just hast a different one than the ICE cars
I really think it comes down to out-aggressing the Tesla Cyber Bro Truck. It is such a weird design compared to the EQXX, which I find much more interesting and compelling.
The Cyber Truck isn't aggressive, it's 80's retro. It's Moon Lander for nostalgic adults. EQXX looks like XL1 hit puberty and the gym. The XM is just a mess, that's it.
You have no idea what you're talking about. The design of the Cybertruck is pure function over form, clean lines and designed for ease of manufacturing. The BMW design is diametrically opposite, pure form over function. Superflous design elements everywhere that actually make manufacturing more expensive.
I’d love to see a redesign video of it, a labour of Hercules but I’m really interested to see how you would tackle it. Greetings from Milan, keep up the great work!
You don’t need Frank to redesign it for you….let me help out….take the piece of paper it’s drawn on, screw the paper into a tight ball and launch towards the nearest waste paper bin. Job done!
I own BMW E90 and I intend on keeping it for a long time. I think it’s one of the last generations of BMWs that still had great design features, as well as last inline 6 with naturally aspirated engine, coupled with manual transmission. It’s a shame that they went from aggressive elegance design to something that looks like a typical KIA or Hyundai on steroids. Take away the grill and logos, you won’t be able to guess what the hell it is.
The E90 was one of the first ugly BMWs. Along with the 7 series and 6 series of the time, the 4-door 3 was an horrendously mixed bag. The atrocious rear lights, the proportions of the rear vs. the front, and the comically narrow rear track, the swept-forward dashboard... the list is long. Classic BMW ended with the pre-facelift E46.
@@grtbgf I can, it’s not the money issue. F30 is not that much different from E90, especially looking from a side. I really like the in-line 6 and a manual transmission. To me, the proportions are right on the E90.
@@romgar200 yep, agree on the LCI E90, just great all around. Side profile was a beauty. After the LCI E90, the only other modern BMW sedan I like is the current gen 5 series.
Hey Frank great video. BMW has said why they are are going toward a larger grill and over designed "bold look" and it's because the chinese market likes the "bold large design". China is becoming rapaidly growing market for BMW and so they are tailoring the cars to appeal more to those buyers. Other companies like Lexus have been doing similar design changes as well.
Problem is, this design makes no sense for the Chinese market other than it's a big expensive SUV trying to attract rich people. When you look at the cars that sell well in China, most have very continuous lines, moderate sized grill and and only puts small details in there to make them look expensive (Volkswagen, Buick and Honda's designs are doing extremely well in China). Not this low-poly in-your-face jigsaw thing BMW is doing. Heck if this kind design is to appease Chinese buyers, you would expect Lexus to put any effort in that market.
I think people like to blame China for ugly cars. I don’t get it, there is no evidence I am aware of. Obviously it’s a big market, but they are not demanding ugly beast cars
Great video, Frank. I say this as an owner of an F21 120i (3-door M-Sport), I don't think a manufacturer has ever made such a drastic design switch in automotive history. From sharply styled, classy, sporty designs that conveyed the brand succinctly, to these ugly monstrosities they now churn out. It's tragic. It'll be really interesting to see what they do with the next 3 series . . . .
I have an E38, E39 and E46. Those are some of the most classically beautiful cars ever made (along with E53). Simple, elegant and not overdone. This is just a total, abject failure by all measures. I really wonder what happened to all the people that designed some great cars. I hope with every new model that they will have learned, or improved, or something. It seems like they need to take a very long walk through BMW Classic and try again.
As a Chinese, I have to say big grill isn't really a Chinese market thing. There is very little relevance of big grills to the best sellers here: Buick, Volkswagen, Honda, Geely, all have just pretty normal designs. There are cars with big grill that sells well, namely Toyota, Audi, some models from Changan and MPVs, but not really in a market-dominating way. Not to mention with the surge of electric cars that's going away from grills, it is even more like BMW is just doing the opposite of what's popular to generate controversy and talks.
These designs remind me of a trend I see among mechanical engineers: doing an ugly design because it’s easy in CAD. This sort of looks like something that may work as a render and be simpler to model, but just does not transfer to real world.
Great video Frank! I whole heartedly agree with a rating of F for this car. I see this ugly disaster as a trend from BMW over the last several models they have introduced. I’m not sure about BMW’s intentionality with producing design failures; how many successive failed models can an auto manufacturer produce and still survive? Like so many modern cars, auto designers have lost their way in a forest of meaningless complexity - CAD makes it too easy. It’s no more than putting lipstick on a pig. Long live the aesthetics of Frank Stephenson, Pinin Farina, Zagato and Porsche. Perhaps the ugliness, weight and lack of driver engagement of modern ‘computer managed’ cars has a direct connection to the escalating values of classic cars.
porsche showed everyone with the taycan how to design an EV and make it look good. it may be overpriced and not have as much range as teslas but god damn it is sleek.
My only take in this is BMW is fearful of falling behind, so in order to stay in the Spotlight BMW is trying all sorts of outrageous statements like their design and marketing stunts
Could be rational. People love old jags like etype and xk, jaguar insisted on sticking with retro designs for a long time and it didnt work. Either the fanbase of the old is too small, or making new designs that builds heavily of old ones doesnt work. Then they launched the new design language that was pretty radical, more futuristic than some peers even.
Chinese market. That’s my first guess. The new design language is very Asian inspired. BMW’s now look more like a Lexus than their German counterparts. My second guess they are doing the same thing they did 20yrs ago. The 3 series was nice but people either loved or hated the 5, 6, and 7 series redesigns. They will clean it up in the next few years and it will probably be decent looking suv. Third reason is the electric competition. The electric suv are not only attractive they are powerful and utilitarian. For non electric suv to make a splash in today’s market it has to be radical. I think the response to the Cybertruck is partly to blame for this monstrosity. I believe BMW saw the order numbers and said hmm we should try that and did.
Thanks for posting this excellent review. It's confirmed that I'm not crazy because I'm repulsed by these new BMW designs. But this XM design takes the cake. I saw some photos of the XM (without a name attached to it) over the past few months, and I seriously thought it was a joke. Basically, some creation for meme material. And then today I watched a video from Driven Media (Why Cars are Getting Uglier), and it led up to this XM. And your review (this one) was even highlighted in there, so I had to come here and watch the full review. Seriously, I came into the BMW world during the midpoint of the E30 days (1988), and always liked the design of the classic BMW designs that preceeded it (2002, M1, 6 Series, 3.0 CS) and the subsequent designs. I still own an E36 M3. Even the LCI refinements of the original Chris Bangle design for the 7-Series, and the 5-Series, grew on me and aged well. But something has happened since the mid 2010s, where the new design language has taken the designs to be garish, cartoonish changes to classic designs, that will not age well. And they certainly will turn away many current BMW owners from upgrading to the newer cars. So, unless the Frank Files assumption is correct, and BMW is producing ugly designs in order to bring the BMW Faithful back with subsequent (and outstanding) new designs, I'm afraid that my 30+ year journey with BMW is about to end.
totally agree. I had over 10 BMWs. Currently, I have several cars, but from BMW I have an e65 from 2006. 4.4 v8 diesel engine. I'm leaving this car in my collection and I won't sell it. I don't want to look at a younger BMW. everything collapsed around 2007-2008 when the global crisis hit. then came downsizing, FSI injections, turbines, savings on materials. The decline of the automotive industry. Mercedes lasted until about 2010-2011, Lexus until 2017
Honestly I think there is a LOT of validity to the theory that BMW is designing cars for the essentially the Chinese market alone at this point. In China, cars with oversized grills and radically over styled, sharp, tacky looking features are seen as symbols are wealth and power. Of course, it’s mixed in with a healthy dose of generally incompetent design, and the result is a a pretty big kick in the gut.
You know how ginger is supposed to be a palette cleanser between different sushi rolls? This is the equivalent of blending different sushi rolls together to be the palette cleanser for the ginger
The headlights are actually hidden (blacked-out) and big (like a Citroen C4 Picasso). What you are referring as the headlights are just the daily running lights. Otherwise, I agree with you.
Oh gosh that’s even worse! Took me a long time to see where they are and I don’t want to imagine how bad it looks with it’s headlights on 🤢 the whole front will be lit up.
As always, I fully agree with your analysis. I thought BMW design couldn’t get any worse after the iX7..how wrong I was. I wonder if the design failures of late (M3, M4, 4 series, i4, …) are actually resulting in lower sales. I bloody well hope so!
@@marktomyth But is it the new models driving these sales? Could be that BMW fans are now rushing to older models, the same way the iPhone X boosted sales of the iPhone 8, because people at first did not want to make the jump to Face ID.
That must be very painful for you consider the fact that you were designing BMWs and then years later,you see these kind of disasters from the exact same company
Yeah. That's gotta be frustrating. Not to mention Frank designed the X5 which was the first true *sport* utility vehicle and pretty much set the standard for the industry on what a sporty large SUV should look like. And now it's all come to this.
Frank in 2018 I left BMW after 26 years of M3’s & M5’s due to these redesigning, although my wife and 2 kids still drive BMWs . I do get that they need to keep the brand fresh but drastically move away from the iconic look that a car enthusiast can spot at a distance and say that’s a BMW . I went to Porsche as a 911 is distinctive and identifiable even though throughout the years it’s been freshened up but still looks like a 911 .
Really enjoyed this one, thank you. I’m so confused by BMW. The current gen 3 and 5 series cars are beautiful! Yet at the same time they make things like this. I’m going with theory 1!
Tbh the X5, 3,5 and 8 series are the only good looking BMW cars out right now. 8 being 10/10 for design I think it is one of the best from BMW. But they need to make at least 80 percent of their cars good looking not just 40 percent if that makes sense.
When my current E90 takes the long nap, I will never touch another BMW for the remaining of my natural life. I just can't associate myself with a brand that would go down this path after decades of design excellence. Just when you thought the new 4 is the ugliest BMW ever designed, they topped it with the XM. On the bright side, this gives me the perfect excuse to pursue a Lexus LC500 or the new 2024 Mustang. Wonderful review, and thank you!
When I saw the first ad of this thing I burst out laughing out loud. I thought they can't make anything more horrendous than that M3, but they did it and this time from every side not just the front 🤣
I agree with all the points made in your critique. My theory is, they are trying to look futuristic rather than actually being futuristic. But I think the saddest thing is, produced exactly as depicted, they will still sell lots.
It's like this car is a psychological experiment, "Let's make the ugliest car possible, and see how many people are such follow-the-trend-herd-sheep who will buy **anything** just 'cos there's a BMW badge on it". If many people buy, we'll know that we can make *any* design whatsoever, put a BMW badge on it, and still sell it.
Thanks for watching, can't wait to hear your conspiracy theories about what is happening in BMW's design studio etc
♥
Frank Stephenson, XM is a piece of ART and its NOT for everyone!...///XM is A MASTERPIECE FOR ME.... I LOVE IT !......
I'm keeping my Olive 06 X5 3.0 because its the most beautiful design by far .... What im looking at now hurts my eyes ....
For the 50. anniversary of BMW ///M, BMW releases this abomination.
To celebrate 50 years of a brand built around handling and driving pleasure a big, fat, inefficient SUV for badly behaving “nouveau riches”? Awful…
And calling it XM in essence “stealing” the name from a Bertone designed Citroën? Just sad…
I just think they completely lost their fu**** minds. It’s been a while now of awful designs (X4, New X6, 1 series, 2 series, 4 series, 6 GT, etc). BMW needs a dramatic change in design direction. Or we have to wait till the sales hit their low so they take actions about it. It’s a shame to see BWM like this. Usually the industry was looking forward to new designs, now, they are look forward but for the wrong reasons. Hell, even the Tesla Pick up looks mature compared to this monstrosity. BMW needs you back Frank.
In the last 4 weeks since the XM concept was presented, BMW's stock price went up 8 percent. Just sayin'. 😉
I'm starting to think BMW has been infiltrated by rival car companies that are sabotaging them from the inside out via their design team. There's no way you screw up this bad.
Yes but people approved the design.
BMW has never sold as many cars as last year
The main problem is the Left / Greens / Marxist politics in Germany. This wants to destroy the auto industry in Germany. The car must not look too masculine, it must be gender neutral and be able to impress homosexuals.
@@ElectronicHouseFlash dude what are u even talking about lmao get some help
@@ElectronicHouseFlash wtf, FDP is the liberal party, which just cut the middle-to-left politics of SPD and Greens. And this "Marxism" is called socialistic capitalism...
The design isn't the problem for me. It's the fact that they thought the best way to celebrate 50 years of the M division would be with a goddamn SUV.
Edit: Well, I sure as hell didn't expect this comment to blow up the way it did...
Totally agrer
Same thought here.
yes. very bad.
Imagine Coca Cola celebrating their birthday by releasing a new product, but that product is spring water. 😂 it’s what BMW’s doing now
Those two come together, they just do whatever their buyers want, and this is a SUV with a horrible, but still cool design for an average idiot.
Here's my theory: With Hyundai and Kia designs being so well recieved as of late, BMW decided to kidnap their designers. Unfortunately, they kidnapped the Kia Soul designers.
Somewhere along the lines they also threw the Pontiac Aztec designer in the back of that Van.
Actually head deaigner from bmw moved to hyundai fyi
In fact, KIA kidnapped chief designer from BMW in 2015
Their designs have been received so well because they’re former BMW designers among others 🤣
@@stephenmccabe9507 Oohhhhhhhh it all makes sense now, for the life of me I couldn't understand why I like their new cars, it all makes sense now. That's smart business right there!!!! Thank you so much for this comment, I learn new things everyday.
My childhood friend works in the BMW Design Department and his explanation was quite simple: The people actually making the decisions are not designers, but marketing-agency bourne storytellers with non-automotive backgrounds honestly thinking, that being different is the uttermost important thing to stand against the wave of chinese cars, that will flood the markets soon. He hates his job.
Now that makes sense. I think most times we see horrible decisions (especially in car makers) it's because of people not in tune with the products themselves
Thanks for this explanation, and I'm sorry for your friend.
That is a lie. I know because I work there.
@@andreasb6971 This is interesting now - i can only talk about the information he gave me. But in case he's wrong, and you're right: Who exactly is making the actual decisions then? And i don't mean the details. I am talking about the design philosophy and the rough guidelines? Is it Dukec? I always thought he's just following orders/others..
@@Lotterboy no worries, it starts with customer feedback from previous projects and ends with the feedback on final design suggestions. All along it is never only one person or a few. There are many videos on this online. It is definitely not only Zipse.
The front view of this car reminds me of these huge statues on the Easter Island 🗿
True!!
I’d much rather look at those frankly impressive statues than looking at a BMW XM
To me it looks like the Angry birds pig.?
The MOAIS
I thought the same lmao 🤣🤣
At first glance of the side I thought they copied a highlander, then threw in the busyness of Honda, gave it a giant snout and never stopped. The current BMW design is just hideous unfortunately.
Lmao what are you doing here haha
🤣🤣🤣 but then the fact honda has designed the Honda E, which is one of the greatest example of great car design
in which BMW themselves haven't done in like 15 years
agreed, but don’t bring honda and highlanders into this💀
modern version of a hearse driven by an CEO who is an Android.
All that comes to mind when looking at the front end of this abomination is the pigs from angry birds. It is just revolting.
This is exactly why I always roll my eyes whenever someone says organic designs are something from the past...
Maybe we can find à perfect equilibrium between sharp angle and organic design ? Like bmw e60 or mercedes class C
@@valian8985 mazda does this the best, imo
@@SALEENS7GTR5 yes your kinda right, but i think that with bmw legacy and heritage it could give damn great cars design !
@@valian8985 I think a good example of that would be Lamborghini, there lines are mostly sharp, but the shape of the car is more organic (kinda), they're a good example of how to use sharp lines.
Lamborghini definitely knows how to use this ,possibly the best in the industry imo
Boy am I glad to see this! I'm a designer as well and I've been seeing recent model BMWs around and wondering if I'm the only one who thinks they're hideous. So I'm relieved an expert feels the same!
I've got skin in that game with my 2009 328i and I'm always impressed by the looks of even older models, like the 2003 M3.
Sorry to see the company fall so far so fast.
Mind blowing!
This suv looks terrible but the new m3 doesn’t look bad I didn’t like it at first but it’s grown on me
@@raulmelo5881
If you work long enough with garbage, you don't smell it anymore
Previously, owning an M used to be a special, exciting experience. Those M cars had proper screaming engines which could be thrashed on track but would have no problem around town. It was special and heart-pounding. RWD, manual and capable of the most demanding tracks and tricks. An M wasn’t just a letter that you add to a car. It reskinned and remade the entire car from what was already a fantastic car, to a impeccable car. Designs were subtle yet striking. Everything worked harmoniously together to achieve the feeling only an M car could replicate.
Now M is a letter you slap onto a glorified washing machine with a pig nose and sell to a soccer mom or a quirky gen-z or a millennial and call a day. M now stands for money, not Motorsport.
When I had my 2005 M3, my wife was driving a friend who commented, "This doesn't ride very well for a luxury car." She obviously had no idea what she was in, but that's what people think. BMWs are prestige cars, the Ms are the most expensive, so they must be the most prestigious.
@@robertgraham7245 Most people that don't know about cars***
Spot on, now M's are cars that will cut you off and not use a blinker so they can get their Frappuccino from starbucks faster
M definitely doesn't mean the same thing as it used to, but not all M cars are a "glorified washing machine with a pig nose". I have a 2020 M2C and this car is not for the masses, especially not for soccer moms. It's always quite rough riding and when you select sport plus, it becomes loud and tail happy. I only wish this car wasn't the exception.
@@darylmorseThe M8 also can qualify as exception.
I like to think that the current BMW "design" team previously designed _gaming hardware_ . They have the same ridiculously clownesk redundant and convoluted attributes as for example a gaming laptop from Acer in their _Predator_ lineup... I wish that this was just an anomaly in our universe but I'm afraid that this is the new reality.
Modern society feels like cyberpunk in a bad way huh.
@@adrianburna4464 its cyberpunk without the actual anticapitalist punk which makes it interesting, it's like companies saw cyberpunk, saw they were the bad guys, but still decided "hey this is cool"
Yeahhh. That is exactly what i was thinking of trying to describe it.
Spot on.
@@sephrosemary Same, with only one exception.
I think we do have punks, just not publicly.
For instance games like watch dogs 2 would be a prime example. Its a beginning, its hacktivism first.
The reality would always be more boring, but its happening regardless.
If they do exist they wouldnt just jump around saying "HEY LOOK ",its a red flag.\
Yeah XM looks straight outta GTA 5, where you wish the cars actually looked a bit less gamey and a bit more realistic. RIP in peace bimmer.
Those wheel arches have been tried before. On the Pontiac Aztek. That monster also utilized stacked front lights and split grille.
Secret theory #4: BMW is rebooting Breaking Bad.
Breaking 2077 featuring Keanu Reeves
Spot on! Aslo the wheels look like the where stolen from a GMC suv
you think, they're in danger? they're the danger...
Toyota Rav-4 & Lexus SUVs still have them.
This theory seems likely, as heavy drug use would also explain a lot of things they've been doing generally...
I couldn't agree more. I used to love BMW design. It spoke exactly what it needed to in a timeless fashion.
Obviously It's all in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I've always seen BMW design as very mundane and boring. But this seems to be a common thread with all German manufacturers. The only German cars I can think of, that had any real style were the VW Beatle (designed in 1938) and the Porches (based on a design from 1931. It seems everything they've designed since has just been very staid and utilitarian. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. There are more important factors to a car's design than aesthetics.
Completely agree. The word that I always used was "clean". Just the right amount of detail to look luxurious without drawing your attention away from the whole. Nowadays... every inch just has so much excessive eye shit thrown at it. Its almost like the designers went to a bachelor party and skieeeeedddd all night long and the current line up was the result in the morning.
I can't imagine the pain you feel when you see the direction BMW is headed, I've also grown up with the brand and I drive a bmw now as an adult and I feel extremely bad about everything they have done in the past 2-3 years.
The original x5 was ugly af too so...
@@TheFlyingClutchman True my father used to own one so I know from experience but I'm talking about how their design language is changing as a whole not just specific cars.
@@TheFlyingClutchman Now it's beautiful compared to XM.
@@bret4o9 I think it's changing to cater to the US and Chinese market as they're the markets that buy the range topping vehicles like the M cars and SUVs the most. In Europe most people get the 1/3/5 series but rarely the M version which is why the normal 3 series and 5 series still have the looks we expect from BMW
@@pauliusgruodis137 both can be ugly lmao
I stopped loving BMW when they started fitting oversized grills a few years back. Destroyed the looks of the cars. This looks hideous, like an apprentice graphic designer was given the job.
I get it, the designers used Adobe Illustrator to design this car. Or they have collaborated with Toyota for too long……
I found it very amusing when they were producing this advertisement with Christoph Waltz for the iX where he arrived in an old BMW with those "large" kidneys in height rather than width, and they were explicitly showing and noting that so they had a connection to reintroduce them on new cars...the only thing is that is looks just fine on the old cars but just looks odd and displaced on the modern cars.
They also often don't even look like BMW anymore, they lost their look. Often enough I thought it was an Audi when it was actually a current gen BMW 3 series. It's sad, somehow.
the reason is the same reason why Mercedes grill badges have gottten bigger over the years, money. bmw believes and has said china is the future, so they design for china and Chinese like big grills and badges because the culture there is to show off money and out do everyone, so they want the flashiest instantly recognizable from a mile away shit.
2020 was the end of bmw.
I disagree with you. This is not like an apprentice. It is like a three-year old.
It's just like modern art. When you can't envoque enough emotion with your talent, then you go the easy route and shock the audience.
Can't make another Mona Lisa? Sign a urinal.
Can't make another Alfa Romeo Tipo33 Stradale? Make the BMW XM.
Can't make something pretty? Make something controversial. And in a way, it works - BMW is talked about a lot now!
Correction:
"BMW is 'ridiculed' a lot now"
Many (M) owners like me have simply abandoned the brand now :)
and that's a reducing vision
@@nessuno5403 doens't matter. They are the talk of the town. Just like Tesla Cybertruck was.
@@TopCarsTV a new wholly irrelevant talk. They were already the talk of the town with their 'ultimate driving machines'. Big difference.
That's the first thing that comes to mind. I'm having a hard time reading the XM as a serious car design. But as a statement? It comes off as a self-parody. Like it's egging you on. Almost sarcastic even. It's like they want their critics to know they're fully aware of what everyone thinks about the new 2 Series and the M4, and this is their way of flipping us all off from atop a mountain of million dollar bills.
A few years back now, I leased my LAST BMW. It wasn't just the exterior design that lost me, it was the interior and the functionality of the dashboard, controls, especially the annoying climate controls. The whole thing was way over thought. I remember how great BMW was in the 2006 to 2010 era. The designs were minimal and functional. The fit and finish were clean and tight and the materials felt expensive, like a Leica camera. I wish they would make at least one model that appealed to the traditional BMW lover. I grew up with those cars. My parents drove 528s. I felt abandoned by the brand from about 2013 onwards. Then I finally left and have not looked back.
New cars is horrible and dangerously complicated... All new cars now seems to come with touch screen for everything, her in Norway you now get a 1150 US dollar fine if you they see you use the touch screen while driving.
@@a64738 I so agree, as you have to look at a touch screen to operate it, how can it be allowed??
E39 was the Zenith.
I would never even consider buying a car with a "fob" instead of a key. An electronic parking brake. Ugly, Inconvenient, Tedious, and potentially very Dangerous ipad screen instead of buttons with satisfying tactile feedback that you can operate purely from muscle memory without looking at them or even having to think. ...And don't even get me started about cars not even having dipsticks to check the engine oil.
Me: the rear doesn't look THAT bad
Frank: the back of the car makes me physically ill
Me: exactly! What were they thinking??
I personally think I've never seen such ugly thing ever before in my entire life to be very honest with you.
Ayaye
Same bro🤣
I like it
@@irelax8595 Well you must have missed out on the Porsche Panamera then. :-!
My theory is it’s a corporate strategy that once you run out of design ideas, make a really ugly design as a kind of reset, and then every year after make it slightly less ugly to simulate design improvement
I heard that BMW’s design talent got poached by other mfr’s.
@@mattportnoyTLV probably genisis but it still does not give the company a right to lose their identity in the process. Like did they hire a bunch of college kids who were playing cyberpunk before the got to the drawing board?
@@henrylam92 DEI maybe? I can’t explain it…it’s like a host of big companies went retarded. Disney, Budweiser, BMW to name a few.
Makes sense, Mercedes is doing the same thing, ugly turtle looking cars they're making, not quite as bad as bmw but damn they're tryna outdo each other
@@henrylam92none of the cars in cyberpunk look this shit
Who would like to see a redesign sketch of this thing by Frank
BMW will probably steal his idea to improve their own XM. I think Frank is aware of that kind of risk
Owning only bmws since 2002, these designs just let me think to stick to my 2016 f15 x5 for the next 20 years 🫤
I have a BMW dealer near me. And every time I pass through this dealer I'm thinking: "My God, there is no new BMW car I'd like to own".
I personally really like the 340i wagon.
The sales numbers are telling a quite different story :-) There are many more people who would like to own a BMW. So maybe you are a breed that's dying out 😜
@@marlasota Attractive lease terms play as much of a role in sales numbers.
So true, I get the same feeling when I get my car in for an oil change and walk around the showroom. The only exception is the M2 but the widow sticker violently ends the daydream.
BMW only sells to germans with small pp or easter europeans. that's their market.
BMW has gone from making some of the most timeless designs on the road to making cars that seem as though they are in competition with one another for the most laughable thing on 4 wheels award. BAD. Just plain bad.....
your opinion
00s BMWs look very cute though.
@@Bi6M4C You're absolutely right. That's just my opinion.
Bmw's are footballers cars now.
m5 cs is still nice +m4 /m3 but this here is so bad i cant believe it
This was hard to watch, because I agree so much with the sentiment of utter and complete failure on all levels from BMW. There's one current car that they design that pays homage to the past, present and future. It's the current 5 series, and more accurately the M5CS which also happens to be Evo COTY.
This was basically foreshadowed by the complete disregard for fanbase, history, and the absolute comical last year or so in marketing that has alienated the core group of followers of the brand. Owners and fans that have grown up on clean, pure design of BMWs past (E30/36/46), utter pinnacle of elegance in the E9 and E38. And then, we got the G series.
IMO @Frank Stephenson you've gone easy on BMW in your videos past because of your history with them. My dads first car was an E21 315, 4 speed, beige. I grew up in it too, it became the catalyst for the virus that has consumed me and my adult life. I own an E46 M3 and I'm making it into my own vision of a CSL of sorts. Parking my M3 across from the new one... it's like ... I have no words. Every time, and I mean every time I get out of my car, I always double take and I cant believe the purity of that design, the cohesiveness, the purpose and how understated it is.
BMW of old is gone. I pressed F to pay my respects circa 2018. The king is dead, long live the KING.
Amazing video, thank you for the truth, from someone that can speak it with aplomb.
PS. $#*# you BMW.
Totally agree on the 5 series. The M5CS has to be one of the best looking sedans of all time. The same company also made this so I’m confused by what they are doing.
Well expressed Cristian, thank you. 👍
I really like the M3 too
we the people gifted with site. need you to be our spokesperson in these trying times.
You summed up all are thoughts perfectly.
the longest top comment ive ever seen. by far. thank you for sharing. honestly i have to admit that i love the looks of the 2019 M2cs even more than the M5cs. the momment when i lost my last shred of faith in BMW is when the new M2 launched. its almost incomprehensable how that could make it look so similar to the previous generation, yet look like (objective) shit.
ps #@%$ you BMW
that line “there’s a lot going on” made me LOL. That is the exact criticism i received when i shared my 1st design at BMW Designworks.
I love how just brutally honest Frank is
Because he's right!
hence the name😅
Hey Frank, would love to see your take on Volvo’s design language. I think what they’ve been presenting alongside Polestar has been stellar so far. Would greatly appreciate your input.
The S90 and S60 do really look nice however the polestar 4-door look like a box
@@haki3353 personally my favorite Volvo design is the XC40. But Polestar 1 and the upcoming Precept GT car looks to be pretty sleek deign.
@@Jazzpiano96 - XC40 design is very underrated, I think. It’s that clamshell bonnet again.
Polestar have a recent concept, the name escapes me, but it’s stunning.
@@joemacleod-iredale2888 Precept
I have been buying new BMW motorcycles since 1977. Bought my first BMW car 2 years ago - what a disappointment. Don't get me wrong the 2018 F31 is a nice enough car itself and great to drive. What gets me is BMWs after sales service, I get regular letters and phone messages telling me that there is an urgent recall for my car but the dealer tells me everytime that there are no parts to do the work. This has been going on for nearly 18 months now!
My next car will be an Audi.
I agree this design is awful in so many ways! One thought I had is, BMW watched Tesla announce the hideous cyber truck and how much press it got from the design. Even though Tesla's design(or lack of) was negatively received, orders for the truck flew in. Maybe BMW thought they would try their hand at being totally different from anything else even if mainstream voices hate it. As a young kid I remember playing the car game, who could spot and name the cars first. I was really good at that game back then. In today's world I suck at that game, i have a hard time telling manufactures apart from one another anymore. And its not because I dont stay on top of all the new cars that come out, its that for the most part they all share the same design language. Maybe BMW wants to be that stand out identifiable vehicle everyone points at even if they hate it.
P.S. I would absolutely love if your first theory was correct!
I would prefer the cyber truck cause its a silly simple design while this is confusing to look at
Great thoughts! When BMW started with the insanely huge kidneys, every designer had critique, but their sales went extremely good. Never change i winning team i guess 🤷🏻
Totally agree, now lets see if it will drive sales ahah
the yeezy's of car design
Same here. I could pretty much name every car on the road even before I could form coherent sentences. Miss those times...every car nowadays has the silhouette of a Hyundai. Even the previous gen 3/4 series is too tall and bubbly for my taste, the only nice part about that car is the front end. I miss the sleek and low side profile of the E46 (honestly, the face lifted 330ci more than the M3).
Thank you Frank, for saying out loud what we all have been thinking about this utterly horrific piece of car design.
As far as what is happening at BMW.... who the hell knows? I honestly wonder if it literally is lots of people with totally different ideas shouting over one another, thus creating these mixed up, messy designs with absolutely zero cohesion. I realize BMW will just say they are being "challenging" but they simply aren't. Car designers should be challenging, for sure, but you still have to respect the basic principles of car design. Car companies like Kia/Hyundai, or Mazda for example, are challenging in a lot of their designs, but they are being challenging in a good way. Their designs certainly aren't orthodox, but they have good proportions and are cohesive. Although I wouldn't say I love their designs, I respect them for pushing the boundaries of design and doing something different. The thing is, they aren't just being different for the sake of it, they have a clear design language, and you can see the direction they are following. With BMW its almost like they have 30 people who all have thrown some random, often terrible feature at the car, resulting in the horrible mishmash that we have seen from them.
👍
@@FrankStephensondesign 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡🖕🏳️🌈😐😐😐😐
@@FrankStephensondesign your going to hell😡😡😡😡
@@doffy2192 You don’t agree?
@@FrankStephensondesign bmw xm is better😐😐😐😐😐😐
I like hearing the perspective of a car designer with stuff like this because I have a hard time comprehending how car designs can get messed up so bad
I need to either bleach my eyes, or look through an Alfa Romeo catalogue.
Your original X5 design is timeless, it defines what a BMW SUV should be. Its lines are clean and cohesive, but it still tells you the machine underneath the skin is the ultimate driving machine, especially in V8 form
The original X5 still looks incredibly good. I had a friend that owned one with a V8 and I got to drive it a lot. I really enjoyed it.
The e53 manual 6 speed X5 with the m54 I6 is one of the best BMW SAV/SUV's. Throw in a few modifications and it's a blast to drive. Less wieght compared to the V8 siblings( -500 lbs ), power difference blurs. It's nimble in the sport package settings and can be refined further. I call mine a baby X5 Lemans.... and is heavily modified. 😂
It looks like a fridge on wheels, the rear is just awful.
@@ChrisPatrick-q6kAnd the XM is supposed to be the peak of BMW design? I’ll still much rather prefer the E53 than the pile of compromised crap lard that is the XM.
@@rahulmandala4930from fridge XM “evolved” into a toaster
I would like to see a paintover or sketchover of the changes you would make to make these designs even if it was just very rough. Great content though and agree with pretty much everything you said.
you can't turn quasimodo into miss universe but with hard work maybe into Miss Understood
To be honest I don’t se a line, angle, or starting point with which to coalesce a good design from this garbage. The only part he could keep is the line that runs across the door handles..
I see now that Frank does sketch over vehicles to redesign them when it merits it. I guess this BMW didn't.
@@rudolfdesadeleer7995 well the running gear be what it is, the look of the car is developed around it. And it's not like he has a limited amount of digital paint, he can change every pixel and the outline as well.
That’s more like designing a new car from scratch
Love this episode Frank! As usual no denying all of your comments. What hurts me the most is that someone with that much budget and resources could come up with this is quite miserable. Would really have loved if you could make your version of XM like one of your other episodes where you design the car in 3d etc. I really crave for that render where you clean all the mess the original designer made. Please make that for this car.
There isnt much to salvage
I used to be a BMW fan having owned the E34 330i and then the E70 X5, but they've completely lost their way, especially the last 10 years or so. Or at least, whatever audience they are targeting, it's not me!
I am so happy that a professional, such as yourself, is explaining what I felt. I wrote a comment about this car on a croatian dealership FB page, saying it had an unnecessary cacophony of design ideas, a plethora of redundant lines, shapes..it's a mess. I know the beauty is in the eyes of beholder, but I still believe we can explain why something looks like crap.
It’s really grotesque. It’s actually impressive that they could make it so bad. I’d literally sell it the next day if I got it for free.
I'd scrap it
Convinced they were on shrooms.
"I’d literally sell it the next day if I got it for free."
-------
Why'd you wait so long?
joa, put it into a canon and BOOOOM!!
The Germans make a lot of Things very bad right now. Its possible they lost their mind again.
You nailed it Frank! Every comment is spot on. They have absolutely lost their mind. Its "design for controversy" versus for style, beauty, or even aggresiveness. Alas, what happened to the designers of even the most recent X7, which is much nicer.
BTW the place where they shot that XM video is a monument in Bulgaria, called "The Creators of the Bulgarian State". It's pretty awesome, highly recommend visiting it if you're in the region.
👍
Loved this video Frank. This car reminds me of when Clarkson reviewed the Ssanyong Rhodius. He said the car looked like it had been badly injured in a bar fight, then sewn back together by a blind man. I think it applies here too.
The first x5 4.8is with 315 tires in the rear had an amazing stance that appeared both aggressive and aesthetically pleasing. When I compare the feelings it evoked to the new x5, it just doesn't invoke the same emotions.
We've entered an era where design is about volume - how LOUD you can make something. The more over the top you can make something, the better. It's about making the loudest statement possible. It doesn't matter if it's a beautiful statement or an ugly statement. People just want a statement. And in this regard, BMW is succeeding.
welcome to the social media era where any idea is diffused to millions no matter how stupid it is... Style now days is about being quirky and different for the sake of being different.
I’d make a really loud statement too if I was jumping off a cliff.
@@FrankStephensondesign oh shit that's deep
@@FrankStephensondesign This comment was as subtle as that XM's design
This toxic behavior comes from social media circles where any engagement is considered 'good' irrespective of quality or accuracy. This itself is an extension of the pre-internet era marketing and PR mantra of 'any publicity is good publicity'. When people are not penalized for perpetuating wrong ideas / concepts then the logical outcome is to go for the 'loudest' and most controversial positions to stir up conflict that maximize 'engagement'. It's a horrible thing but it's here to stay unless the rules are adjusted for the better.
Okay, I'm old... and have old-school tastes! This XM is the antithesis of the new Mazda 3 (or to be a little more apples to apples, CX30)... one is busy, frantic, and anxious... the other calm, soothing and graceful. One is trying to impress with it's outrageously looks, the other has no need to boast or attract attention!
I have over a dozen BMWs in my "car barn" with over half being E30s. The latest and newest additions are E46s... that's the end of the BMW road for me. My next vehicle will likely be a Mazda, possibly a Subaru. Either way, it will definitely have three pedals!
Great analysis, Frank. The design of a car (or any object) is a direct reflection of the team that created it. If you have a team that works harmoniously, you will have a harmonious design. If you have a team that genuinely cares about delivering the best product for their customer without any ego or arrogance, you will end up with a car that people want to buy. If you have a team that doesn't have a clear direction, or there's political infighting, well....you end up with a BMW XM. I say with total respect for the team at BMW. They are excellent designers. But if you don't have a singular vision that comes from a place of empathy for the customer, it doesn't matter how amazingly talented your team is. The product is doomed. I think another decent theory that someone else also wrote is that ugly cars get a lot of press. The cybertruck is a great example of this.
Verry happy to see you here
@@unerbittlich Thanks :)
This feels like a similar situation as with billionaire's row in NYC. Watch B1M video on it. It's ugly because it needs to stand out for super elites who will pay whatever money BMW charges.
In cybertruck case there is at least a very good reason for the truck to look like that and the design in itself isn't bloated or without a purpose.
Of course I get what you are saying about press being more interested in those designs.
Cybertruck is gorgeous next to this btw
Excellent Thank you Frank I am glad someone of your stature has the courage to challenge the dreadful design and leadership currently at BMW. This is from a 50 year old who has the ability to buy an new BMW but chooses to own an E30 M3.
If you own a clean E30 M3 you certainly have the ability to buy any new BMW under the sun
@@e46mc93 Thanks Mitchell, yes it is a mint one.
Any startup or low esteem company making an ugly ass car: "look at those fools they don't know what they're doing"
A typically reputable brand making an ugly ass car: "they probably have a long-term plan and a good reason for their decisions"
I'm sorry I can't. This car is taking the piss on everything that ever granted BMW their status to begin with. They are completely lost, no sense of direction in the brand. Their lineup of new cars is 90% SUVs and crossovers. BMW has been selling their soul for the better part of the past decade, and now that everyone are going electric they have lost touch with their identity, and thus their legacy by extend. BMW no longer holds any brand value in my book.
A couple things made me laugh: Frank's physical pain/discomfort looking at some parts of this car. And those BMW badges stuck high on the back - it really looks like an 8 yo's idea of where car badges would look good. I also think it interesting to compare this to the Cybertruck. I actually quite like the CT, though of course, it's obvious why so many think it's an eyesore. But, to me, the CT looks the way it does because Tesla have let function rule over form. BMW have no such excuse: they've just, for whatever mad reason, decided to design a car that looks this bad.
I think you mean Tesla let form over function dictate… they wanted it to look like it came from a Robocop film.
But yeh, this BM is a steaming big pile of shite.
@@QuotidianStupidity I don't think you know anything at all about why the CT looks the way it does.
@@rogermouton2273 the clue is in the name
@@QuotidianStupidity funny you should say. You don't have any.
@@rogermouton2273 I don’t have any… what?
Haha, I love how you digest what is wrong with the design very well. When you hear about line flow, that's when you know you're hearing from a true car designer. I can't express how important line flow is to creating a coherent car design. Lets hope this is a marketing ploy, but with BMW's current direction, I have my doubts. Thanks for another great video!!
I never actually thought BMW might be pulling a "new coke". It would explain a lot and I hope they are because what they're doing now is baffling!
Perhaps but it's a lot more costly to redesign an exterior of a car than a coke can label. It impacts aerodynamics which in turn will impact fuel economy and vehicle stability at speed. It may require repackaging of internal modules and components. If any camera, radar, ultrasonic sensor is repackaged it will require all new calibrations. I mean this is all just a tiny taste of all the engineer redesign for a marketing stunt.
Imho BMW is just doubling down in these weird designs hoping they get bought for standing out. Rich people often lack taste and will buy expensive and tacky things because of a recognizable design or logo to show it off.
Difference is M-division just made record-high sales with the new M3/M4. Personally love to see brands like BMW making changes and wouldn’t pull the trigger for the G80 M3 if BMW didn’t modernize the look. Allocation will be hard to get for XM for sure. Money talks
They should really build that all new BMW Classic at 11:38, it would be the first elegant and not ugly BMW since years.
@@doctorhabilthcjesus4610 agreed👍👍
Thanks again, Frank, for yet another in depth thoughtful analysis, as a previous owner and a fan, nothing hurts more than watching these designs produced by BMW, I would suggest they lost the plot ever since they introduced the infamous E65 with the so called "Bangle butt", my last BMW was the E39, arguably the last great design BMW gave us, it is sad to see how previous BMW designers were capable of giving the world icons like E24, 28, 32... in comparison to what they are currently doing, I wish they can bring back that sensibility and elegance.
Once I asked a TV executive who brought on TV shows why he can’t bring something like MASH back, he laughed and said “No one can write like that anymore“. I think same goes with design.
Korean and Japanese designers though are doing some amazing work. The reimagined RX7, Mazda SP is truly something to behold. Even the Hyundai N Vision, it has that satisfying flow in design.
However I think there is finally a shift when you look at the new Accord, new Civic or even the Mustang, they are cleaner, less busy and it feels like their way could be the future of design. Less is more.
2018 civic > 2022 civic. Same with accord.
"The reimagined RX7, Mazda SP is truly something to behold."
Clearly beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. It looks like a Lotus Elise and a Tesla 3 had a child with d0wn syndr0me.
@@jimlaw8199 That’s funny. We certainly have different beauty values. Out of curiosity, what recent or future car design do you find beautiful?
@@hakukuze7947 Hey it's not ugly per se, but it's derivative and a bit...bland? From the same company the RX Vision GT3 concept is more like it.
Amazing stuff Frank ... I learn so much by watching your videos about a topic close to my heart, which is car designs ... As a kid I dreamt of studying car design, unfortunately it was never an option where I grew up and life had other plans for me, but your videos are now taking me back to that dream once more, so thank you very much. I love your honest and unbiased feedback. I agree with your marketing theory, but not to play the markets but rather to reveal something in the near future. I personally think BMW is allowing its designers to go WILD, BIG, and EXTREME, BIZZARE, and WEIRD to grab attention of every single eye in the car word... No matter how negative or extreme that may be they are testing out all their theories and experiments out in the open and get all the attentions in the automotive world and this is also seen with their new active color changing innovation. I believe that all these extreme decisions are a build up to wards a major MAIN ACT which could be a shift, a rebrand, or anything in those lines. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Wish you all the best from Finland
Cheers Pouya! 👍
As a Bimmer fan and owner, I'm shocked myself by their design language. I remember Bimmer Leadership Team saying you'll see less lines with more purpose few years back. They definitely didn't follow their own vision. Car design and its language has gotten more ubiquitous. So, legacy car makers like BMW have had to reinvent their design language vs Kia and Hyundai - which have taken more share of wallet than projected. BMW is in a state of juxtapose with its own identity. Hang on to legacy design language or create a new design language? They've chose latter. However, execution has been horrendous.
then you're not a fan. I never was a fan but now I like what I see. I'm a genuine fan of the XM and IX.
You people just got your head up an ass. Being snobbish.
@@carlosandleon Or its just as simple as the design beeing all over the place. Did they do it on purpose, of course they did, but it still look like s**t. Its outrageous design just for the sake of it. That, if anything, is snobbish.
@@carlosandleon The design is rubbish, has nothing to do with being snobbish.
@@carlosandleon the design is fucking hideous. You simply don’t have good taste.
@@carlosandleon or you simply have bad taste in regards to car design.
I loved this review, I was laughing so hard while watching it. What in the world are BMW doing!? They have been creating a lot of controversy with their lastest models and their design language change, even their advertising is hitting the wrong areas. I fear though, that with the widespead of the internet and accessibilty to designs, I seem to see a trend of terrible or way OTT designs, in the professional and amateur sectors getting tons of love and likes, because people have not been trained in car design or maybe becuse its something crazy and OTT? Are we going to lose all elegance of design? I really hope not! Elegance does not mean boring, it just means spot on and well designed. I will definitely be doing my best to create nice pure and pleasing designs, while pushing the limits and technology, but no need to overdo it. I do see a lot of nice things from OEM companies, but even so, I hope bad design doesn't become the norm one day without people realising it.
Very nicely expressed Norbert! 👍
Bojler eladó! :D
What sells is what masses want. Masses can have terrible taste
This is just a boomer opinion. You are gettin old, get around it. new cars shouldnt look the same for 20 years because people like you are not open for exciting futuristic designs.
i'm not a boomer and i think this car is fucking ugly sooo
The first time I saw it on the road, I said to my wife oh my that’s grotesque but interesting enough that people will gawk at it and wonder what kind of car it is.
I sincerely believe that the BMW design department are seriously thinking these are great designs and that people need to get on board with these bold changes.
What BMW customers should do is buy Mercedes because that would show BMW they shouldn't mess with their client base.
And people who will never be in this comment section will buy those BMWs unfortunately
Long term BMW fan, usually change them every 2 years, but the only car I ever kept for 4 years, was a facelift E53 3.0 Exclusive. Loved that tank of a car so much! Truly amazing timeless design inside out. My feeling is that a younger Quandt is getting involved in BMW and he/she is tired of all that is sacred in BMW design, wants something new and radical. BMW decided that they want to be a Chinese EV startup instead of being a mature company with design heritage and company values. Everything is gone, including that instrument cluster design. Now we get those stupid vertical triangles on two ugly screens that are just glued to dash. terrible! I hate it so so so badly. iX is one of the ugliest cars, second ugliest in history right after this XM. Porsche shows how to respect heritage and move forward with Taycan. Mercedes successfully reinvented itself with the latest gen cars... BMW latest crop makes me physically angry when I look at them.
"Long term BMW fan, change them every 2 years" yep that sounds about right...
I agree! It’s hideous
Changing a car every 2 years seems so environmentally ethical.
bruh, the e53 (and i still own one) is really messed up in the back as if Frank rushed it at the end just to be done with it. the e70 is way more beautiful... but sadly way to unreliable
6:25 That "broken snake" part gives me a small laugh everytime 😂
That version 1 sonic is truly horrifying
BMW’s designers said, “Hey, Lexus just hasn’t gone far enough with their SUV’s odd, angular designs.”
The new IS actually looks acceptable now. They cleaned it up pretty well.
@@paskowitz the grill kind of ruins it, shrinking it would truly make the car ascend
Lexus look pretty good, they push the boundaries but their cars are still handsome, especially the IS and LS.
@@paskowitz
Fine, but my comment referenced Lexus SUVs.
@@revaholic
Okay, but I mentioned their SUVs, not sedans.
You are spot on but I believe they are targeting a new younger “new money” tech design audience. They are no longer classic car design enthusiasts who appreciate the hand sculpted ART OF DESIGN esthetic...... maybe you are correct.... SHOCK AND AWW!
young people are broke trying to pay off loans
@@grtbgf Exactly. And those that have money are old enough to remember, likely fondly, the good generations of BMW design. Gen Z doesn't even like the idea of owning cars. I still don't get who this new gen of BMWs is for.
I don't think young people would buy this coming from a 20y old
You know, a lot of "young" people aren't as shallow as you might think. Good design is good design, and bad design is bad design. This is bad design and doesn't appeal to most people imo.
Young people aren't interested in cars. Moreover, even if you ignore the design, they are no longer building the "ultimate driving machine".
One of your best and funniest reviews, and interesting parallel to the new coke and sonic situations. This seems a little more complicated, but if BMW went back to clean lines and small grilles after all of this, as a consumer, I would have the inclination to want to reward a company changing course and putting good design ahead of this tasteless and ubiquitous series of car design trends we're currently experiencing.
Unfortunately for those with taste, vulgarity is in vogue.
Elegance is dead in the era of SUVs, since they're inherently shouty. I really don't think there's any underhanded sonic tactics going on here, It's just simple capitalism. People are buying SUVs, so that's what they're going to make.
It saddens me that they've called it the XM too. That name belongs to Citroen, who designed a much better car with it.
Stephenson's own X5 design was shitty! I cringe every time this guy moans and groans about other people's designs! Not saying BMW's current designs are good.
Frank please review more often. This is one of my favourite channels, and would love to see more content from you please. Cheers
Trying to find more time @simply, just too flat out at the moment. But, more soon! 👍
Totally agree with you, i used to be sent to school in a 2012 BMW X3 Xdrive 20D. Despite it being a normal SUV, it looked really nice and its harder to make SUV's look good especially base model trims. It lasted 475'000km so it was also reliable. I really liked that thing, that car is the reason i could visit my grandmas that lived far away, be sent to my school, etc etc. At the time, other lineups of BMW also looked really nice, even the entry level cars. Now i grew up (teenager) and look at the lineup like: "Really? Alright, im switching to Audi now."
*My childhood brand ruined itself...*
Frank, I think you really nailed it! I’d also add they have started to lose their way with the new Z4 which looks like more a FiAT 124 of my time (I’m 47 and have proudly owned a 2004 z4 and a 2014 X3 which I still drive) so I love BMW as you do and it hurts to see their current designers making cars without recognizable bemmer roots. I hope your theory #1 is what they’ve in mind and as CocoCola did back in the ‘80 also BMW will go back to their beautiful classic lines with a twist of modernity. You know: new ride with an old pride !!!
I saw a clean, unmolested '74 Charger the other day, it looked so much like (but with its classic charm) the modern 392 from a few years back. That is how you do it.
You are praising a guy that has done 1 car for bmw which really only took off with the 2nd generation which he had no part in. The XM doesn’t replace anything and still speaks in bmw design language, it just hast a different one than the ICE cars
@@akiimo389 🤪😜🤪😜🤪😜🤪😜🤪😜
@@akiimo389 if you think the XM represents BMW…….go for a pair of 👓 😂
@@mirkomillo2911 Same was said about the E46 e36 e87 and a whole lot more cars theyll ease in
I hate it, but BMW had the thoughtfulness to price it out of my range, so I could never accidentally buy it.
I bet you money the codename for this project was Capybara.
😂
Are there any videos of BMW explaining or defending their design direction?
I would love to hear the marketing waffle to explain this shite.
I'm pretty sure the head designer just accused it's audience of being morons (not literally, but almost). Sure it was in Autocar
Remember when they called their client base a bunch of Boomers? 🙃
I really think it comes down to out-aggressing the Tesla Cyber Bro Truck. It is such a weird design compared to the EQXX, which I find much more interesting and compelling.
The Cyber Truck isn't aggressive, it's 80's retro. It's Moon Lander for nostalgic adults. EQXX looks like XL1 hit puberty and the gym. The XM is just a mess, that's it.
You have no idea what you're talking about. The design of the Cybertruck is pure function over form, clean lines and designed for ease of manufacturing. The BMW design is diametrically opposite, pure form over function. Superflous design elements everywhere that actually make manufacturing more expensive.
I’d love to see a redesign video of it, a labour of Hercules but I’m really interested to see how you would tackle it.
Greetings from Milan, keep up the great work!
That would be a too much it would be a full vehicle design from scratch.
Uh, it would be a completely different car.
@@verhu010 he did that for the countach
You don’t need Frank to redesign it for you….let me help out….take the piece of paper it’s drawn on, screw the paper into a tight ball and launch towards the nearest waste paper bin. Job done!
better use a lighter
What the hell Re they thinking. It’s a cross between miss piggy and the Borg
I own BMW E90 and I intend on keeping it for a long time. I think it’s one of the last generations of BMWs that still had great design features, as well as last inline 6 with naturally aspirated engine, coupled with manual transmission.
It’s a shame that they went from aggressive elegance design to something that looks like a typical KIA or Hyundai on steroids. Take away the grill and logos, you won’t be able to guess what the hell it is.
The E90 was one of the first ugly BMWs. Along with the 7 series and 6 series of the time, the 4-door 3 was an horrendously mixed bag. The atrocious rear lights, the proportions of the rear vs. the front, and the comically narrow rear track, the swept-forward dashboard... the list is long.
Classic BMW ended with the pre-facelift E46.
You would buy an f30 if you could. Be honest to yorself. The E90 was one of the uglier modern bmw's and has that aged pretty badly lol
@@grtbgf I can, it’s not the money issue. F30 is not that much different from E90, especially looking from a side. I really like the in-line 6 and a manual transmission. To me, the proportions are right on the E90.
@@romgar200 yep, agree on the LCI E90, just great all around. Side profile was a beauty. After the LCI E90, the only other modern BMW sedan I like is the current gen 5 series.
@@SmashGhost the LCI E90 is really good looking imo especially from the rear. Just a shame they had halogen taillights instead of LED.
Hey Frank great video. BMW has said why they are are going toward a larger grill and over designed "bold look" and it's because the chinese market likes the "bold large design". China is becoming rapaidly growing market for BMW and so they are tailoring the cars to appeal more to those buyers. Other companies like Lexus have been doing similar design changes as well.
Two words, "Chinese market". Loved this review, you can see the honesty and frustration and I totally agree.
Problem is, this design makes no sense for the Chinese market other than it's a big expensive SUV trying to attract rich people.
When you look at the cars that sell well in China, most have very continuous lines, moderate sized grill and and only puts small details in there to make them look expensive (Volkswagen, Buick and Honda's designs are doing extremely well in China). Not this low-poly in-your-face jigsaw thing BMW is doing. Heck if this kind design is to appease Chinese buyers, you would expect Lexus to put any effort in that market.
I think people like to blame China for ugly cars. I don’t get it, there is no evidence I am aware of. Obviously it’s a big market, but they are not demanding ugly beast cars
Dude even the Chinese are laughing at how the current BMW looks
this ugly ass car has absolutely nothing to do with the Chinese market lamo
I am from China. Me and my freinds ALL think this car is ugly.
This is the kind of vehicle that a TikTok'er celebrity would buy simply because it brings attention to them regardless if it's good or bad.
Great video, Frank. I say this as an owner of an F21 120i (3-door M-Sport), I don't think a manufacturer has ever made such a drastic design switch in automotive history. From sharply styled, classy, sporty designs that conveyed the brand succinctly, to these ugly monstrosities they now churn out. It's tragic. It'll be really interesting to see what they do with the next 3 series . . . .
I think they became tragic with e65 in 2001
I have an E38, E39 and E46. Those are some of the most classically beautiful cars ever made (along with E53). Simple, elegant and not overdone. This is just a total, abject failure by all measures. I really wonder what happened to all the people that designed some great cars. I hope with every new model that they will have learned, or improved, or something. It seems like they need to take a very long walk through BMW Classic and try again.
Best trio ever!
I’m very confused with BMW’s love of the huge grill, especially on electric cars. I know the kidney grill is notoriously BMW, but it’s not needed
You can thank China for that
@@bradenclark1560 exactly. This is the sad reality. Chinese market tastes are dictating car design worldwide.
As a Chinese, I have to say big grill isn't really a Chinese market thing.
There is very little relevance of big grills to the best sellers here: Buick, Volkswagen, Honda, Geely, all have just pretty normal designs. There are cars with big grill that sells well, namely Toyota, Audi, some models from Changan and MPVs, but not really in a market-dominating way.
Not to mention with the surge of electric cars that's going away from grills, it is even more like BMW is just doing the opposite of what's popular to generate controversy and talks.
If I was running BMW I’d ask Frank to come back, pay him whatever it takes and CHANGE the direction, they have LOST their way…
These designs remind me of a trend I see among mechanical engineers: doing an ugly design because it’s easy in CAD. This sort of looks like something that may work as a render and be simpler to model, but just does not transfer to real world.
Great video Frank! I whole heartedly agree with a rating of F for this car. I see this ugly disaster as a trend from BMW over the last several models they have introduced. I’m not sure about BMW’s intentionality with producing design failures; how many successive failed models can an auto manufacturer produce and still survive?
Like so many modern cars, auto designers have lost their way in a forest of meaningless complexity - CAD makes it too easy. It’s no more than putting lipstick on a pig.
Long live the aesthetics of Frank Stephenson, Pinin Farina, Zagato and Porsche.
Perhaps the ugliness, weight and lack of driver engagement of modern ‘computer managed’ cars has a direct connection to the escalating values of classic cars.
YAWN,,,
porsche showed everyone with the taycan how to design an EV and make it look good. it may be overpriced and not have as much range as teslas but god damn it is sleek.
My only take in this is BMW is fearful of falling behind, so in order to stay in the Spotlight BMW is trying all sorts of outrageous statements like their design and marketing stunts
Could be rational. People love old jags like etype and xk, jaguar insisted on sticking with retro designs for a long time and it didnt work. Either the fanbase of the old is too small, or making new designs that builds heavily of old ones doesnt work. Then they launched the new design language that was pretty radical, more futuristic than some peers even.
Chinese market. That’s my first guess. The new design language is very Asian inspired. BMW’s now look more like a Lexus than their German counterparts.
My second guess they are doing the same thing they did 20yrs ago. The 3 series was nice but people either loved or hated the 5, 6, and 7 series redesigns. They will clean it up in the next few years and it will probably be decent looking suv.
Third reason is the electric competition. The electric suv are not only attractive they are powerful and utilitarian. For non electric suv to make a splash in today’s market it has to be radical. I think the response to the Cybertruck is partly to blame for this monstrosity. I believe BMW saw the order numbers and said hmm we should try that and did.
Thanks for posting this excellent review. It's confirmed that I'm not crazy because I'm repulsed by these new BMW designs. But this XM design takes the cake. I saw some photos of the XM (without a name attached to it) over the past few months, and I seriously thought it was a joke. Basically, some creation for meme material. And then today I watched a video from Driven Media (Why Cars are Getting Uglier), and it led up to this XM. And your review (this one) was even highlighted in there, so I had to come here and watch the full review.
Seriously, I came into the BMW world during the midpoint of the E30 days (1988), and always liked the design of the classic BMW designs that preceeded it (2002, M1, 6 Series, 3.0 CS) and the subsequent designs. I still own an E36 M3. Even the LCI refinements of the original Chris Bangle design for the 7-Series, and the 5-Series, grew on me and aged well. But something has happened since the mid 2010s, where the new design language has taken the designs to be garish, cartoonish changes to classic designs, that will not age well. And they certainly will turn away many current BMW owners from upgrading to the newer cars.
So, unless the Frank Files assumption is correct, and BMW is producing ugly designs in order to bring the BMW Faithful back with subsequent (and outstanding) new designs, I'm afraid that my 30+ year journey with BMW is about to end.
totally agree. I had over 10 BMWs. Currently, I have several cars, but from BMW I have an e65 from 2006. 4.4 v8 diesel engine. I'm leaving this car in my collection and I won't sell it. I don't want to look at a younger BMW. everything collapsed around 2007-2008 when the global crisis hit. then came downsizing, FSI injections, turbines, savings on materials. The decline of the automotive industry. Mercedes lasted until about 2010-2011, Lexus until 2017
Absolutely
BMW has always been a drivers-focused car brand, and these new designs help that as you don't have to look at the car from behind the wheel.
I would have expected them to also just remove the indicator lights. We all know they will never be used!
Ugly cars
except recent BMW cars aren't driver-focused at all...
Honestly I think there is a LOT of validity to the theory that BMW is designing cars for the essentially the Chinese market alone at this point. In China, cars with oversized grills and radically over styled, sharp, tacky looking features are seen as symbols are wealth and power.
Of course, it’s mixed in with a healthy dose of generally incompetent design, and the result is a a pretty big kick in the gut.
You know how ginger is supposed to be a palette cleanser between different sushi rolls? This is the equivalent of blending different sushi rolls together to be the palette cleanser for the ginger
Frank, do a skatch of a your style BMW X5 for 2022. I drove for several years your original X5 design, still in love with that model. 😊👌🏽
The headlights are actually hidden (blacked-out) and big (like a Citroen C4 Picasso). What you are referring as the headlights are just the daily running lights. Otherwise, I agree with you.
Are they inside the grill? I couldn't find them just looking at the front end
they should hide the whole car.
@@sunkingozy5051 They are at 8 and 4 o'clock of each grill. You can see them at 1:11, the headlight projectors are very dim but can be slightly seen
@@kl3ag1 To be clear, they're outside the grill, not inside. Took me a while to find them even with your 4 and 8 o'clock description.
Oh gosh that’s even worse! Took me a long time to see where they are and I don’t want to imagine how bad it looks with it’s headlights on 🤢 the whole front will be lit up.
As always, I fully agree with your analysis. I thought BMW design couldn’t get any worse after the iX7..how wrong I was. I wonder if the design failures of late (M3, M4, 4 series, i4, …) are actually resulting in lower sales. I bloody well hope so!
bmw reported record sales this week, their stock rocketed
@@marktomyth Well then I must be getting old…
@@wimdepril6920 don’t forget their main market is china. This car is for the Chinese.
@@wimdepril6920 People are buying the brand - not the car.
@@marktomyth But is it the new models driving these sales? Could be that BMW fans are now rushing to older models, the same way the iPhone X boosted sales of the iPhone 8, because people at first did not want to make the jump to Face ID.
Boson Huang is credited for designing the exterior, but that hideously named "Yellow" is the icing on the BMW styled SF sidewalk cake.
That must be very painful for you consider the fact that you were designing BMWs and then years later,you see these kind of disasters from the exact same company
Yeah. That's gotta be frustrating. Not to mention Frank designed the X5 which was the first true *sport* utility vehicle and pretty much set the standard for the industry on what a sporty large SUV should look like. And now it's all come to this.
Frank in 2018 I left BMW after 26 years of M3’s & M5’s due to these redesigning, although my wife and 2 kids still drive BMWs . I do get that they need to keep the brand fresh but drastically move away from the iconic look that a car enthusiast can spot at a distance and say that’s a BMW . I went to Porsche as a 911 is distinctive and identifiable even though throughout the years it’s been freshened up but still looks like a 911 .
Really enjoyed this one, thank you. I’m so confused by BMW. The current gen 3 and 5 series cars are beautiful! Yet at the same time they make things like this. I’m going with theory 1!
Tbh the X5, 3,5 and 8 series are the only good looking BMW cars out right now. 8 being 10/10 for design I think it is one of the best from BMW. But they need to make at least 80 percent of their cars good looking not just 40 percent if that makes sense.
I agree. And exotic SUVs/SUVCOUPEs are usually the cars companies are doing experiments on, as people buying them dont care about the looks.
The BMW XM makes the Pontiac Aztek look like a Jaguar E-Type.
Whomever green lit this design needs to find another line of work.
When my current E90 takes the long nap, I will never touch another BMW for the remaining of my natural life. I just can't associate myself with a brand that would go down this path after decades of design excellence. Just when you thought the new 4 is the ugliest BMW ever designed, they topped it with the XM. On the bright side, this gives me the perfect excuse to pursue a Lexus LC500 or the new 2024 Mustang. Wonderful review, and thank you!
When I saw the first ad of this thing I burst out laughing out loud. I thought they can't make anything more horrendous than that M3, but they did it and this time from every side not just the front 🤣
I agree with all the points made in your critique. My theory is, they are trying to look futuristic rather than actually being futuristic. But I think the saddest thing is, produced exactly as depicted, they will still sell lots.
It's like this car is a psychological experiment, "Let's make the ugliest car possible, and see how many people are such follow-the-trend-herd-sheep who will buy **anything** just 'cos there's a BMW badge on it".
If many people buy, we'll know that we can make *any* design whatsoever, put a BMW badge on it, and still sell it.