[advantage20]

[K4Z1u]

Double slats in grille so maybe M2?

[stefan]

Looks a lot better than the new 2er IMO.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by FC05

Btw why the heck BMW need 1 series sedan for? they've got 2 series gran coupe already.

How about this for a real shock: there is also both a 3 Series sedan and 4 Series Gran Coupe as well as both a 7 Series sedan and 8 Series Gran Coupe. True story.

[mbanck]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

How about this for a real shock: there is also both a 3 Series sedan and 4 Series Gran Coupe as well as both a 7 Series sedan and 8 Series Gran Coupe. True story.

Ah, so you are one of those 3-Series-GT-denialists!

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by V-Eight

it's the F52 replacement in my opinion.

Nevertheless...it shows an awful chinese design. Totally suprised and worried about where the BMW design is going to.

I don't see anything Chinese about it. Furthermore, homegrown Chinese cars seem to be mostly plagiarized copies of existing designs from European premium brands.

I get the hate, but sometimes it has to be put within a reasonable context.

[Bumpinjeep]

it looks like that strange Chinese market 1 series with design queues from an X2 with the M Sport package. I call it the 1X-M-Diet, Sport.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by mbanck

Ah, so you are one of those 3-Series-GT-denialists!

Never cared for the 3er GT or the first gen 5er GT but the G32 640i GT was the most passable rendition of the GT concept and a very nice car at that. Unfortunately, it found very few US buyers during 2018-19 and BMWUSA stopped importing it for MY2020.

Sometimes BMW is accused to be too conservative but backfires when they try something 'different' from the same
Vocal group of people.

Too bad for those people, BMW will never go back to the Paul Bracq era of design, because it would be too old and dated looking right fans?

[i_can_count]

What if these are two different models?

Top: 2GC LCI
Bottom: M240i

Maybe I'm looking to deeply at the pictures but it looks like the red cradle under the front wheels in the top picture isn't visible in the reflection of the elevator door of the bottom picture.

[M3ditate]

Originally Posted by F30.M

It's also strange that it is missing the xDrive badge, considering all M Performance models are all AWD (except M340i for US market).

And M240i sDrive and future M440i sDrive. AWD only will be high HP or SAV derivatives.

[BeEmVe]

My first thought ... fake. Where are the huge grills.

[SabineBimmer]

Originally Posted by V-Eight

it's the F52 replacement in my opinion.

Nevertheless...it shows an awful chinese design. Totally suprised and worried about where the BMW design is going to.

I am too but the facts are that the Chinese are looking to show off their new found wealth. BMW, including the awful grill design, is providing them designs that allow them to show that off. That's the go to market these days.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by SabineBimmer

I am too but the facts are that the Chinese are looking to show off their new found wealth. BMW, including the awful grill design, is providing them designs that allow them to show that off. That's the go to market these days.

But everyone is into the big grilles... Lexus, Audi, Toyota. I get the Chinese market drives these design decisions but BMW is not the only guilty party here.

And in a post COVID-19 world, China's economy will likely slow down making a not so attractive place to do business with.

[SabineBimmer]

Originally Posted by advantage20

Please explain. Are you trying to show examples of how design is similar, different, FUBAR'd, or not FUBAR'd enough?

[R N M]

Why in the world is BMW set on destroying its trademark styling cues?!?!
- Angel eye headlights gone
- Hoffmeister kink gone
- Character line through door handle gone
- Proportional kidney grills gone

All that is left is plain Design with Gimmicks (fake vents, scoops, diffusers) and without a BMW badge could be mistaken for Kia, Honda or Toyota.

[SabineBimmer]

Originally Posted by 530iDriver

But everyone is into the big grilles... Lexus, Audi, Toyota. I get the Chinese market drives these design decisions but BMW is not the only guilty party here.

And in a post COVID-19 world, China's economy will likely slow down making a not so attractive place to do business with.

You're 100% right

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by R N M

Why in the world is BMW set on destroying its trademark styling cues?!?!
- Angel eye headlights gone
- Hoffmeister kink gone
- Character line through door handle gone
- Proportional kidney grills gone

All that is left is plain Design with Gimmicks (fake vents, scoops, diffusers) and without a BMW badge could be mistaken for Kia, Honda or Toyota.

Because they are in the business of making money and answer to their investors.

They cater the market where the money is, design trends and all.

BMW would not have survived to this day still manufacturing cars with the driving and design ethos of 25-40 years ago. Even by the late 1990s BMW products were considered to be best in class but stale and too conservative looking. This promoted the era of Bangle design that at the time was harshly criticized but ironically those same design traits (Flame surfaces and humpback trunk lids) are acclaimed today as some of the best designs by the same vocal critics of 20 years ago.

Overly heavy power steering, hard suspension tuning doesn't sell to the vast majority of the buying public anymore. And yes BMW left behind the hard core BMW enthusiast years ago. That ship sailed around 2012.

BMW is not the only manufacturer engaged in leaving the past behind. If you disagree you are free to vote with your wallet and go elsewhere where you feel your needs and wants are better catered to.

[GenXer]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck914

Nah. I don't think anything was uglier than the Pontiac aztek.

That fact that a Pontiac Aztek was even compared to it is concerning.

[mat9]

Definitely looks like a coupe based on the body line under the cover, the trunk with built-in spoiler also seems a bit aggressive for a 1 series sedan.
The exhaust, grill, and bumpers are in line with the latest offerings...
* If the photos are real, could be our first taste of the g42

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

How about this for a real shock: there is also both a 3 Series sedan and 4 Series Gran Coupe as well as both a 7 Series sedan and 8 Series Gran Coupe. True story.

Yeah but that's not a cool as moaning right?

[stein_325i]

Plus no xDrive badging on the rear. This is clearly an "M-Performance" vehicle based on the badge up front and rear, as well as the exhaust, and if this was a 1er it would need AWD right? Only the 2 and 3/4 can be had RWD w/ M-perf.

[Teutonic]

Originally Posted by 530iDriver

There are far uglier cars on sale today from other brands.

So this is what we came down to?
This will be a very immature way of justifying a such mistake, but with the new designs coming up, you might be correct: better mediocre than the last.

Originally Posted by 530iDriver

But everyone is into the big grilles... Lexus, Audi, Toyota. I get the Chinese market drives these design decisions but BMW is not the only guilty party here.

And in a post COVID-19 world, China's economy will likely slow down making a not so attractive place to do business with.

We discussed in a different thread that a monogrille design has certain advantages and this design -if properly addressed- can create a nice machine. AUDI for example managed to create a line of vehicles with a bold but well proportionate design. The angular style worked for them. But doesnt work for everyone.
For BMW the double grill with huge proportions does not work as well; it looks terrible.

Only a very weak, spineless and unoriginal individual (or company) will find excuses like : look, I am not the single one who did it.
In a different way, we are still saying the same thing: BMW is not original anymore. Or, its new originality consists in a mix of trend elements which dumps very important -BMW specific- details that use to define a well known BMW language.