Distressing Photo Calls Attention to Future Bimmer's Face
A photo supposedly taken on a BMW factory floor and uploaded to BimmerPost appears to show a production-ready passenger car with a face only a mother could love.
It’s no secret that BMW’s signature kidney grille has expanded in recent years, first touching in the middle before heading downward for extra acreage. It’s part of the automaker’s attempt at simple yet bold vehicle design, and it seems to be working. For better or worse, they’re getting noticed. And it will certainly be difficult not to notice this Bimmer’s snout when it rolls into a dealer or driveway near you.
The vehicle is widely believed to be the next-generation 4 Series, appearing first in coupe and convertible format sometime in the latter part of next year. An updated four-door Gran Coupe follows a year later.
Built on BMW’s CLAR platform and boasting updated designs, tech, and internal combustion motivation, the yet-to-be-revealed 4 Series was heralded, in a way, by the recent release of the Concept 4 — a show car that hints at design language to follow. Viewers of the Concept 4, including many TTAC readers, voiced their shock at the vehicle’s (and the brand’s) enlarged intakes. Given that the concept was a coupe, and that the 4 Series is still a model line hosting such a bodystyle, it’s not a reach to believe the concept and eventual 4 Series will share some overlap.
That said, the unconfirmed 4 Series in the blog images is a radical departure from the current design, a vehicle this coupe-loving writer happens to be quite smitten with. The two openings now bear no resemblance to a kidney, and boy, are they tall. One can’t help but think of the intakes of a fighter jet, or perhaps the taillights of a 1960 Edsel. Some internet wags have suggested the new grille is more reminiscent of the twin caskets of a dead couple, joined together for eternity.
Whether this face becomes a reality on the 4 Series or perhaps another product remains to be seen. And if it does, you can bet it will be seen.
[Image: BimmerPost]
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Get used to it, because this look will form the basis of the upcoming 5- and 7-series replacements. It's all part of their new Biginal design language.
If in the future you find me ahead of you in the left lane, I am not intentionally blocking your pass - I am taken by the exceptional beauty of your new grille.