What's up with BMW's new faces, especially the new 7 Series?

[Mark]

Among one of the most common questions, I tend to hear often these days when talking about BMWs in general:

What's up with the new design direction? Did we get accustomed to the X7 grill already? OK. How about then the new face of the 3 and 4 series? OK. And now this happened.

How did we get from this:

to this:

Don't get me wrong. I like all of them, it's just a different kind of like.

Is BMW still following the Bangle promise of 'revolution -> evolution' cycles? Why do they have to be polarizing cycles? What's the endgame? Is there one in sight? Normally it'd be "follow the money", so naturally, common sense says build it in a way that they will like it and then buy it. I'm not sure sales numbers tell the true stories anymore. Fleet sales, leases, and other gimmicks out there can massage data and make it look like: "sales beat records, so they must've liked it". Nope, I don't buy that anymore. One fact does not necessarily mean the other one has to be accepted as such in this case. Anyone can make sense of this?

 

[Mark]

Here, I'll post an answer, to my own thread question:

Nobody here wants to touch this subject with a ten-foot pole, it seems.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Among one of the most common questions, I tend to hear often these days when talking about BMWs in general:

What's up with the new design direction? Did we get accustomed to the X7 grill already? OK. How about then the new face of the 3 and 4 series? OK. And now this happened.

How did we get from this:

to this:

Don't get me wrong. I like all of them, it's just a different kind of like.

Is BMW still following the Bangle promise of 'revolution -> evolution' cycles? Why do they have to be polarizing cycles? What's the endgame? Is there one in sight? Normally it'd be "follow the money", so naturally, common sense says build it in a way that they will like it and then buy it. I'm not sure sales numbers tell the true stories anymore. Fleet sales, leases, and other gimmicks out there can massage data and make it look like: "sales beat records, so they must've liked it". Nope, I don't buy that anymore. One fact does not necessarily mean the other one has to be accepted as such in this case. Anyone can make sense of this?

Same way we've gone from this:

To this:

 

[dalab]

What a rude and meaningless answer.

 

[Cashmere]

Every BMW fanboy when you ask why BMW's have ugly, gargantuan grills

 

[dalab]

Every BMW fanboy when you ask why BMW's have ugly, gargantuan grills

Another answer could be the 16 billion euros they earned in just the first six months of 2022, I guess who has the last laugh

 

[Tuffode]

Every BMW fanboy when you ask why BMW's have ugly, gargantuan grills

Which is why the i4 is sold everywhere except China, while they get their own i3L with a small grill...

 

[Matski]

Which is why the i4 is sold everywhere except China, while they get their own i3L with a small grill...

i4 is sold in China.

创新BMW i4：概述-宝马中国-宝马i4图片-宝马i4性能-宝马i4预约试驾

创新BMW i4正面采用星幕进气格栅设计，侧面搭配长轴距、短悬挂和车顶弧线，一同勾勒出了车辆动感流畅的线条和优雅纤长的身形比例。运动风采，以自由流动的姿态倾泻而出。

www.bmw.com.cn

 

[klier]

i4 is sold in China.

创新BMW i4：概述-宝马中国-宝马i4图片-宝马i4性能-宝马i4预约试驾

创新BMW i4正面采用星幕进气格栅设计，侧面搭配长轴距、短悬挂和车顶弧线，一同勾勒出了车辆动感流畅的线条和优雅纤长的身形比例。运动风采，以自由流动的姿态倾泻而出。

www.bmw.com.cn

Ssssh, don't break the narrative.

 

[EnI]

Among one of the most common questions, I tend to hear often these days when talking about BMWs in general:

What's up with the new design direction? Did we get accustomed to the X7 grill already? OK. How about then the new face of the 3 and 4 series? OK. And now this happened.

How did we get from this:

to this:

Don't get me wrong. I like all of them, it's just a different kind of like.

Is BMW still following the Bangle promise of 'revolution -> evolution' cycles? Why do they have to be polarizing cycles? What's the endgame? Is there one in sight? Normally it'd be "follow the money", so naturally, common sense says build it in a way that they will like it and then buy it. I'm not sure sales numbers tell the true stories anymore. Fleet sales, leases, and other gimmicks out there can massage data and make it look like: "sales beat records, so they must've liked it". Nope, I don't buy that anymore. One fact does not necessarily mean the other one has to be accepted as such in this case. Anyone can make sense of this?

THIS new BMW's face & styling (still) triggers you? Really?

Just wait then & be (mentally) prepared for the Neue Klasse then. ? A revolution is coming! In 2025.

 

[klier]

THIS new BMW's face & styling (still) triggers you? Really?

Just wait then & be (mentally) prepared for the Neue Klasse then. ? A revolution is coming! In 2025.

I see the Neue Klasse as a new start, and this last 7er 'old style' as a mishmash of (weak) ideas. I feel the Neue Klasse will be actually thought out, unlike the 7er.

 

[Tuffode]

Ssssh, don't break the narrative.

Lol, narrative. It's a car forum, not that deep. I wasn't aware of the i4 being sold there, my bad.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

i4 is sold in China.

创新BMW i4：概述-宝马中国-宝马i4图片-宝马i4性能-宝马i4预约试驾

创新BMW i4正面采用星幕进气格栅设计，侧面搭配长轴距、短悬挂和车顶弧线，一同勾勒出了车辆动感流畅的线条和优雅纤长的身形比例。运动风采，以自由流动的姿态倾泻而出。

www.bmw.com.cn

It will be very interesting to see its sales there. It's the same technology as the Chinese made i3 but with the burden of the import duties (I have no idea if they are as huge as those of the ICE cars).

 

[Matski]

but with the burden of the import duties (I have no idea if they are as huge as those of the ICE cars).

I stand to be corrected by those in the know, but I think it's only Chinese Consumption tax that's different between ICE and EV for something that's imported - which I think is 9-40% depending on displacement for an ICE, and 0% for EV's.

The fact i4's are imported will add another 15%, but that's independent of the power train type.

 

[Sunny]

It will be very interesting to see its sales there.

Except there is not much to see.

Out of the 9.3k i4 sold in H1 globally, 7.6k were in Europe. 1.1k in US. So that leaves 600 for entire RoW including China.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

Except there is not much to see.

Out of the 9.3k i4 sold in H1 globally, 7.6k were in Europe. 1.1k in US. So that leaves 600 for entire RoW including China.

Since no ICE 4 series is sold there (due to no business case), it would be surprising if they manage to move some units out of the stores.

 

[Matski]

For reference, this are the prices for BMW 3/i3, 4/i4 models available on the Chinese market (with iX3 added). Prices are from BMW China's website and all seem available to order/buy.

• 320i Sports Kit ￥293,900
• 325i M Sport Package ￥313,900
• 320Li M Sports Suit ￥318,900
• 325i M Sports Night Kit ￥333,900
• 325Li M Sports Suit ￥346,900
• i3 eDrive35L￥349,900
• 325Li xDrive M Sport Package ￥361,900
• 325Li M Sports Night Kit ￥365,900
• 330i M Sports Night Kit ￥381,900
• 425i Gran Coupe M Sport Package* ￥379,900
• iX3 ￥399,900
• 330Li xDrive M Sports Night Kit ￥409,900
• 425i Gran Coupe M Sports Night Kit* ￥409,900
• iX3 Leading Type ￥439,900
• i4 eDrive40*￥449,900
• 430i Gran Coupe M Sports Night Kit* ￥475,900
• i4 M50*￥539,900

* Remarks: BMW imported models marked with asterisks

 

[Cashmere]

THIS new BMW's face & styling (still) triggers you? Really?

Just wait then & be (mentally) prepared for the Neue Klasse then. ? A revolution is coming! In 2025.

To be fair, you said the same thing about iNEXT and hyped it up so much, for so many years and it’s been nothing short of underwhelming.

I love how BMWs marketing has pivoted from having the ultimate driving machine to “please wait, it’s coming soon” whether it be the iNEXT or the NEW CLASS because you always have to get blue balls for a few years before you see some underwhelming car with blue accents.

 

[KiwiRob]

Except there is not much to see.

Out of the 9.3k i4 sold in H1 globally, 7.6k were in Europe. 1.1k in US. So that leaves 600 for entire RoW including China.

BMW build the BMW i3 eDrive35L in China which is why they probably don't sell many i4.

BMW's first all-electric 3 Series is made just for China | Engadget

The automaker even customized its suspension system for Chinese road conditions..

www.engadget.com

 

[Sunny]

BMW build the BMW i3 eDrive35L in China which is why they probably don't sell many i4.

i3 sedan production only started end of June, so I doubt it had any substantial effect on i4 numbers.

Fact is, so far, i4 sales has been dismal, especially outside Europe. < 10k in 6 months!