BMWs will be pretty again. I’m happy about it.
The last half-decade or so has seen some interesting design changes over at BMW. The second-generation 4 Series Coupe debuted back in 2020ish with a vertically-oriented grille and narrow headlights that set the stage for what was to come from the brand; that is, a series of progressively more…erm, progressive, designs.
From there, it got progressively worse. The new M4 and M3 adopted the look, and even BMW’s first standalone electric car since the quirky i3, the iX, shared the polarizing grille design.
To be honest, I actually like how the iX looks these days, and while I don’t lust for the new M3 and M4, I’ll admit they’re a striking presence on the road. But the most egregious offender in this new era of design is the truly heinous BMW XM. As a lifelong fan of the BMW M Series vehicles, I consider this abomination to be literally the worst vehicle BMW’s M division has ever churned out.
But I’m not here to bash the current design so much as I am here to welcome change. Friday, BMW announced that Maximilian Missoni would be taking the reins, heading up design of “lower-tier” BMWs like the 3 Series and X1. You wouldn’t recognize his name unless you’re really up on your car designers. When someone does know who he is, it’s often for the quite fantastic Polestar 1 pictured above. But he also played an integral part in shaping the Volvo brand as we know it today. The minimalistic and sculpted look that started with the XC90 and XC40 “trickled up” and now permeates the whole lineup.
Even less known are his triumphs prior to Volvo. Before he basically completely reinvented Volvo’s entire lineup, he worked on the truly remarkable Volkswagen XL-1. That car literally looks like a spaceship, with a minimalistic design prioritizing fuel efficiency. And indeed, the radical concept even saw a brief, 250-unit production run.
I wrote about a thousand words about the man’s past and career in a BMWBLOG article. What I left out is how hopeful I am for the future. After hours of research on Missoni, I found his optimism and enthusiasm contagious. And his portfolio speaks for itself. A focus on minimalism is exactly what BMW needs to get back to making cars that are understated, but unprecedented. I barely even knew what a BMW was until I was an E46 M3 parked in a Harlem high-rise almost 20 years ago. It was love at first sight and is, without question, the reason I’m writing about cars today. I can’t wait to fall in love with how a BMW looks again.