A quarter of 2024 has passed, and many new cars in China have been released and unveiled. When we talk about these cars, we can't help but hear things like "which car is like any other brand", but there is very little or no BMW like it! This is largely due to the fact that BMW is so recognizable. BMW's most iconic design elements are always in the background, but what is the historical context of its development: when did it appear, and how did it evolve?
Double kidney grille + Holmes corner
An immortal symbol, finalized by the new generation of models from the 60s
The kidney grille is BMW's most iconic design element, making every BMW instantly recognizable, bringing brand recognition that is second to none in the industry, and can be called one of the core genes of BMW design. The kidney grille has been around since the early days of BMW's car production: the BMW 303 sedan in 1933 was the first to feature a kidney grille, and then the 328 sports car further established the first impression of BMW. It forms the visual center of the front and also symbolizes a direct connection to each BMW's pulsating engine.
In a functional sense, the kidney grille allows air to flow into the engine compartment to cool the radiator, condenser, intercooler and front brake, while the large vertical slats provide maximum airflow to keep the engine running at optimal temperatures. BMW's chief designer at the time, Fritz Fiedler, also tilted the grille back to improve aerodynamics.
In the 1950s, BMW began to lower the height of the kidney grille. The iconic 1956 507 Roadster was BMW's first model to feature a dynamically sloping front (also known as the "shark nose"), which visually extended the hood with a wider, lower kidney grille, with an increasing emphasis on sporty elegance. This hints at a strong forward drive, and such a large air intake is actually the only source of fresh air for the V8 engine's radiator. The stronger the performance, the larger the "nostrils"?
It can be seen that the kidney grille is a combination of BMW's unique engineering and aesthetic values, and its evolution also serves the development of practical functional needs. But in fact, not every BMW car in history has a kidney grille. BMW's hugely popular 700 sedan in 1959 had a separate grille under the headlights, while the front was closed in large areas.
In fact, the kidney grille has truly become an iconic design for every BMW car since 1962, when the first model of the Neue Klasse series (the concept of a "new generation" was first introduced in BMW history), the BMW 1500. This is also the first time that the split kidney grilles have been connected together. Since then, the kidney grille has become the standard feature of every new BMW car and is completely engraved into BMW's DNA.
The design style established by the 1500 model has influenced BMW for more than 20 years, and the revolutionary part is not only the final word on the kidney grille, but also the following is also BMW's most typical design element - the Holmes corner.
Beginning with the 1500, the new generation of BMW's model unveiled in 1961, the iconic design known as the Hofmeister Kink was indispensable for the C-pillar of every BMW, named after the model's chief designer, Wilhelm Hofmeister.
The functional advantage of this design is that it allows for a larger side window area on the door without the need to integrate additional windows in front of the C-pillar. In terms of design, curves add lines and surface tension for a more dynamic side-view effect, and also give the exterior of the vehicle a more solid appearance without adding to the actual redundant volume.
This dexterous and sporty detail gives the window profile a forward thrust and emphasises another BMW hallmark: rear-wheel drive. This also allows us to see the car from the windows, roof and C-pillar to the lower body of the car in a smooth and smooth way. It can be said that Huo's corner broke through the inherent design template limitations of the dull and conservative industry at that time, and gave BMW another cutting-edge impression. Later, it was more like a kidney grille, evolving into a variety of styles on different models, and a hundred flowers have blossomed since then.
Between 1960 and 1969, BMW's car production and workforce tripled, and its turnover soared sixfold. According to Herbert Quandt, who was at the helm of BMW at the time, since the 1500 model under the new generation concept, BMW has become the darling of those who "rise to the class" (German Aufsteiger, referring to those who gradually rose in social status at that time), and the highly recognizable shape design is naturally worthy of flaunting as a highlight of taste and personality.
Angel eye headlights
Under the sense of hierarchy, there is a powerful functional expansion space
In addition to the kidney grille and Holmes corners, the round headlights have always been a signature of BMW's lighting design: from the original monocular headlights to the twin round headlights on the 2800 CS, which debuted in 1968. Later, with the birth of the fourth-generation 5 Series (E39) in 2001, the Corona Rings were further evolved.
The addition of a blazing white ring light to the angel eye headlights not only adds a unique modern shape, but also does not lose the original classical charm. It is worth noting that the design director of the BMW Group at that time was the famous Chris Bangle. BMW's Angel Eye headlights have evolved over the years, and in addition to the improvement of appearance, their evolution process itself is also a reflection of technological progress.
The original Angel Eye grew with the development of xenon headlights, and then iterated with the times to LED headlights, with more functions such as self-adaptation, follow-up steering and high beam control, which are inseparable from the basic support of the Angel Eye design for zonal lighting. The then compatible laser headlights can reduce the light group and achieve stronger illumination in a smaller space. The advanced sense of hierarchy of angel eye design itself means that there is a powerful expansion space for functions.
Short front overhang + long wheelbase
The golden ratio that makes BMW look good and drive better
Above we have reviewed BMW's iconic design elements, and when we focus on the key points, we will also find that the beauty of BMW's classic design lies in its proportions. The short front overhang and long wheelbase are BMW's signature proportions.
A short front overhang is a design that has a short distance from the center of the front wheels of the vehicle to the front of the vehicle, allowing the visual center of gravity to move forward. This is complemented by a long hood, which allows the engine to be positioned longitudinally, which is essential for a 50/50 weight distribution and is at the heart of BMW's precise handling.
The long wheelbase, with its striking distance between the front and rear axles, enhances the stability of the body, provides a dynamic and elegant visual basis for the car, and further expands the practical space in the car. Such proportions make a BMW look good and drive better – a perfect blend of pure driving pleasure and visual beauty.
Driver-centric
BMW's interior layout concept has always been circulated
The original new generation of the BMW 1500 established an unassailable place in BMW's iconic exterior design elements, while the driver-centric interior layout concept was derived from the original BMW 3 Series (E21) with a smaller size and deeper driving requirements. This layout is ergonomic and takes into account the needs of the driver.
On the instrument panel and the asymmetrically designed centre console, the important operating and control elements are clearly tilted towards the driver's seat, so they are within easy reach of the driver for optimal visibility. BMW attaches great importance to the primary needs and values of the driver, which can already be seen in the "eccentricity" of this place.
Later, in 1982, the second-generation BMW 3 Series (E30) was refined by the team of BMW's chief designer Claus Luthe, and the interior design was not only centered on the driver, but also fanned out from the instrument panel, and the integrated offset shape of the center console was strengthened. It was another groundbreaking design for BMW in the automotive world, and it influenced the interior style of many other brands' sporty models, so much so that many supercars later followed suit.
Since then, the interior center of almost every BMW model has been tilted at just the right angle towards the driver. Today, the most "original" design of this design in the current BMW models is naturally the BMW 8 Series - in the revival in 2019, the design of the center console tilting towards the driver's side is derived from the original E31 8 Series, and the degree of attention is obvious to all.
Today, BMW continues to make a leap forward in the luxury of the interior, and the wrap-around interactive light strip brings an unprecedented cabin atmosphere and refined look and feel on the new BMW 5 Series. If you look closely, you will see that the driver-centric interior concept has been inherited, and although it has been somewhat restricted, it is also perfectly integrated with the new luxury.
Write at the end:
BMW is born for driving pleasure, and at the same time pursues the beauty of individuality in design, so it is a car for drivers and lovers of beauty. "New everywhere and BMW everywhere", this is BMW's footnote to the new generation of concept cars, and it is also the essence that we can clearly feel.
As a century-old luxury brand, BMW's charm is largely due to its uniqueness: it is both precipitated and fresh, and the pursuit of tradition and vitality is indispensable. Inheritance and transcendence lie in the relay creation, so that when we see these classic BMW designs and the stories behind them, we will unconsciously feel the emotional aura of BMW that has become our love car and dream car.
"History is always strikingly similar", when the first generation of the new generation inspired a glorious BMW era to this day, after more than 50 years, another new generation is coming - electrification, a new BMW legend is about to begin.
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