Comments on: New York Auto Show >>> BMW CS Takes Us Back To The Classics

By: Gunnar Heinrich

Gunnar Heinrich — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 21:56:00 +0000

Gotleib, I get you on the C, S, SL and maybe – maybe – the CLK. But the E, GL, and CL classes aren’t not pretty.

Anon, I agree with you that Bangle had the right spirit but drew with the wrong pen. Yes, the jury will be out on the next 7.

By: gotleib1

gotleib1 — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:03:00 +0000

Looks like a cool car!

Anonymous >> Mercedes’ styling isn;t all that bad, the C, E, S, CLK, CL, G , & SL are all fine looking cars. The only bad one is the R-Class/

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:03:00 +0000

Hey! Bangle was not sooo bad. He had the right ideas, just when doing them in metal they just didn’t look right. Esp the 5. Bangle was good in details – joints, seams and intersections. But at least he set BMW on a modern design path.

Not like that sorry Mercedes crew. They don’t have a coherent design idea and what they produce is without style and looks dated within 6 month. They have completely lost their way.

Regarding the new 7 – well, let’s see. The renderings in various German auto mags didn’t look half bad.

By: Gunnar Heinrich

Gunnar Heinrich — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 04:34:00 +0000

Your right, Zarba. The E65/66 won’t ever match the E38 for sheer style and definition of line. We should hope for a more appealing form in the next gen.

By: Zarba

Zarba — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 02:07:00 +0000

BMW has been running ads for the new 7 this week on the NCAA turnament, and they leave me cold. The styling is just dull, bulbous, and heavy.

Compared the the E38, it’s like looking at a boxer vs. a sumo wrestler.

By: Gunnar Heinrich

Gunnar Heinrich — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 23:16:00 +0000

Bangled and iDrove, I'll have to remember those, Alex X-D

Give the BMW 3's a chance. The current coupes and convertibles are the sharpest models in BMW's current lineup.

I entirely agree with you where it pertains to the excellence that was the previous gen. 5-Series (especially the E34 1988-1996) and 7-Series (both E32 and E38 are gems).

Also, sat briefly in the 1-series at the Auto Show. I like it. Reminds me of the early 80s 3's - straight forward sports sedans.

And I'd argue that BMW has TOO much luxury and not enough in the way of hard edged sport. What's with the column shifter on the 7?

As for the 6... not crazy about the styling but - it's interior is actually quite different from the current 3-series coupe. Check it out. I actually far prefer the 3's interior...

Glad you're seeing the light on the CLS. Brrr. The car gives me shivers!

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:35:00 +0000

gunnar gotta say…i’m beginning to see the cls thru ur eyes- ugly. lol. I loved it before too. sigh.
anyways, bmw. they have something there with the cs. however, the 7 series looks extremely plain and just plain boring. passe. the 6 series, an 80K luxury coupe, misses the mark, with the interior direct from a 3 series, and styling that initially thrills but a year later leaves much more to be desired. look at the mercedes s class, a great looking car no matter what age. look at the old bmw 740′s, a true classic, and the fives! bmw has lost their touch. and i have to say, i know some of you loved the ti back in the day and its part of the company, but if you ask me bmw is reaching for a market they shouldnt – the low end. no way i would buy a 6 series to have some high school kid pull up in a stripped 325 with the same interior and styling as my premium luxury car. talk about brand tarnishing. and yes, mercedes reaches out with the C class…but they have not forgotten their most important aspect – luxury, and year after year are NOT afraid to PUSH the s class forward. Bmw, well they bangled and idrove…and umm…put in all the same materials as a 1/4 the price one series. grand. BMW, find your path, don’t become the German Ford. Kill off the one series and 3 series, focus your efforts on making true LUXURY sport sedans. Put in the time and effort into the 5, 6, 7, and CS, and quit pushing your brand into cheapness, quit bringing down your image to the 1 and 3 series level…you aren’t not an Everyman’s car, so don’t try to be one, otherwise, you will loose all your eliteness and exclusivity….if there’s any left…

now just don’t get me started about MB’s press event. Man. someone needs to be fired over that. But their designers they can keep lol!

By: Gunnar Heinrich

Gunnar Heinrich — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:27:00 +0000

True… but as sharp a coupe as the old 8 was, the line didn’t challenge Mercedes’ ubiquitous SL – which I think was likely the aim.

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:55:00 +0000

“Though, we should recall that the E31 never really caught fire in sales.”

The 8 Series was never meant to be a mass market car like a 3 Series.