BMW design is in an interesting place at the moment. Its cars are getting bigger, more bloated and its design language is straying further and further from tradition. It’s not just the new mahoosive grilles but also the lack of proper Hofmeister Kink in many modern Bimmers. Though, there’s a chance that, with time, we can grow to appreciate these new designs. We’ve actually grown to appreciate many BMW designs over the years that weren’t popular when new.
To give some perspective on BMW’s current design language, let’s take a look back at some of BMW’s previous designs that have gotten better with age.
The first one that comes to mind is an obvious one — the E60-generation 5 Series. Admittedly, I’m personally still not a fan of the E60 but it’s a design that’s starting to make a comeback. Many BMW fans actually quite like the design of the E60, despite it being absolutely trashed by critics in its own day. While its Bangle Butt still isn’t great, the rest of the E60 is starting to grow on most of us.
Another one that’s always been sort of an oddball is the BMW Z3 M Coupe. When it first debuted, the majority of enthusiasts absolutely mocked the look of it. It even gained a fun nickname — the Clownshoe. Admittedly, its incredible driving dynamics allowed most enthusiasts to forgive its looks. Now, though, its hilarious looks are charming and endearing, even if they haven’t exactly aged well. We still all like the Clownshoe more now than we did then.
Personally, I’ll also say the BMW X7. When it first debuted, I thought it was awful looking; a giant, garish monstrosity. While I still don’t find it beautiful, I now think it works far better than I did when I first saw it. It’s also only been two years or so since we’ve seen it. So it’s aging well and quickly. Admittedly, that could just be due to BMW’s latest penchant for buck-toothed grilles. Also, the fact that it’s such a good three-row SUV helps its styling.
These aren’t the only Bimmers that weren’t loved on first debut but have now become more popular. So which BMW do you think has transformed the most with age?
