The new BMW minivan

[JFENG]

I am stuck in Paris for work and was a bit taken aback by the 2-series ‘minivan’

No doubt a practical and nice driving vehicle. I was fine with SAV’s, But it just feels strange for BMW to be making cars like this.

Perhaps I’m too old and set in my opinions.

 

[eriknetherlands]

Agreed; i had the same feeling first time i saw it. It isn't a breathtaking example. Let's just hope it brings a lot of cash to make other cars that do take me turn my head.

 

[teahead]

Not really a "minivan" if the rear doors don't slide fore/aft.

Funny how BMW really has gone downmarket so to speak. I'm sure still expensive because you're paying for the name, but really, who would want one of these?

 

[deQuincey]

Not really a "minivan" if the rear doors don't slide fore/aft.

Funny how BMW really has gone downmarket so to speak. I'm sure still expensive because you're paying for the name, but really, who would want one of these?

i agree with your first part argument, but then
you probably do not understand the point far away as you are in the us, (you have another image of what a bmw is), but even though it is a pity, lots of europeans think that car is worth to dedicate some of your salary to it
a shame
you in the us stay pure !

 

[teahead]

I don't get your point DeQ.

Isn't BMW regarded as a "Premium" brand? Everywhere in the world? Or is that only in the USA?

It used to be, owning say, a German Luxury brand car had some cachet and had styling to match the price. But with vehicles like this, it may still have the price, but where is the styling?

I mean, c'mon! Can't BMW hire some designers from say...Jaguar? Compare that black blob to this:

 

[autokunst]

I mean, c'mon! Can't BMW hire some designers from say...Jaguar? Compare that black blob to this:

OMG, that new BMW is terrible. This is the marque that we spend so much time and history with??? No, they've sold their soul to some accountant. Love the Jaguar - that thing is sharp. If it only came with a manual transmission...

 

[teahead]

Sadly, many designers just plain suck. And the car companies' executives needs to be sh*tcanned for creating such horrid cars like Porsche Panameras, Macans, and now Ferrari w/the up-coming SUV.

 

[Dohn]

In BMW's defense, the "black blob" is a European sized minivan; while the Jag is a crossover. Different missions, different solutions. Here is the BMW version of the Jag, the X4. Maybe not quite as cool, but less likely to throw a code and shut down some dark and stormy night. I do think they're both shopping at the same wheel store...

 

[Belgiumbarry]

isn't that 2 series van a ..... front wheel drive ? :eek:

 

[Dohn]

isn't that 2 series van a ..... front wheel drive ? :eek:

Yes, shares the Mini platform, as does the X1 they sell in the U.S. BMW found out the owners of the original RWD X1 thought it was FWD anyway, and weren't bothered, so they ran with it.

As far as premium, these entry level big sellers just free up cash for the M cars and such. The European market has a different idea of premium, as they are not put off by Mercedes trucks and taxis when they go to buy their big Benz...

 

[teahead]

Can't wait for Bentley and Rolls to make minivans and subcompacts.

 

[teahead]

Why must a "minivan" be so ugly though? To purposely make it look cheap compared to their X5, X6 variants?

Sheetmetal is sheetmetal. Doesn't take ANY more money to design a good looking vehicle than to design an ugly one.

 

[Ohmess]

While I generally agree that today's car designers are somewhat lacking, I don't think it is the accountants who have ruined car design (but they probably have ruined vehicle longevity and the ability of an owner to maintain his own vehicle). Instead, I think all the governmental requires imposed on cars today make it extremely difficult to make a good looking vehicle.

Pedestrian injury abatement, for example, requires the adoption of absurdly high hoods and massive front grills that are impossible to make look good. Belt lines are also ridiculously high to meet safety requirements; you can no longer comfortably hang your arm out the window in a modern car. Headlight height, turn signal placement, plastic clad bumpers due to the need to make a high percentage of the vehicle from recyclable plastics, etc., etc.

We are lucky to have cars designed before all this crap was adopted.

 

[Sooner]

Currently owning my 3rd X5, had to check out the Jaguar, my Knees are against the dash with everything as far back as possible, I'm only 6'3", but it is good looking.

 

[Bmachine]

While I generally agree that today's car designers are somewhat lacking, I don't think it is the accountants who have ruined car design

I was at a design conference at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles and I asked the presenter who was a professor from Art Center in Pasadena about that subject. His reply:

"There are far more extremely talented car designers out there than the car companies can even use. But, apart from a few high end daring companies like Lamborghini, Bugatti, Ferrari, Tesla, etc..., all of them are run by their marketing departments. Because that is where the money is coming from. And the more mass produced a car needs to be in order to be profitable, the more they focus on "not offending the largest number of people". From there you get the blandness we see at the lower and middle end of the spectrum."

Apple and Tesla are two great example of the opposite of that, where they are run by one strong willed individual who values design far above what the marketing department thinks, even for mass market products.

 

[Ohmess]

I was at a design conference at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles and I asked the presenter who was a professor from Art Center in Pasadena about that subject. His reply:

"There are far more extremely talented car designers out there than the car companies can even use. But, apart from a few high end daring companies like Lamborghini, Bugatti, Ferrari, Tesla, etc..., all of them are run by their marketing departments. Because that is where the money is coming from. And the more mass produced a car needs to be in order to be profitable, the more they focus on "not offending the largest number of people". From there you get the blandness we see at the lower and middle end of the spectrum."

Apple and Tesla are two great example of the opposite of that, where they are run by one strong willed individual who values design far above what the marketing department thinks, even for mass market products.

Perhaps my comment was too harsh on the talent level of car designers; I wholeheartedly agree with the "blandness" comment. I was watching an episode of Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and he captured in perfectly. He looked out over a parking lot full of modern cars and said "This is just oatmeal."

Another marketing department design thing that drives me crazy is the level of electronics in modern cars. If we could buy cars without all that crap they would be cheaper, lighter, simpler, more reliable and safer (because we wouldn't be distracted by all the lights and knobs and screens and whatnot). I think the marketing guys believe this stuff is necessary because of "checklist" type car reviews such as those provided by consumer reports where the lack of a certain electronic feature seems to diminish a car's overall score. My 8 year old Range Rover has 37 computers in it (the new ones have even more). And, when I jump in my Range Rover to drive it, I turn off the touch screen that is programmed to come on when I start it up, and the parking/backup warning system any time I put the thing in reverse. I don't like my vehicles flashing and blinking and beeping at me.

 

[CSteve]

Perhaps my comment was too harsh on the talent level of car designers; I wholeheartedly agree with the "blandness" comment. I was watching an episode of Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and he captured in perfectly. He looked out over a parking lot full of modern cars and said "This is just oatmeal."

Another marketing department design thing that drives me crazy is the level of electronics in modern cars. If we could buy cars without all that crap they would be cheaper, lighter, simpler, more reliable and safer (because we wouldn't be distracted by all the lights and knobs and screens and whatnot). I think the marketing guys believe this stuff is necessary because of "checklist" type car reviews such as those provided by consumer reports where the lack of a certain electronic feature seems to diminish a car's overall score. My 8 year old Range Rover has 37 computers in it (the new ones have even more). And, when I jump in my Range Rover to drive it, I turn off the touch screen that is programmed to come on when I start it up, and the parking/backup warning system any time I put the thing in reverse. I don't like my vehicles flashing and blinking and beeping at me.

Put BMW badges on a Camry or an Impala and most people would not know the difference. Same goes for SUVs.

 

[JFENG]

Not really a "minivan" if the rear doors don't slide fore/aft.

Funny how BMW really has gone downmarket so to speak. I'm sure still expensive because you're paying for the name, but really, who would want one of these?

If
You want to grow, the big numbers are in (1) down market cars (2) China, (3) India.

This might be a killer product for India.

 

[JFENG]

“drives me crazy is the level of electronics in modern cars.”

Because I don’t keep my modern DD’s beyond 160k miles and 10 years, I LOVE th benefits of modern electronics. Many of them make driving safer and more convenient. The only one I currently hate is the open-everything feature on my keyfob. Last fall the open button inadvertently got held down in my pocket and my x5 opened up in the rain. Luckily I discovered this after 15 min and nothing was ruined. Don’t understand why this feature is not disabled when the rain sensor detects moisture.

 

[Ohmess]

“drives me crazy is the level of electronics in modern cars.”

Because I don’t keep my modern DD’s beyond 160k miles and 10 years, I LOVE th benefits of modern electronics. Many of them make driving safer and more convenient. The only one I currently hate is the open-everything feature on my keyfob. Last fall the open button inadvertently got held down in my pocket and my x5 opened up in the rain. Luckily I discovered this after 15 min and nothing was ruined. Don’t understand why this feature is not disabled when the rain sensor detects moisture.

Of course; most people love the modern electronics. Otherwise the car companies would not have adopted them. I would simply like the option to get a stripped down car.