BMWs are getting massive kidney grilles, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Actually, a report from Autocar suggests people don’t want to stop this trend, at least according to BMW. The news outlet cites BMW Senior VP of Product Management Peter Henrich as saying feedback to the automaker’s bonkers grille “has been very positive.”
That’s a bold statement considering the litany of negative comments we get on BMW articles referencing the larger-than-life grille for vehicles like the X7 and the upcoming 4 Series. Admittedly, we aren’t conducting an official poll, and people generally are motivated to post about things they don’t like as opposed to things they do. Still, we’re keen to know more about this feedback. Are we talking about current BMW customers? Focus groups? A general survey of various online BMW forums and digital halls filled with Bimmer enthusiasts? We’ve contacted BMW in hopes of learning more about the feedback, and we’ll circle back if new information surfaces.
Big Grille Is Big:
We can say without question that, in our daily activities we’ve encountered more people who don’t like BMW’s move towards the larger grille, especially on cars like the upcoming M3 and M4. However, there’s an interesting caveat to this that the Autocar article also touches on. Not all BMW vehicles are created equal, and the big grille does seem to work better in some applications. The X7, for example, certainly seems to wear the grille better than what we’ve seen thus far on 4 Series renderings and leaked photos. To that end, Henrich did point out that different BMW models have individual positioning in the company’s lineup.
“Some cars are more extroverted, more bold than others as they have different messages to transmit,” said Henrich, according to Autocar.
Gallery: BMW Concept 4
This statement seems to leave the door open with regards to the company’s design language, specifically with regards to the big grille. In short, not every model could see the upsized schnoz. But for the near-term at least, the hardcore M3 and M4 seem destined for the upfit despite the considerable criticism we’ve heard.
Where are you on this subject? Give us a yay or nay on your thoughts about BMW’s big grille for its iconic high-performance range.
Source: Autocar