Automotive News Europe - February 16, 2009 - 9

February 16, 2009 www.autonewseurope.com · PAGE 9 Bye-bye Bangle – colorful BMW designer departs Love him or hate him, American stylist made people notice the brand Richard Johnson Automotive News Europe During his 16 years as BMW’s design boss, Chris Bangle supervised the styling of several striking Bimmers, not to mention the group’s RollsRoyce Phantom and Mini reincarnation. But the blond, boyish Bangle, now 52, will best be remembered for a little something called the “Bangle butt.” (See poll, right) Critics swarmed in 2001 when BMW unveiled the 7 series with its unconventional treatment of the rear deck lid. Not since Ford unveiled the doomed Scorpio at the Paris auto show in 1994 had a car created such a stir. Unforgettable ’butt’ Chris Bangle’s tenure at BMW will be best remembered for: The Bangle Butt 38% The success of the 7 series 8 8% The BMW entrylevel 1 series 5% 23% 25% Moving BMW in an innovative design direction Ruining BMW’s design Source: ANE reader poll, Total Votes: 3723 ‘Lumpy, confusing’ “I could not believe my eyes,” Tom Tjaarda, the independent automotive designer, said at the IAA in Frankfurt that year. “It is lumpy, with confusing lines, and it looks as if the boot is open.” Bangle calmly defended the 7 series. “You have to be a little different sometimes,” he said at the time. Three years later, Bangle was asked by Automotive News Europe about the events that led to the launch of the upper-premium car. He said the car was coming at “the peak of retro.” “You never heard the word emotion coming from designers like you do now,” Bangle said. The car also was being crafted as fears were rising that the Y2K computer bug was going to cause massive chaos. “There was a fear of technology, a BMW says Chris Bangle (right) is leaving the company “to pursue his own designrelated endeavors beyond the auto industry.” His replacement as BMW group design boss is Adrian van Hooydonk (left), who has been with BMW since 1992. fear of change. A fear of moving forward is naturally a part of a century change,” he said. With its iDrive controller system and its sculpted exterior, the 7 series was “quite honestly a large jump for the company,” Bangle said. That looks familiar The rear design was softened a bit on the face-lifted 7 series that followed, but perhaps it was Bangle who got the last laugh. Not only did the car sell in greater numbers than the previous generation but the rear styling of the succeeding Lexus LS and MercedesBenz S class appeared to follow a trend set by the 2002 7 series. Bangle, a graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, spent most of his career in Europe. He began at Opel in Germany, then joined Fiat in 1985. In 1992, he moved to Munich as BMW’s design chief, the first American to hold that job. “Christopher Bangle has had a lasting impact on the identity of BMW group’s brands,” Klaus Draeger, BMW’s development chief, said in a statement. “His contribution to the company’s success has ANE been decisive.” 3 Ford makes changes in Aachen See story, Page 22 Latest Launches Honda Insight will take on Toyota for the hybrid crown Low-priced Honda seeks to undercut Prius Wim Oude Weernink Automotive News Europe VALENCIA, Spain Honda wants its new Insight to raise its image in the hybrid market against rivals like Toyota. Honda hopes the Insight’s lower price, smaller size and smart packaging will be help win sales. The Insight is a purpose-designed hybrid model that will cost about 10 percent less than Honda’s own lower-medium Civic Hybrid. It is also expected to undercut the price of the upcoming Toyota Prius as well. Honda sources say the car will cost about ¤20,500 or less. The new Prius, due later this year, is expected to start at¤25,150 in Germany. The Insight is built on a modified version of the Honda Jazz platform, sharing its engine bay, fuel tank and suspension hardware. Compared with the Civic, the Insight’s packaging has been improved, with a lighter battery pack The basics Car: Honda Insight Code-name: Global IMA Launch date: April 2009 Platform: Honda Jazz, with a longer wheelbase Segment: Small Main competitors: Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid Where built: Suzuka, Japan Annual production: 200,000 CO2 emissions: 101g/km Why did the carmaker decide to add this model? To enhance Honda’s green image. What is the target group? Young, environmentallyaware families. How will it be marketed? The message is that Honda has made a socially responsible car at an affordable price. What new technology does the car have? Batteries that are cheaper and lighter. The mass-production process of the electric motor has been greatly speeded up. than before. Now we can produce 200,000 Insights annually at a competitive cost level,” Takamoto said. Honda expects to sell 30,000 InANE sights annually in Europe. While industry watchers debate the business case for hybrid vehicles, Honda pledges that its Insight will be profitable to produce. repositioned in the bottom of the luggage compartment. This layout allows Honda to give the Insight an aerodynamic design inspired by the FCX fuel cell car, said Hideharu Takamoto, Honda assistant chief engineer responsible for hybrid development. The electric motor in Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system cannot power the car by itself but gives an extra boost when needed. A 10-kilowatt electric motor is fitted between the 1.3-liter 88hp gasoline engine and the continuously variable transmission. Honda decided to use nickel-metal-hydride batteries, which are provided by Sanyo, to keep production costs down and because it can guarantee the batteries for the expected ten-year life cycle of the car. The automaker said it has found other ways to cut production costs as well as increasing the output of the Suzuka plant where it is built. “Production of the electric motor system is now five times shorter

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Automotive News Europe - February 16, 2009

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