When the new BMW 7 Series launched it caused a stir because of its new grille design. The all-new 7 Series’ design language changed and a huge new grille now dominates the face of the executive car. There was backlash for the design choice with many saying it is oversized. It launched at a similar time to the X7 SUV which sported a similarly huge grille.
Chief designer Adrian van Hooydonk is aware about the polarising car’s new face and in an interview with Motoring, defended the decision.
“The backlash is more or less the same as we expected,” the Dutch designer said to Motoring.
“The X7 was launched at the same time and that’s why it’s thrown into that discussion, but the X7 grille is proportional to the size of the vehicle.
“All the cars in that segment are typically quite big.”
“The briefing we got was to make sure people understood the difference [between the 7 and the 5 Series] and notice it.
“When we launched the car [the 7 Series] it was quite smaller. The feedback we got on that was that people couldn’t see enough difference to the predecessor.
“On the 7, I understand that people can be shocked. I notice the criticism. I think in a way it’s inevitable.
“My objective is to do something that everybody likes but it’s not always possible.”
While some may think it looks like a basking shark feeding, there has also been a positive response to it too, according to the designer.
He stated that part of the decision was based on international taste. While Europeans may lean towards the smaller and less overt and ostentatious their audience in China have apparently responded positively to it.
“The 7 has always been the hardest to bring the expectations of the entire world into one shape. The customers are very, very different in China, the US, the Middle East and in Europe,” he said.
“The rest of the world is the opposite. We tried to give the Europeans what they want as well but the strongest market for the 7 is not Europe.”
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