German Car Zone

Chrome strip won't look good on the 5er when LED light cluster is arranged in an angle as compared to straight across in the truck light on 7er. I preferred BMW would not attempt to place the chrome strip on F10 production model.

Unfortunately, you can thank the Americans for 'needing' chrome on cars to class them as luxury vehicles. The initial E60 didn't have much chrome lining at all, but BMW realised their 'mistake' and corrected it when it came time to facelift the E60.

This time around, the 5er will have a chrome strip at launch. I don't think there's much to worry about it terms of a straight chrome strip being offset by the curved angle of the LED light cluster because from the FEP pics it's clear there will be enough straight lines on the rear-end, and there will also be a number of upswept curves which are at the same angle as the curvature of the light unit to make the entire rear-end cohesive and harmonious (to a degree.. this is still BMW afterall).

IMO of course.

I am with you on that one Beemer. The SUBTLE use of chrome would be fine BUT hopefully BMW would not make the mistakes made in the past.
BMW and chrome does not go well, as we BMW fanatics know already.
Chrome are reserved for certain makes of cars - of wich Britain made e.g. Rolls, Bently and American made automobiles....I would include Mercedes-Benz from the German manufacturers - BMW....NOT!

Source: Auto Express

In their article on the F10 spy pics they wrote it so beautifully...

'Here's proof that the BMW 5-series is shaping up very nicely indeed. These latest images show the handsome executive wearing minimal disguise - and it's clear to see that it's going to be on of the best looking cars in its class.'

The motoring press like's it already!

F10 5er : the missing link between 3er & 7er ... Featuring all the latest BMW styling language, mightiness & aggressiveness of the current generation, and the grace & elegance of the previous one.
It started with 7er, following by 5er, and will continue with new 3er ... Back to classic BMW proportions - combining elegance with aggressiveness, while retaining the powerful & mighty stance of the "Bangled" generation ... And the avant-garde "flame-surfacing" styling. Which is now more & more becoming a mainstream.

It will be analog to latest F01 7er: when compared to FL E38 & FL E65. F10 will be in a very similar relation - although with E60 & E39.

And yes --- as said in 2003/04 already: ... BMW are refining the Bangle designs ... retaining the good solutions, and bringing back some old ones that were missed much by the customers. Bangled generation was one huge experiment - making a huge step forward ... to see how much further the boundaries can be pushed. And the marketing guys have learned A LOT. That makes a great marketing cache & know-how for the many years ahead.

And why this experiment was so great? Because it was done at the company's peak point (financial & business wise) - when a company was least vulnerable, and in good condition to experiment.

Imagine BMW experimenting in this times ... starting with F01 ... It would be a disaster.

But with launching a whole generation of daring designs & styles, BMW actually created a real-life "customer clinic" ... usually such things are done with pilot groups, in limited numbers, and getting results with a help of statistical methods.

They got lots of info, where they got too far (and had to make a step back), and where even further steps forward can be done.

Therefore - as said in 2003/04: this upcoming generation will be one of the best BMW generations ever: featuring all the good things of the old & current generations. Automotive eugenics. Cargenics.

And there are some news on 7er GT ... check the "Phoenix rising" thread ...

I'm just sitting here and thinking how DIFFERENT this whole build-up and response to the spy shots of the new 5 compares to what was of the W212 E-Class, which I followed from the very beginning.

The 5'er is met with so much excitement, and even under the disguises, is gaining immediate recognition as a design improvement. It was really wasn't this way with the W212 (it had its fans, but as a whole it was really the other way around). Maybe BMW fans are more enthusiastic and optimistic? Maybe the new 5 is a much better execution than the W212 (that is in fact my opinion)? I dunno, just interesting. M-B fans tend to be more conservative in nature (definitely not all though of course), so it is expected that they'll need a bit of convincing before they hop on the bandwagon.

I dunno, just interesting.

Or ... the BMW CM is doing an excellent job ... while MB one is actually non-existent.



Mind the SCOTT project has been active for almost ten years now.

Perhaps investment in SCOTT was much more clever move than eg. making a supercar. Brand-image wise ...

It's not a secret BMW is very active in the internet ... and it's considering the new media very seriously. While some others are a bit more conservative ... or traditional.

Yes, eg ... MB, Porsche, Audi etc --- they all offer WEB-TVs etc ... but somehow BMW WEB-TV & it's videos are much more exposed & visible. Although BMW wasn't the first one launching such a project.

BMW use marketing (promotion, to be more clear ... especially PR & advertising) much more effectively ... using new approaches ... and beside being a design company, BMW are now transforming in a media company as well.

And, yes ... there has ever been a certain enthusiasm when comes to BMW brand, and it's fans. Especially among younger population. And still is ... not only due to the products (vehicles) but also due to communication approach which is much closer to the communication habits of today's youngsters. And being in ouch with time, BMW are able to keep BMW brand alive, exposed, and making it utterly dynamic & modern. As said many times: brand is much more than the product itself. But the product is the main foundation, of course - and the most important part of the brand promoter. Without desirable product a brand is dead.

As much BMW CM can be some times, it does a great job - for the company, for the brand, for the fans, and for the future customers.

Modern, dynamic, powerful, successful, independent, free-spirited, joy-bringing ... BMW.

Who does not want to be associated with all the above-listed characteristics?!

The most young people (from 15 to 25) preffer Audi i dont know why but for tjhem Audi is more modern and fresh then BMW .
When BMW will be young then they should build sporty cars liek Z2, when BMW want to be modern they should bild aggresive looking car maybe the next 3er coupe can be that!!!???AND WHATS IMPORTENT A sexy softtop is much more sporty than a heavy hardtop .

The BMW brand is ALIVE AND WEL!!

In the RSA the opposite is true! AND worldwide the BMW is stil outselling Audi and will be for years to come!!!!!!!!!!!!

The 1er is HUGELY popular amongst younger people, the X1 is coming to dealers soon and beleive me the next 3er would not be as bland as the new-ish A4!

THE POWERFUL PRESENCE SO CHARACTERISTIC OF A BMW!