BMW Design Director Hoytonk: The beginning of a fun era

NetEase.com reported on November 30th that the financial crisis continued in the spring of 2009. This was definitely a headache for the company's bosses. For some car manufacturing companies, this may be just one of countless annoying illnesses. In this spring, the chief designers of several well-known automobile manufacturing companies have turned to others. BMW is one of them. It hurts people.

In early 2009, BMW Group's design director Chris Bangor announced that he had left the top luxury car manufacturer who had created a reputation for him and also brought criticism to himself. Immediately, his seat was replaced by Adrian Van Hoytonk, whom we interviewed today.

In the exclusive interview room on the second floor of the Paris auto show at the Paris Motor Show 2010, the splendid Adrian van Hoytonke is talking endlessly about the new 5 Series, new X3, 6 Series Coupe concept cars and showers on the first floor stand. Throughout the world, many amazing, envious Vision Efficient Dynamics concept car. The designer who joined BMW in 1992 did not mention the positive or negative impact of the departure of Chris Bangor more than a year ago on the BMW brand.

In fact, in my opinion, whether the departure of Chris Bangor or the new BMW 7 Series designer Krem Habibo in March 2009 has been dug into the corners of the Mercedes-Benz, how much will affect BMW's product design. The pace of progress. Therefore, I and other media colleagues inevitably asked Adrien Van Hoytonk’s questions about Chris Banger.

“Before Banger era, BMW had more controversy in its design. Is the current design converging? We seem to feel this trend from the current model.” This problem directly challenges the BMW 7 Series in the E65 era. The design (many people have questioned or even criticized the design of the tail model and appearance of the 7 series of this generation), but also concealed concerns about the future design of BMW - convergence may indeed mean that the design of inspiration .

Adrien van Hoytonke paused and said, “I have been working at BMW for 18 years and have experienced many developments and changes at BMW. It can be said that as a designer, I grew up with BMW. Mr. Bangor is very good at inspiring other people's inspiration and the team's creativity.I have also been working in this way.I will not give the initial design plan, but let my team members to develop, I just a coach's role , so that they give the best ideas. Of course, I also need to inspire the team's inspiration. So I think in these areas, I and he are similar. As a designer, we may have different faces, but we are BMW The success of the car that was designed and sold in each generation exceeds that of the previous generation, and this success has continued. Since I took over, the first concept car under my supervision is Vision EfficientDynamics, and the design of this car is very pioneering. ".

BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept Car

A slick and slightly counter-attack answer isn't it? Actually, for the 7-series of Banger’s era, I feel that it is so ugly. There is no direct answer to this question that is already a past tense, but Adrian van Hoytonk, who is already a past tense, has no direct answer, but the “convergence” part of the question In front of him, this middle-aged man with a well-dressed and well-dressed fashion gave a strong response because the first concept car under his supervision, Vision EfficientDynamics (referred to as "Vision ED"), was not a "convergence" at all. Everyone can notice how aggressive the concept car that was rumored to be mass-produced in 2013 is complicated, with complex lines and surprisingly detailed designs.

Adrian van Hoytonk immediately added: "Now our focus in design is on lightweight design and aerodynamics, and turning them into part of our design language. Vision ED represents the future design trend of BMW. This time it became clear that the departure of BMW's top flagship sedan designers did not mean that BMW had lost its design inspiration and its grasp of future trends, but Adrian van Hoytonk actually did not have any design for BMW products. The updated idea is given because we have not yet seen the 7 Series sedan with completely new design ideas after Chris Bangor and Krem Habibo. The only relatively big change now is that BMW's products have become more and more homogenous in appearance.

BMW 7 Series 2010 HD Large Picture

“Before Banger’s time, there was a big difference between BMW’s cars, but now it’s getting more and more convergent, like Audi. Audi is the same regardless of A4, A6, A8. I don’t know what you think about this. Convergence?"

“BMW's vehicles in various series are getting smaller and smaller in appearance. Is this a trend in the future? How do you see this convergence?”

The problem becomes even more acute.

“Our products are indeed more similar than the previous years, because we believe that the distinguished brands must have a strong identification design, which is very important. At the same time, different from the products of other companies, between our cars The difference is still relatively large.BMW's car, whether from the side or the back, you can easily distinguish whether it is 5 series or 7 series, or 3 series. The 7 series grid is more spacious, the overall line is also more level, Looks more elegant and more noble.5 Series, it's waistline is low, more athletic.The concept of the 6-series cars displayed today, its lines are more dynamic.The personality of each car is very different. Horytonk replied.

“I think that the phenomenon of high-end brand products is the consistency and consistency of design. This phenomenon also appears in other luxury fashion fields, such as Prada (a fashion luxury brand that produces clothing, handbags, etc.) They also have a strong unique brand design language, which is very important for high-end brands.Under a unified design language, we will also endeavor to give each product a different personality, taking the BMW 7 Series and 5 Series. In comparison, from the front face, side and rear, although they are full of BMW style, the 5 Series is more sporty and looks more dynamic, while the 7 Series has long been more distinguished, luxurious and comfortable.”

Adrien van Hoytonk's answer explains for us what he believes are the trends in the automotive design community in recent years. Indeed, the latest 5 Series is very similar in appearance to the 7 Series, and many of my friends are talking about, "With the latest 5 Series, why spend money to buy more expensive 7 Series?"

Indeed, the BMW 7 Series has completely become a dedicated product that shows personal taste, and the 5 Series has almost completely satisfied the needs of the middle class for showing off identity. Look at the current Audi, as he said, A4, A6, A8 are very similar in the design language, even if other brands are cheap private cars are the same, such as Ford's new Fiesta and New Fox, they are in shape design More is just a head-on difference.

BMW 5 Series HD Large Picture

This is a very popular signal nowadays, but it may not be the best. Imagine if passionate Italian products also have almost the same looks. Will you cheer for the latest Ferrari 458 Italia? In my opinion, the same brand of different levels of products using the same shape design, just to tell the bulging customers "these are luxury brands of family products," in order to dispel their doubts about the brand value of new models.

However, Adrian van Hoytonk, who worked in the BMW design department for 18 years, also passed us an exciting message. We asked him, “Have you ever seen the auto show (Paris Motor Show) in these two days? What are the new trends and new changes in the overall car design that we can share with us?” Adrian Van · Hoytonke answered: "We haven't had time to look at it yet. But judging from the current situation, most of the cars on display today were designed three years ago. We are now designing the 2013 model. We need to Look ahead."

This middle-aged man is also clearly aware that the design that is now popular is about to face a major change. Just like the Vision ED concept car he supervised, the future car, or BMW in the future, will not only "converge ideas" in order to "grab" thinking to keep customers' assets - like the more similar 5 series in recent years. The 7 Series, as well as the desire to meet the desire of radical customers and sword-forward - like the grotesque but the wealth of the X6, at the same time, they will also be more in line with the fashion preferences of the entire people - economic, efficient. I believe that BMW will create more functional shape-based designs under the leadership of Adrian Van Hoytonke.

BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept Car

Just like his answer to the question, "How does today's car show Efficient Dynamics?" “Today we once again saw the concept vehicle Vision EfficientDynamics, which we believe represents the future trend of sports cars. It is a plug-in hybrid vehicle that can use either electric energy or diesel. From the design point of view, This car explains to the world that the cars of the future are not only very energy-efficient, but also very exciting, have unique emotions, are exciting and will give people a desire to drive, and they reflect lightweight design and aerodynamics. The design of these two points will become a design focus in the future."

Today, two competitive sports, F1 and WRC, which represent the most advanced technologies in automobiles, have invariably placed high efficiency and low emissions ahead of speed. F1 allowed the use of energy recovery devices. The 11-year WRC car also gave up the 2-liter engine to the smaller 1.6T engine. It is foreseeable that the future car will have more clean energy, more efficient power, and cooperate with it. This kind of energy-saving concept is designed for the purpose of development. BMW's luxury brands will deflect their own design direction.

“I worked for the BMW Group for 18 years. BMW's design goals have always been the combination of sport and elegance. We certainly have to design beautiful cars. Then everyone has different ideas, but anyway, we all think Our design was very successful. We saw the Vision EfficientDynamics concept car on display today, which represents the design direction of the entire BMW brand in the next 20 years.” The last statement of Adrien van Hoytonke is very clear Determined this.

"As the director of design, what do you think of BMW's future design direction? What kind of new theme will be promoted by continuing the original dynamic and luxury?"

“Innovation will still be a very important part of us. We have seen Vision EfficientDynamics concept car using a very new language. We are also looking for new motivation, such as hybrid power, electric vehicles, etc., which will lead to Many new types of cars give us more space for designers. The next era will be very interesting."

Well, many people can still wait for 20 years. BMW's Vision EfficientDynamics concept car is the beginning of the "very interesting next era." Do they really do this?

Adrien Van Hoytonc Resume

Hoytonton, senior vice president of design at BMW Group, current global design director.

In 1992, he joined the BMW Group as a car designer; from 2000 to 2001, he was the head of the US car design department in the DesignworksUSA studio of the BMW Group; from 2001 to 2004, he was the DesignworksUSA studio of the BMW Group and President of the United States; from 2004 to 2009, Ren BMW Group, BMW (Germany) BMW Automotive Design Director; from February 2009, he served as the design director of the BMW Group.