BMW Design Goes The Path Of Trans-Humanism Or Something

The Frank Files is a series of deep dive critique on design, produced by noted Art Center College of Design graduate Frank Stephenson, primarily focused on the creations found in the world of motor culture. Image Credit: Frank Stephenson (2022)

BMW Design Goes The Path Of Trans-Humanism Or Something

In a day and age tainted by fears of a Virus pandemic response raging for almost two years, causing major auto-makers to forego displaying at places like the LA Auto Show in 2021, BMW, with the release of its latest designed SUV tabbed the XM, has adopted a confusing design language that seems to be speaking in tongues.

This impression is not just a "one-of" by a writer who follows Motorsports and Motor Culture as a main focus, but one that was recently paraphrased in a video presentation produced by famed vehicle and products designer who once contributed to this BMW design legacy (noted through the MINI rebirth & the X5), Frank Stephenson.

Another impression shared on Frank's posted META/FB timeline by a Motor Press Guild colleague, John Grafman plays out as follows: 

the bmw design is indeed confusing. 

all roads may lead to rome, but all the lines on the xm are leading nowhere. furthermore, the surfaces, which are iffy too in this illustration, will only be more muddled in the real world where the lighting is not ideal.

sadly, it's easy to see how the design could be pulled out of the trash bin, but unfortunately it's too late for that.

did bmw clinic this design before moving forward? were those that were survey inebriated? were there no designers brave enough in the studio to say that the emperor has no clothes?

i saw the initial oversized grill design on a bmw (vision) concept five or so years ago in person at a centennial celebration down at barker hanger. that car had numerous unique features that were most likely not destined for production. i thought the grill was one of those. i was wrong ... and so was bmw.

ENDS

BMW must have been impressed through some of the elements put into design lexicon by Lamborghini and soon thereafter adopted by Toyota.

Squared and angled wheel well defining element harkens to a mathematical influence found through a computer program as opposed to a natural flow. Image Credit: Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (2021)

The designers of the Toyota RAV4 could not resist the addition of the black plastic defining shape around the wheel well introduced by Lamborghini earlier in the year. Image Credit Toyota Motor Corporation (2021)

Algorithms may be the cause of this confusing display of surfaces and elements. A trend is emerging out of the advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) where the Human brain of a specific Human being might be replicated/reproduced. 

This image was resourced through the postings of Joe Allen, publisher of Singularity Weekly found at joebot.xyz. He alerts all of us about the impending influences and possible transformation in Humanity of Artificial Intelligence technology and the replication of the Human brain imported into a baseless & faceless machine(s). Image Credit: The Next Web (2021)

This trend and line of study is called Trans-Humanism or Singularity. What if this was being applied through automobile design with a room full of replicated Trans-Human designers? Where every successful design language is fed into the Singularity designers and this was the best they could come up with?

Heck, first time Electric SUV (2 models) manufacturer from Vietnam, Vinfast, seems to have had a greater grasp on the definition of their language in design than BMW. They even managed to not replicate the no-grille bull-nosed front end famously used by Tesla (and others).

Vinfast VF e35 front end. A front end that looks a bit more like a grille as opposed to just a plug. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2021)

Vinfast VF e36 rear quarter view. Tail lights that enhance the nameplate of the manufacturer. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2021)

At its base, vehicle design is art. In a two dimensional world, we have great examples of impressionistic extremes - Picasso, Dali, Pollock, Kahlo, Warhol, Bradford, and etc.. - each with their own themes. When one is confronted visually through so many themes and elements as one is with this BMW XM release is left asking, exactly, "Where is the art?" 

Upon first impressions and review of the BMW XM, we are left with a design that speaks to the observer in tongues, and not a one is left wagging.

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: BMW, XM, SUV, Frank Stephenson, The Frank Files, critique, design, Vinfast, Lamborghini, Toyota, Joe Allen, Singularity Weekly, Trans-Humanism, brain-computer interfaces, The EDJE