BMW: A Work of Art

For decades, the Bavarian Motor Works automotive company, more commonly known as BMW, has been an icon in European luxury automobiles. It has done an extraordinary job in setting the standard for other manufacturers from Europe, Japan, and the United States auto markets. But what keeps the customer pleased with the BMW brand is not only its vehicles superb handling and performance, but its ability to inject a certain character into the automobiles themselves. This is achieved by the use of certain design elements that can be traced through history to the earliest of the BMW models. These elements include: the aerodynamic body style of the cars and sport utility vehicles, the Hofmeister Kink which is a characteristic that involves design of rear seat windows, the quadruple headlight configuration, and the famous kidney grille that is tucked into the front bumper giving the car an all-around exclusive exterior style.

The designers at BMW have taken the style of the car very seriously since this is what primarily attracts customers. However throughout its lengthy history this company has gone above and beyond the average automobile manufacturer marketing techniques. The design team actively invites critics as well as professionals in creative studies to critique their work and coordinate adjustments that may further satisfy the eye of potential buyers. Imre Molnar, dean of the College of Creative Studies in Detroit critiqued a 7 series sedan at an auto show saying that the tail portion of the car was “inexcusable”. Tom Tjaarda, who is an independent Italian designer also chimed in saying “Unfortunately, the rear end was the first I saw of the car, and I could not believe my eyes…It is lumpy with confusing lines” (Kiley 162...

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...se of the newer model. However the sole reason this marketing scheme is successful is the philosophy behind the manufacturing process, which is the idea that the end product is an actual work of art, not just an average automobile.

Works Cited

BMW. Advertisement. Design: Signature Elements. Web. 5 Sept. 2011. .

"Brief History on the Origin of the BMW Kidney Grilles." BMW Enhancements. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. .

Kiley, David. Driven: Inside BMW, the Most Admired Car Company in the World. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley, 2004. Print.

"The New Class." BMW Cars Information. Zymic. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. .

Patton, Phil. "These Canvases Need Oil and a Good Driver." New York Times 15 Mar. 2009: 1. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 14 Sept. 2011.