in this case, about cars.

I'm sure you're right about the driving aspect of the new 5er, but I could not disagree more about the styling

Bmw sedans derived their unique place by looking like purposelful and well proportioned normal sedans, all while driving like sports cars. Their look always appeared to be driven by pure function rather than flourish. They didn't try to be different, they simply evolved as they kept trying to achieve a timeless standard.

The desire to make a car look different for the sake being different is best left to niche sports car designers, and less inspiringly, to teen coupe manufacturers.

I frankly don't think of a sports sedan as a means of stylistic expression - its a matter of creeping ever closer to an elusive but well-established "form" of car. While this is most singularly a creative enterprise, it doesn't really have much to do with expression for art's sake. In fact, obvious flourishes detract from the creativity needed to progress the sports sedan ideal.

Saabs undertake this same kind of struggle to evlove toward a "form" of perfection, but use a different ideal; one based on front wheel drive surefootedness, turbo efficiency and increased practicality. I actually believe that the Saab 900 series and the Porsche 911 series share a good proportion of the ideal, despite the massive differences between the cars.

The mini, the Beetle and the Jag xj sedan are more examples of designs that seem to flirt very closely to the ideals that inspired them.

Don't get me wrong. Plenty of other beautiful cars throw this line of thinking out the window, and are great precisely because they are so revolutionary. I just never thought of the Bimmer 5 (or any of those listed above) in that way.

posted by 24.173.1...

• New BMW 5 series..........YIKES!!!!!!!!!!, andy , Mon, 2 Jun 2003 19:04:27
  • Looks like a Pugeuot 406 from the rear nm, Paul , Tue, 3 Jun 2003 21:22:48
  • Controversay worth more than taste?....., Mike Lynch , Tue, 3 Jun 2003 18:42:26
  • The great thing about opinions, phred, Tue, 3 Jun 2003 10:47:36
    • Um, the whole point of a BB is to express opinions, Nervousaaber, Tue, 3 Jun 2003 12:38:52 <-- Viewing This Message
  • Let's face it...>, StanleyB, Tue, 3 Jun 2003 08:10:48
    • Re: Let's face it...>, Pete Saab 9-5, Tue, 3 Jun 2003 08:20:42
      • Z4 selling well?, Dinger, Tue, 3 Jun 2003 10:48:03
  • Ha ha ha ha....uhhhhhhhh..., Nervousaaber, Mon, 2 Jun 2003 21:15:53

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