If you try looking at car news right now, you’ll basically only see people talking about BMW teasing its new M Concept Neue Klasse, which appears to be an electric BMW M3.
My immediate thought when I saw it was that it’s ugly. It looks like a knockoff Hot Wheels figure, with its bright red paint, bland body shape, bulbous wheel arches, and its goofy, long kidney grille with yellow lights. It reminds me of that Onion script where they pretended a five-year-old wrote the Fast Five script. Did that same toddler draw this car?
Yet… I seem to be alone. Car and Driver called it “eye-catching.” The Drive said it’s the “best-looking M car in years.” And BMW Blog said it “looks incredible.” But I’m pretty sure that last one would like any BMW-related thing, based on the outlet name. Anyway, it seems like everyone thinks this car looks awesome. Why do I find it so hideous?
BMW plans to make more ugly EVs, but gas-powered cars aren’t going away
I’m not here to comment on the upcoming vehicle’s performance. I’m not saying that it’s a bad car. It’s going to have a quad-motor BMW M eDrive setup with Gen6 technology and Dynamic Performance Control. No specifics are known (no 0-60, no top speed, no horsepower, all the usual stuff), but it’s expected to have a lot of precision and speed, perfect for spirited driving. I’m sure it’s going to be fun to drive.
That’s not the issue.
The issue is that it’s ugly.
Well, to me.
The Drive wrote: “Initial impressions are positive. I like the dramatically flared fenders, and some of the racing-minded cues BMW is apparently going to lavish on future M models that are debuting here, like the square running ‘track lights’ near the bottom of the bumper, and the yellow DRLs that call to mind endurance racing. The M Concept Neue Klasse debuted Friday afternoon in France ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, after all, so it’s only appropriate.”
I can sort of agree. The track-inspired touches are nice. I think the bumper is quite nice, especially with those red track lights. But the front is just so simplistic. It looks like they told a group of six-year-old boys to draw “the coolest racing car you can think of” and gave them 5 minutes. In fact, it sorta looks like Lightning McQueen without any of the personality.
Unfortunately, you can expect more of this stuff. BMW said this concept “showcases the new BMW M design language and sends a clear signal for the brand’s all-electric future.” But don’t worry just yet. Top Gear reported that a gas-powered M3 is still coming. I expect it won’t be so wannabe-Tesla-but-make-it-sporty like this one. There’s something about electric vehicles that makes automakers lose all of their unique design ideas and distinctive styles. They really think that a lifeless, blank-slate-of-a-vehicle means “future.” And they think we care about that “future.”
We want to live in the present. We want to feel something. We want to enjoy the drive. We want to see the car in the parking lot and pause to take a picture before we head to work. We still want car culture.
Maybe I’m just an EV hater more than I thought. But the electric M3 is ugly to me. I don’t know what you’re all talking about. Did BMW pay you?
