[US///M3]

I noticed after the F30 more and more car manufacturers started incorporating in their designs:

- Exposed grill ( although not new, but BMW brought it back).

- The Ugly hood line.

- Headlights shaped with a 45° or so angle where they meet the grill.

[Year's_End]

1) Design trends. 3D layered effects will be more commonplace. I'd like to think that BMW is the trend-setter here, but I'm not sure that's the case.

2) Safety regulations and design considerations are a big factor here, not BMW. Having a higher shutline creates a larger fascia surface area, allowing more area to redesign for facelifts (see: F10 5-series around the headlights, changes in grille shape, etc.).

3) This has been a continuing trend since...forever ago. Tapered headlights with extreme rake have become increasingly commonplace. Evolving technology enables designers to create slimmer headlamp housings. BMW didn't set this trend; everyone's been doing it for the most part. Having a "focused" set of eyes is the in thing to do now.

[Red Bread]

The ugly hood line thing is so overbitched about. It's really not that noticeable in person, it lowers minor collision repair issues and as Year's End said, it makes for more extensive LCI refreshes. But it sure gives E-series owners something to just not stop rambling about. When BMW switched from the clamshell hood to a conventional one, thank god we didn't have forums...

[US///M3]

Originally Posted by Year's_End

1) Design trends. 3D layered effects will be more commonplace. I'd like to think that BMW is the trend-setter here, but I'm not sure that's the case.

2) Safety regulations and design considerations are a big factor here, not BMW. Having a higher shutline creates a larger fascia surface area, allowing more area to redesign for facelifts (see: F10 5-series around the headlights, changes in grille shape, etc.).

3) This has been a continuing trend since...forever ago. Tapered headlights with extreme rake have become increasingly commonplace. Evolving technology enables designers to create slimmer headlamp housings. BMW didn't set this trend; everyone's been doing it for the most part. Having a "focused" set of eyes is the in thing to do now.

The new S class, Audis etc. dont have the hood line, does it mean they dont care about safety?

[Year's_End]

The new S-Class's hood is already extremely high, and the shutline falls behind its grille trimming which is in nearly the same place as BMW's latest lines. Search for a photo with the hood up.

[US///M3]

Originally Posted by Year's_End

The new S-Class's hood is already extremely high, and the shutline falls behind its grille trimming which is in nearly the same place as BMW's latest lines. Search for a photo with the hood up.

It's nearly the same place as the lci e90 or how do you explain some of the new VW's with a low hood have no ugly hood line?

[Year's_End]

Originally Posted by US///M3

It's nearly the same place as the lci e90 or how do you explain some of the new VW's with a low hood have no ugly hood line?

The E90's chassis conforms to regulations set in 2005. The LCI still retains the same chassis points, so the hoodline's not going to change obviously. I'm referring to the F30's line which conforms to modern regs. That S-Class's hood is high, and the shutline still falls behind its grille.

As for the MkVII, I can't give you a concrete answer. They did update the hood's shape to be far more convex than the MkVI's, which probably gave it the necessary clearance between the engine and other hard points without need for an active hood. I could search online for an answer, but either way, these hoods are dictated by safety standards, not by some arbitrary design trend.

[US///M3]

Originally Posted by Year's_End

The E90's chassis conforms to regulations set in 2005. The LCI still retains the same chassis points, so the hoodline's not going to change obviously. I'm referring to the F30's line which conforms to modern regs. That S-Class's hood is high, and the shutline still falls behind its grille.

As for the MkVII, I can't give you a concrete answer. They did update the hood's shape to be far more convex than the MkVI's, which probably gave it the necessary clearance between the engine and other hard points without need for an active hood. I could search online for an answer, but either way, these hoods are dictated by safety standards, not by some arbitrary design trend.

Sounds like a design choice to me , since you can meet the "safety regulations" with the ugly hood line or without the receding hood line, case in point the new S class ("hood is high"), the new VW Golf ( low slopping hood) etc. And none of the recent audis have em.


The new S class hood line is no more further back than the LCI E90.


And way before the LCI E90...