Here’s Why the New BMW M Sedans Have Controversial Design
The new M sedans are some of the only BMW offerings to support the large kidney grilles.
Back in October 2020, I discussed a video that offered an in-depth look at the current-generation BMW M twins. Addressing the elephant in the room, I pointed out that the contentious styling of the sporty sedans might polarize customers. In a recent Donut Media video, Nolan Sykes explains the reasoning behind the controversial design language of BMW’s performance sedans.
Sykes reckons that BMW employs the new grille to enhance the performance of its sporty offerings. In addition to the brake ducts, the variants equipped with BMW’s 8-speed automatic gearbox get 7 radiators. The cooling is necessary for the kind of performance these cars deliver. Sykes also explains how aerodynamics might be a reason for the Central positioning of the radiators.
“Radiators are designed to have air pass through them, but if the air is doing that it can’t pass around the car smoothly,” said Sykes. He further added, “So, if all the air hitting the edges of your bumper needs to be directed around the car, the only logical place to put all your radiators is right in the center. This way you can have aerodynamic elements on the edges and cooling in the center that doesn’t interfere with each other’s airflow needs.”
Companies like Avante Design offer aftermarket bodykits for customers, who want to update the design of their M4s.
Unlike the predecessors, the radiators of the current-gen M sedans sit further away from the engine. As a result, the air does not get much room to change direction and moves faster towards the engine. Sykes also points out that in the past, BMW’s kidney grilles have never extended past the crash structure. The YouTuber claims that it is probably this reason why the new design looks awkward.
Well, we disagree with Sykes on this point. Other automakers like Audi have employed a similar design approach and their offerings are quite popular. Lastly, Sykes suggests that there is something more important than design that truly defines a car, and here, we are in complete agreement with the YouTuber. “What really matters about a car is how it feels to drive, and BMWs feel pretty damn good,” said Sykes.
Image Source: Donut Media