“BMW develops and launches a new vehicle, on average, every four to five years,” says Lisa Reck, the president of technology at NSK, an automotive-parts supplier. You may have loved or loathed the design, but it has put the brand on a new path. It was generally assumed that the switch to the massive BMW 4 Series grille was the result of market specific requirements. Well, the reality is that the design has more than enough ties to the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage concept, a jaw-dropping car that ultimately influenced BMW’s direction in design in ways that nobody expected.
A History of the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage
The BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage debuted in 2014, also unveiled in the M1 Hommage’s studio. It was a tribute to the iconic 3.0 CSL but included many futuristic design concepts. Regarded, like the original, by many as the focus of the concept of a BMW coupe in olden days – decades ago Few other cars are as well-known and admired as the BMW 3.0 CSL with its striking design. The form (especially its grille) became the starting point for rival automakers’ styling strategy.
Though the Hommage R — a more polished take on the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage – was never intended for production, its influence was certainly taking hold. Ian Robertson, board member of BMW for Sales and Marketing at the time, appreciated the grille’s potential and argued to fit this feature to production cars.
The Miss with the 8 Series
Interestingly, the first car to almost get the grille was not the 4 Series, but the 8 Series. Robertson acknowledged that grilles were increasing in size across the industry, but said he wanted BMW to develop a look that was distinctive. Well now, that is exactly what the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage did –big, brash and easily identifiable.
Timing was not right for the 8 Series, but the time came with the BMW 4 Series.
Why the 4 Series Got the Giant Grille
The BMW 4 Series was chosen for the design change because it was the right choice at the right time in the right segment, according to Robertson. Coupes are “statement cars” to begin with, and that striking BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage-borrowed grille didn’t hurt the 4 Series from establishing its own unique identity. And that was not just the NBA BMW M4 buyer but the entire 4 Series range.
The 4 Series’ big grille split opinions but certainly made the car as an iconic brand identifier. As for the coupe segment itself, there is not much comparison out there and the BMW 4 Series has managed to stand out, not just by its looks but by the way it drives. Robertson defended the decision claiming strong sales of the BMW 4 Series and M4 as evidence of its success.
The BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage’s Legacy
Whether you love or hate the big grille design, its pedigree cannot be denied. The BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage – the forbidden image BMW’s 3.0 CSL Hommage inspired a design direction that would eventually become one of the most polarising talked-about in modern BMW history. It was the visual DNA which differentiated the 4 Series, but also a design language that will continue to shape the brand moving forward.
The BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage is a clear sign that concept cars are not only futuristic visions but also foretell the impact of production cars and brand identities.
FAQ
BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage is a concept car introduced at the 2015 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este designed by C.Pisano and Hussein Al-Attar for BMW. It was inspired by the 3.0 CSL racing car of 1970.
Yes, the enormous, full-throated grille of the BMW 4 Series was a direct result of the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage concept.
A low volume BMW 3.0 CSL did make it to production, but the Hommage concept itself wasn’t mass produced.
BMW figured those buying the coupe were after a more aggressive, attention-grabbing style, so the 4 Series was the perfect vehicle for taking on the grille design of the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage.
