We’ve recently seen BMW’s latest electric concept, the Vision iNEXT, and it sports the brand’s latest Kidney Grille design, even if the term “grille” is used loosely with the iNEXT. It’s a very radical change from the brand’s traditional Kidneys, as it’s essentially just one large piece of black trim and it isn’t even separated in the middle, as all previous Kidney Grille’s have been. It’s also one of the main talking points, criticism or otherwise, for the iNEXT. So we thought it’d be interesting to take a look back at some of BMW’s famous twin-grille designs throughout the years.
One of the most iconic, and one of my personal favorite, BMW Kidney Grille designs was that of the BMW 328 Roadster. With its long, swooping hood and rounded front end, its Kidney Grilles were very long and skinny. They’re some of the most interesting to ever front a BMW, yet they’re also some of the best.
To get to the next truly iconic set of Grilles for a Bavarian, you have to fast forward about 20 years to the BMW 507. The 507 is one of the most truly beautiful and iconic roadsters in history and possibly BMW’s prettiest design of all time. Its Grilles are a huge part of that beauty and they’re basically the exact opposite of the 328’s. Rather than being tall and skinny, they’re short and wide. Very wide, spanning almost the entire front end and are reminiscent of cool mustaches.
Following the 507, one of the better interpretations of the Kidney Grilles was on the BMW E9-based cars, most famously including the 3.0 CSL. The tiny, narrow grilles so close together gave the BMW E9 cars an almost Nosferatu-style set of buck teeth. Odd but cool. The first-gen 6 Series was also quite similar.
After that, BMW’s grilles became rather standard for awhile. Then the first-gen 8 Series comes along with its tiny, low-mounted Kidneys that sort of threw a lot of fans off a bit. Though, the 8 Series’ mug is unmistakable now, so it was clearly the right choice.
Fast forward again, all the way to 2014, and you get quite possibly the wildest interpretation of the famous BMW grille design — the BMW i3. The i3, lacking the need for traditional grilles due to its electric powertrain, received just fake plastic ones. They looked funky and had a bit of blue tint. Though, they were refreshing to see, as they kept BMW’s traditional look while also moving toward the future.
Now, we’re looking at the aforementioned iNEXT. It’s the latest interpretation of the famous design cue and, while it isn’t the most beloved at the moment, it’s certainly a new step forward and we’re happy that BMW won’t ditch the famed Kidney Grilles. Even though they aren’t technically grilles anymore.
With the conjoined kidneys in recent models and iNext, the kidneys have de-volved, not evolved.
…and they should stop using the word ‘kidney’ and start using the word ‘lung’.
Don’t be silly
Remember the iNext is just a concept and might end up with a more historically looking grille. I think due to sensors etc it must be joined and on the large side though.
Why does any electric car require a fake radiator grille?
From kidney grille to beaver teeth grille.
New kidneys just look like a KIA. Bad!
No, the KIA “Tiger Nose” grille looks just like a BMW Kidney Grill, as the designer responsible at KIA was poached from BMW….
I thought he was Audi, Stinger profile is bad A7.
I confused him with Pierre Leclercq, from BMW.
And Pontiac ripped them off decades ago. Look where it got them.
I was hoping fro a lot more when I saw the title for this article – More accurate title woudl have been “Two examples of BMW’s many Kidney Grille Designs.” – Certainly not an Evolution article
If you want nearly a century of history try Google Images. Don’t look for kidneys on an Isetta & they’re horizontal on the 507.
Bigger than a Rolls-Royce Parthenon. No wonder Z4 is horizontal, this wouldn’t fit! How long for Kia to rip it off? So people can whine BMW looks Korean…
The Decline of the BMW Twin Kidney Grille in 2018
There’s your correct title.
Why NOT get rid of them? They’ve gotten rid of (or drastically altered) almost every other “signature” design element. The headlights are twinned, but pretty much generic. The Hofmeister kink is gone.
The kidney “grille” is functionally unnecessary (everybody complains loudly about Audi’s fake exhaust pipes–why would fake kidney grilles be acceptable?), and are altered so much that they’re barely recognizable as kidneys anyway, and they’re so large that they make people angry. So why not just leave them off?
The only thing that’s actually still a BMW-signature is the roundel. Hopefully they won’t mess with that.
Stylist´s gone nuts……kidney grille no longer…..beaver teeth is right…….