Article Summary
- The modern MINI designer isn’t a fan of the 2026 BMW iX3’s design.
- Frank Stephenson finds the retro-modern grille “too pinched, almost puckered up.”
- The Maserati MC12 designer thinks the fender creases are “visually jarring.”
Frank Stephenson is known for always speaking his mind and not shying away from calling things as he sees them. The man who designed the first modern MINI once said the 507, 3.0 CS, and the M1 were the company’s greatest hits. The new iX3? Well, not so much.
In an interview with Top Gear magazine, the man who worked on the X5 E53’s exterior was brutally honest in assessing the Neue Klasse design. The kidneys are apparently a “new/old beaver-toothed grille graphic” and sit above an “overly busy” air intake area. Although Stephenson believes BMW has made the right decision to tone down its exteriors, he argues that some areas could still be improved.
For example, he finds the creases on the fenders “a bit visually jarring,” while the rear is “a bit generic” for his tastes. Up front, the grille is said to be “too pinched, almost puckered up.” Head over to Top Gear for his full assessment of the new iX3’s design and to learn why he isn’t exactly a fan: “Nice try, but better luck next time.”
It’s far from the first time Stephenson has criticized BMW’s design. In his analysis of the 2 Series Coupe (G42), the man who penned the McLaren P1 rhetorically asked whether BMW is digging itself into a deeper hole. In another video, he famously said “recent designs have lost their way.” The renowned designer also roasted the XMsaying the front end “doesn’t make any sense.”
While beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, it’s important to note that models launching after 2029 won’t come from the same team responsible for the cars mentioned above. BMW revamped its design department when Domagoj Dukec moved to Rolls-Royce in October 2024. In his place, the company appointed two designers: Maximilian Missoni will work on 5 Series/X5 models and above, while Oliver Heilmer is responsible for the smaller vehicles.
Both have dual roles, with Missoni also leading BMW ALPINA and Heilmer overseeing M cars. Adrian van Hooydonk remains in charge of the BMW Group’s design team, supervising the new structure, which also includes Holger Hampf as MINI’s chief designer.
Since the first BMWs influenced by the new designers won’t arrive this decade, the Neue Klasse wave of more than 40 cars due by 2028 was styled by the previous teams. The iX3 gets the ball rolling for the company’s new aesthetic, with the 3 Series (G50)i3 (NA0), and X5 (G65) set to follow this year.
The 7 Series (G70) will undergo a facelift, but spy shots suggest it won’t receive a full Neue Klasse makeover. Instead, it will retain the large grille and split headlights while gaining the all-new interior, with iDrive X taking center stage.
Source: Top Gear
