Original X5 Designer Slams BMW iX3 Design: "Boring, Grille Looks Like Beaver Teeth"

Frank Stephenson, the renowned designer behind the original BMW X5 and MINI Cooper, has recently voiced public criticism of the upcoming all-new iX3. As the first model built on BMW’s Neue Klasse platform—featuring next-generation electric motors, batteries, and the latest tenth-generation iDrive system—Stephenson nonetheless described its design as “lacking visual highlights.” He criticized the abrupt character line on the front fenders, calling the kidney grille a “mismatched blend of old and new, resembling beaver teeth,” and noted it appeared overly pinched. He also deemed the lower front bumper intake unnecessarily complex and redundant for an electric vehicle. At the rear, he said the design was “too ordinary,” losing the distinctive identity of BMW’s signature taillights. While acknowledging that the new grille represents an improvement over BMW’s recent exaggerated designs, Stephenson bluntly concluded, “It’s a good try—better luck next time.” Stephenson has long been critical of BMW’s recent design direction, previously calling the XM’s front fascia “nonsensical” and questioning whether the 2 Series Coupe’s styling was “digging itself deeper into a hole.”