New BMW X5 Guaranteed To Turn Heads

The X5 could be the latest benefactor/victim of the new design language.

We've all seen the BMW X7 and the concept that will be very similar to the next BMW 4 Series. As the people at BMW have said, this bold new design that integrates massive elongated grilles into the front fascia of the brand's new cars won't be going away anytime soon. On the X7, the grilles are more squared while the 4 Series concept shows a more rectangular style, but what would happen if these two extremes were brought together on the next BMW X5? Well, digital artist TheSketchMonkey has the answer, and even he admits that this may be a step too far.

MIH

The designer breaks down his thought process behind how he thinks the new design may be implemented and how it may have been better executed on the Concept 4 that was unveiled in Frankfurt last year. While the design is divisive, nobody can deny that it highlights BMW's most famous calling card - twin kidney grilles - in a manner that is difficult to look away from.

Other automakers have also jumped on the trend of big grilles, with Lexus and, most recently, Mercedes' new S-Class, among others showing that this is what cars look like now. Each different marque has its own unique trademark design flairs, and Lexus and Merc have each integrated signature styling with in-vogue styling characteristics, with varying levels of aesthetic success.

Alternatively, those gaping maws could have something to do with keeping those turbocharged engines cool. But for the sake of this exercise, we'll keep the focus on design.

In the past, not even the beefy X5 M ever got such massively flared nostrils, but the way of the world is changing and automakers want to ensure that there is no doubt what brand a vehicle belongs to, even from a distance. Thus, the X5 and every other modern car will likely undergo even more radical changes as the years pass to maximize exposure for the brand that designed it. Some love it, some hate it, and some couldn't be bothered, but as we enter a new era of design, we can't help but think that the 2020s won't be remembered as fondly as, say, the 1960s. Regardless of the direction car design takes, we'll be here to report on every new development as it happens.