BMW is changing its famous badge as it moves into Neue Klasse era

BMW has just quietly changed its iconic logo as the brand transitions to the ‘Neue Klasse’ era.

We say ‘quietly’ because the company hasn’t announced it, and also because the new logo looks almost exactly the same as the previous one.

So it’s a case of ‘same, same but different’.

But there’s something else about BMW vehicles that’s changed a lot.

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Why BMW changed its logo

The new logo designed for the Neue Klasse era is indeed so similar to the previous one that it takes a while to actually spot the differences, but there are a few.

The letters now feature a satin finish, replacing the previous glossy chrome look.

Also, the white elements inside the blue circle are a bit closer to the outer ring, and this was partly done because the logo will now be the same for every model.

Electric BMWs used to feature a different logo with a blue rim around the ring, but that’s no longer the case.

The one thing that’s truly changed with the Neue Klasse design language is the kidney grille design.

It’ll still be quite large, but the shape will be different because the two kidney-shaped vents will be more vertical and slightly narrower.

The kidney grille will still be present in every vehicle in the line-up, including electric ones, which wouldn’t really need it because they don’t need a radiator.

But the kidney grille is iconic, which is why it’s not going anywhere.

An iconic grille shape

First introduced in the 1930s, the kidney grille has gotten a lot bigger over the last few years, and it’s now a symbol.

But it used to be a necessity.

It was originally designed to maximize air inflow, thus cooling the engine more efficiently.

As cars evolved, BMW still kept the grille because it had become a flagship feature.

Adrian van Hooydonk joined BMW in 1992, and when he took over as director of design in 2009, after Chris Bangle, grilles got bigger.

BMW has faced some backlash for that but for a very good reason.

Van Hooydonk said there’s no going back.

“If you want to create something that stands out, it must be distinguished and it has to be different,” van Hooydonk told Top Gear years ago.

“[The grille] fits the type of customers we are targeting,” he added.

Translated, as long as sales are strong, the brand won’t be getting rid of the grille.