BMW explains the reason behind those massive grilles on its cars
Published on Sep 20, 2025 at 8:00 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Sep 18, 2025 at 2:30 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
BMW has explained why it introduced its somewhat divisive massive grilles.
BMW put the super-sized grilles on a number of its cars, including the 7 Series and XM.
But it’s fair to say that the style choice was received with mixed reactions from motorists.
Now, the BMW Group Design Director has revealed what was behind the decision.
DISCOVER SBX CARS – The global premium auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
BMW design director explains thinking behind massive grilles
When it comes to matters of style and design, it’s obvious that you can’t please everyone.
And that certainly seemed to be the case when BMW started putting massive grilles on the front of its cars, with some folks thinking the large grilles were just a little too… well, large.
However, it seems BMW doesn’t share that opinion, and says it all depends on where you are in the world.
BMW Group Design Director Adrian van Hooydonk was recently asked if he thought the super-sized grilles may have become ‘too radical’.
“No, because it depends on where you are in the world,” he told Car Expert.
“In certain areas in the world, like China, it is good; people are still asking for big grilles. So this is sort of the tricky situation that you’re in as a global brand.”
Van Hooydonk said the design went beyond aesthetics, as the grilles were highly functional.
BMW says the large grilles serve several engineering purposes, including cooling efficiency, active air management, and housing sensors and tech.
He went on to say that BMW took note of all the negative comments from car enthusiasts but that the design didn’t lead to a drop in sales.
Is BMW saying ‘goodbye’ to the large grilles?
For those of you who don’t like the look of the massive grilles – good news, BMW certainly seems to be scaling them back.
The carmaker is gearing up to launch the first of its Neue Klasse models: the 2026 BMW iX3, and it sports a much smaller grille at the front.
In fact, it looks like the carmaker’s gone in the opposite direction because these grilles look like they’re going to be tiny.
Van Hooydonk said that the company was still more than happy to take risks when it came to design, even if it wasn’t to everyone’s taste.
“We believe that time is now [with the Neue Klasse]. We believe now the risk of not changing enough would be far greater than changing too much. And so far, that has always served us well,” he said.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
