6 Of The Worst-Looking BMWs Ever Made

BMW is one of the most desired luxe car brands on the road. However, no company is perfect, and even BMW has had its share of massive car flops in the past. However, these flops were still works of art in metal and on wheels, and the reasons why people don't buy a particular model is often related to the car having too high of a price tag or sporting reliability issues.

But if you look through the annals of history, you will find a few BMW models that didn't quite hit the mark in the style department. These are often brought about by mismatched proportions or a controversial design, making these particular models stand out from the BMW lineup like a sore thumb. While some might say that these cars are rather unique (and they might even have a few fans), we just can't sugarcoat it — these cars are ugly. So, let's take a gander at some of the worst-looking BMWs we've ever seen so far.

The BMW 3 series is the brand's best-selling car, and this compact car has made its mark in the automotive world. However, it was still quite large for some buyers who wanted an upscale hatchback, and the BMW 1 Series (E87) didn't come out until 2004. So, before that, the company made the BMW 3 Series Compact (E36/E46) from 1999 to 2005.

The first BMW 3 Series Compact is essentially a BMW 3 Series (E36) that had its rear end cut off and replaced with a hatch. Although this dropped development costs, making the version more affordable than the sedan, it meant that the proportion of the vehicle isn't quite right. It still looked like an E36 upfront, and you'll likely expect it to be one on approach. But when you see its profile, it just looks like an E36 Coupe that lost its trunk in an accident.

The company did the same thing for the succeeding BMW 3 Series (E46), when it released a compact version in 2001. It still bore a similarity to the larger sedan, coupe, and wagon, but its cut-off rear just makes it look awkward. Aside from that, BMW changed the front headlights of the car to make it stand out from the rest of the line BMW 3 Series (E46) lineup, and it did stand out — for the worse.

Thankfully, the company eventually released the BMW 1 Series in 2004, which had better proportions and gave the company the hatchback that it deserved. It even spawned the rare BMW 1 M Coupe, giving birth to one of the most desirable small two-door sports cars to ever enter the market.

The BMW Z3 is one of the most successful models to ever come from the brand. Even James Bond drove one in Goldeneye, turning it into one affordable Bond car. Our titular spy hero had the BMW Z3 Roadster, which allowed you to drive with the top down and the wind in your hair and looks absolutely gorgeous. However, this is not the case with the BMW Z3 Coupe.

The Z3 Coupe looks just like the Roadster with a huge metal roof plunked directly on top to replace the soft top. This wouldn't have been a problem if BMW kept the profile of the Z3 Roadster, just like how Mazda did it with the MX-5 Miata RF. But instead of doing that, BMW turned it into a hatchback, with the roofline nearly going all the way to the back and ending in a hatch.

This may sound a bit more practical because it gives you more storage space at the back. However, you're still limited to just the two seats, so it doesn't really make sense for BMW to do that. The Z3 Coupe would have looked much better if BMW just gave it a smaller greenhouse and a proper trunk, or maybe even turned it into a proper retractable hard top even though that would reduce trunk space. After all, you don't buy a coupe because it's practical.

A car brand's flagship offering is often the swankiest, most stylish model, so this should ring true for the BMW 7 Series. In fact, James Bond drove a sleek and highly advanced BMW 7 Series (E38) in Tomorrow Never Dies, putting it in our list of every car the British spy drove. But when the company followed it up with the E65, the sleek and slim design made way for a rounder, chubbier look.

The car's headlights became a bit bubblier, losing the E38's serious look, while the rest of the body also got chunkier. However, the biggest and most controversial change happened on the rear. The trunk looks like a misshapen slab of metal that is completely out of place from the rest of the car. Furthermore, the lightbar on the pre-facelift model enhanced the abruptness of the shape of the car's behind, with the rear lights feeling like they've been cut off awkwardly.

Thankfully, a facelift a few years down the line improved things. Although the profile still felt a bit heavy and awkward, the rear light design was completely revamped, helping unify the vehicle's look. Some automotive experts even say that this facelift is one of the most successful done in the history of BMW and may have saved the legacy of the E65.

The BMW iX is the brand's first take on a small EV SUV and was supposed to help the luxury car maker catch up with upstarts like Tesla and Rivian. We even got our hands on it and took the BMW iX for a first drive when it came out in 2022, and we found the car's performance, interior, and range to our liking. However, the vehicle's front fascia is on the controversial side — that's why it made our list of BMW ugly.

The carmaker decided to put two massive kidney grilles right on the front of the vehicle, giving it a jarring look when you see it for the first time. This design language is similar to what the BMW M3 and M4 have in front — two massive kidney grilles that let their powerful engines breathe easier. However, the iX is an electric car and it doesn't have internal combustion engines that need a lot of air. In fact, if you look closely, the kidney grilles on the iX don't let the air pass through, they're just there as a design statement.

More than 20 years after the Bavarian auto maker released its contentious full-size luxury sedan, we're getting another with questionable styling. The BMW 7 Series (G70) is suffering from the same issue that we're complaining about in the BMW iX — that massive black kidney grille that looks absolutely out of place from the rest of the vehicle. But this time, the shocking look of those grilles is compounded by the set of four headlights up front. Although this combination makes the car look futuristic, it's not kind of future that I'm looking forward to.

This design is made worse by the black accents on the front bumper that stand out if you have a white or light-colored car, making it look like it has handles up front. If you really like the BMW 7 Series (G70), I recommend getting one with a darker color as it hides the gloss black parts of the front fascia pretty well. In fact, our first drive of the BMW i7 xDrive60, which came in a satin black finish, looked like it's the perfect villain car ready to take you to your secret lair.

[ Featured image by Alexander-93 via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0 ]

I've come to accept the large kidney grilles that BMW is putting in front of its latest models (except for the truly massive ones that aren't needed, like the ones on the EVs) but I don't understand why BMW had to put that glossy black plastic on the front bumper of the BMW 5 Series (G60). I get that maybe it wanted its car to stand out in sea of vehicles that all look the same, but maybe it shouldn't do it in a way that looks like the car has a black trash bag stuck on its nose.

The BMW USA website even shows some BMW 5 Series (G60) trims without this hideous black piece, and I would say that it looks better without it. The two massive kidney grilles still tell you that you're looking at a BMW, while the angular headlights and cuts on the bumper still give it that sporty look. But if you don't mind the weird glossy black plastic on the front of the car, you do get a solid experience with the BMW 5 Series, whether it's the 2024 BMW 530i xDrive or all-electric 2024 BMW i5.

[ Featured image by Alexander-93 via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0 ]