CAR interviews Chris Bangle: what he did next (2009)

By Nargess Shahmanesh Banks Motor Industry 22 December 2009 12:30 Chris Bangle is a hard act to follow, even for Chris Bangle. Like him or loath him, the former BMW design director is one of the most famous car designers of our times, recognised for shaking the established status quo with his ‘flame surfacing’ and his radical take on car design.  Then in March 2009, after 16 solid years, Bangle announced his retirement from the Bavarian brand and – seemingly – car design.

Ferrari 458 Speciale: Frankfurt 2013

The Ferrari 458 Speciale (pictured) unveiled at Frankfurt Ferrari probably won the crown at the Geneva Motor Show in March with LaFerrari as ‘Star Car’, so whatever they brought to Frankfurt would be a bit of a let down. But at least they brought something new. The ‘something new’ is the hardcore version of Ferrari’s mid-engined supercar, the 458, and Ferrari obviously used the same naming committee for this car as they did for LaFerrari – it’s the Ferrari 458 Speciale.

Toyota 4Runner

Toyota unveiled the fifth-generation 4Runner at the 2009 LA Auto Show. The new design embraces its robust SUV identity more than its immediate predecessors, which also distinguishes it from the similarly sized but more urban Toyota Highlander sibling. To read our opinions of the new 4Runner's design see our 2009 LA Auto Show Highlights.