2007-2009 Toyota Tundra Front Matte Black Vertical Grill Grille on 2040-parts.com

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.

Like it or not, autonomous cars are here -- almost

One of the odder things about living in "the future" is that things develop so gradually, hardly any of the really amazing things we're exposed to every day seem amazing or futuristic. If the iPhone had just appeared from nowhere in 2007, there would have been riots, demonstrations and legislation. But since we had a Blackberry first, and dedicated cellphones before that, the iPhone and its progeny were never quite shocking.

Maybach officially turns up its toes

After almost a decade of trying, Mercedes has finally officially thrown in the towel and announced the end of Maybach production. Maybach – a brand name almost unknown outside Germany when it was revived – was supposed to be Mercedes’ answer to Rolls Royce and Bentley. And perhaps it could have been.