Quote:
Originally Posted by Daaan
Sure it has something to do with cost aswell, but not only...go and check out the most recent regulations and „recommendations" about car design for pedestrian safety...
You also have to take into account the structure under the front, not only what you see outside, and sure others do not have the hood line but other safety mechanisms instead, check out Volvo, they even have a „hood airbag" on some recent models, other manufacturers have features that lift the hood a few inches on impact to create a folding structure. Ask google, there are a lot of examples.
And no reason to take this as an offense, I did not say that I like the hood line, nor that I'm defending BMW for doing it, I just answered a question of a member that was wondering about it, and as you say, costs are definitely also a reason, but for sure not the only one...
Before just bashing BMW, inform yourself about how others are doing it and why they are able to not have a hood line, they have choosen an other way, why BMW did not, only they know, but they proved that they can do it without....
And to get back to the cost cutting, I don't think that they do not need to cut costs on the regular 3er, but have to do it on the M3/M4/4er. And why does the F30/F80 both have a hood line, obviously because they share the similar front bumper designs (top part of the bumper, kidneys).
And if you look closley, there is a reason that the kidneys are folding towards the bonnet on the new 3er, which obviously is not that easy to do with the kidneys they decided to use on M3/M4 and new 4er...maybe that is one of the many reasons for the regular 3er not having the hood line  |
- Why don't you post in here the "most recent regulations about pedestrian safety"?
- The new 3 does not have a hood line. There goes your pedestrian safety previous claim...
- The front airbag was tried by many and abandoned by all. The internal structure consists in more foam as the vehicle must offer some pedestrian protection without triggering the interior airbags. It is a very sensible issue for the manufacturers.
- The folding hood was also made but with costs involved (Jaguar)
- The 3 inches of deformable space between the hood and engine is already embraced as a general rule
- There are no "recommendations", there are regulations that need to be met
- Taller and bigger vehicles (X3/X5/X7) don't support your idea one bit as the impact point is higher; and they have no hood line either...
- The kidneys are "folding" because they improved the aerodynamics of the car, including "by design". There is a press conference in this forum somewhere, where the design chief says clearly that everything is modified to improve the aerodynamics to a new level. If you look properly, you will see that from the folding line up, the kidneys are filled with black plastic that is there to direct the air. The new hood is more pushed forward to be more "air cutting". If you will visually eliminate the kidneys from that hood line you will see that it looks awkward. So they blend engineering with design. That's all!
- Yeah, the smoother angle helps in a case with a pedestrian impact but that can be obtained with a "folded" hood as well. BMW chooses the big grill design so they blend everything accordingly.
- If the new M3 will keep the same front, it will be obviously line free. If it doesn't and has those huge grills, there must be a strong structural approach to offer the demanded rigidity requested to sustain the 5mph test and support all the required elements. That is why Audi and other's black grill has a fake or big part covered.
- You said that you "just answered a question of a member that was wondering about it". Bring in the logic and support your claim.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daaan
Before just bashing BMW, inform yourself about how others are doing it and why they are able to not have a hood line, they have choosen an other way, why BMW did not, only they know, but they proved that they can do it without....
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Enlighten us please. How others are doing it?
Please feel free to bring in some material where you explain how others are doing it. I am looking forward to your reply.
Probably you should "ask Google" to understand the design better. The new 3 Series kidneys are a proper example of design that maintains aerodynamic purposes.