Former BMW Chief Designer Chris Bangle reminded the automotive world that cars should evoke emotion, not just pass board approval. In an interview with RBK Radio, he discussed which vehicles from recent years genuinely caught his attention. It turned out that the person fans still accuse of aesthetic crimes doesn’t choose cars based on the criteria of «expensive, powerful, prestigious, preferably with a huge grille so your neighbors know you succeeded.» He is interested in something else: does the car have its own character, is it capable of surprising, and does it attempt to change the conventional idea of a car? For this reason, his list includes both the Nissan electric crossover and the tiny urban Citroën.

The electric Nissan Juke caught Bengal’s attention due to its expressive nature. In the opinion of the legendary designer, the Juke is interesting because it doesn’t try to please everyone, doesn’t hide its quirks, and doesn’t look like the result of a collective fear of the sales department. The car is not obligated to be beautiful in the conventional sense; rather, it must be recognizable. The first Juke looked excessively bold, but that is precisely why it was remembered. The new electric Juke continues this tradition. Consequently, Nissan at least won’t have to explain to buyers which one of the dozens of identical «EVs» is parked in front of them.

Citroën Ami—a tiny electric vehicle that exists in its own universe, defined by symmetrical body panels, an extremely simple construction, and toy-like proportions. Bangel called the project iconoclastic—breaking established rules. While other manufacturers compete over screen size, charging power, and interior lighting, Ami asks, «Hey guys, what if you took a car the size of a small refrigerator if all you need to do is get to the office?» It is not a vehicle for a family seaside vacation; it is primarily urban transport. Bangel noted that getting into it isn’t easy given his height, yet he remains captivated by the model.

Bangal himself drives a first-generation BMW X6. Before this model emerged, manufacturers explained to buyers that the SUV could accommodate a lot of useful cargo. After the X6 was released, they began convincing people that the trunk had to be truncated for a sleek roofline. You can complain endlessly about the pointlessness of the X6 crossover coupe, but its high body, sweeping roof, peculiar proportions, and deliberate disregard for practicality created a new class of vehicles. The market spoke with its wallet.