BMW 1-Series Line-up Digital Plastic Surgery

1-Series
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In this latest generation of BMW cars, we are seeing many of the “experimentation” in design removed to revert to something a little more conservative.

One obvious example is the difference between the E65 and the F01, and the addressing of several common complaints with the E90’s design. I feel the most of the lines and curves of the 1-Series look very good, except somehow they just had to add an odd sagging line at the bottom.

1-Series
Click to enlarge

Then I remembered we have Theophilus Chin and his magical Photoshop, and the result is what you see above. The 1-Series really looks so much better without that sagging line!

But of course, the 1-Series was first introduced in 2004 and the hatchback was already facelifted in 2007. But the 1-Series coupe was only introduced recently and is actually a full half generation behind the hatchback, so I wonder if the coupe will be “facelifted” in 2010 to “fix” this.

Look after the jump for more 1-Series digital plastic surgery!

BEFORE:
1-Series
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AFTER:
1-Series
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BEFORE:
1-Series
Click to enlarge

AFTER:
1-Series
Click to enlarge

BEFORE:1-Series
Click to enlarge

AFTER:
1-Series
Click to enlarge

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • BanyakMasukWorkshop on Mar 23, 2009 at 7:55 pm

    agree.. straightline looks better than the Sagging line.

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  • maybe the lines are there due to aerodynamics? or possibly cause it has to be such to accommodate certain wirings within the door? it's certainly not as clean looking as it is without the sagging lines but I'm sure it's there for a reason, I dont believe no one in the BMW design team can miss something like that…

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  • koozold on Mar 23, 2009 at 8:00 pm

    zzzz…not nice at all!!!the original better!!!

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  • Paul Tan on Mar 23, 2009 at 8:15 pm

    They didn't miss it, they put it there!

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  • Oh No……tats the main ingredient of flame surfacing. Perhaps just alter the degree of sloping line to make it better, not totally straight

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  • maestro on Mar 23, 2009 at 8:19 pm

    there may be a number of reasons why a sagging line at the bottom is added, as DtG quite rightly pointed out a few. it may be the case as well that it provides easier acces in and out of the car. Practicalities is something that BMW designers always look at.

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  • Paul Tan on Mar 23, 2009 at 8:28 pm

    I really doubt it has any function other than creating some play of light on the side.

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  • For me, the original 1 looks better.

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  • Its is more agressive

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  • BanyakMasukWorkshop on Mar 23, 2009 at 8:40 pm

    [quote comment="223527"]I really doubt it has any function other than creating some play of light on the side.[/quote]

    i agree paul.. the sag has nothing to do with access.. its purely aesthetic. when you open the door.. the sill is still straight.

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  • MyviKiller on Mar 23, 2009 at 8:50 pm

    Aiyah… Having an expensive car is like having a beautiful wife who needs costly plastic surgery… really Bite My Wallet a hole…

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  • Goniothalamus on Mar 23, 2009 at 9:05 pm

    The sagging line is the Chris Bangle's design mark. But, now he left.

    No more sagging line for incoming model.

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  • the stik on Mar 23, 2009 at 10:30 pm

    pembaris dia bengkok kot?

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  • kei9 (Member) on Mar 23, 2009 at 10:42 pm

    Hmm..

    I still this with or without the lines. It's still looks badarse. Just that the headlights bothers me a bit. Way too flowy and big for such car. Maybe they should launch a all new 1-series soon.

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  • pulge on Mar 24, 2009 at 1:06 am

    Or maybe some fat guy driven the car alot and cause the side of the car goes saggy. :P

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  • flamed2 on Mar 24, 2009 at 4:02 am

    I totally disagree, I think it's much better with the current lines.

    I love how that line is connected from the headlamps all the way to the rear, which creates a flowing line. This is much more pleasing then a straight line, which makes the car look very stiff. The 1 series is the first BMW that I really like! :P

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  • mystvearn on Mar 24, 2009 at 4:30 am

    OMG, that took me a while to notice the diffrence. I did not read the text and looked directly at the images. Its hardly a difference at all

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  • androndraco on Mar 24, 2009 at 4:46 am

    well, i don't want to argue about the reason why bmw prefer it their way and why paul tan prefer it his way. just want to ask theo: how'd you do that? theo, i salute you. you are a photoshop master. i'm still in the learning curve.

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  • Theophilus Chin on Mar 24, 2009 at 5:27 am

    [quote comment="223705"] just want to ask theo: how'd you do that? theo, i salute you. you are a photoshop master.[/quote]

    Hold on there. I'm no master lah. It's just my personal passion, to "manipulate" car pictures hahahaha… As to how do I do it? Well everyday when inspiration comes, along with the right picture, i just use Adobe Photoshop, and occasionally Adobe Illustrator (to draw gap lines and occasional gradient shading). It helps that I'm a Graphic Designer.

    In the end, if you have the will, and patience, anyone can render and/or chop any car.

    Anyway thank you for the compliment.
    www.theophiluschin.com

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  • Wisdom on Mar 24, 2009 at 6:28 am

    Straight line doesn't pull the trick… too blunt and didn't mix well the overall themes.

    May i suggest the opposite; upright or slopes upward line (anti-sagging). The tip will drop behind front wheel and in front of the rear wheel…. sure look muscular enough.

    Can u sample some…

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  • pushtak on Mar 24, 2009 at 6:54 am

    it's probably has something to do with increasing the turbulent effect around the vehicle..more turbulence will make the car easier to steer as we reduce the effect of stagnant layer of laminar air flow…the closer it is to road surface the thicker the laminar flow is and this is probably why they add the sagging line closer to the sideskirt areas…..of course this could be proven wrong…

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  • riseofthemachine on Mar 24, 2009 at 9:24 am

    the sagging line made d car looks smaller.hence,sportier…

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  • Bodow on Mar 24, 2009 at 9:50 am

    Sagging line is way way nicer to look at instead of the all- too- familiar straight line . i think BMW designers are real geniuses …. tabik spring design wise .

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  • azrai on Mar 24, 2009 at 8:39 pm

    So Paul manage to give Botox to 1 series side profile. If our national marque produce this it will call Saga minus the last a. :-)

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  • the curve lines is part of the thing that makes the 1 series unique .

    no point making it straight as it makes the car porportion goes wrong .

    the curve line make the car looks more rigid and shorter .

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  • chaku on Mar 25, 2009 at 2:30 pm

    i like the coupe with straight lines..but i dun mind having the sag line on the hatchback..

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  • I think it depends on which model..without the roof the sagging line looks better..

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  • hidrogentank on Mar 25, 2009 at 11:53 pm

    how about keep the curve from the back door onwards, and straighten the front half as to connect to the front airdam instead of the front lamps. itl be like an inverse hockey stick.yeah ..always thought the sag lines needed a little editing.

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  • without the curve. the car looks too long on the hatchback; but it not too obvious on the coupe… should be one of the design solution for having that odd line… so the car looks more compact.

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