Big changes are underway at BMW, starting October 1, as the company reshuffles its design leadership. Adrian van Hooydonk remains at the helm as the overall design boss, but the person responsible for crafting the iconic look of BMW’s core lineup since 2019, Domagoj Dukec, is moving on. The Frankfurt-born Croatian, known for his belief that "good design is not about pretty or ugly," will be taking up the same role at Rolls-Royce.

For BMW, the future design strategy will now rest on two shoulders. Maximilian Missoni, previously the design head at Polestar, will be in charge of BMW’s upper mid-size and luxury models. This includes some of the brand's largest vehicles, as well as the prestigious Alpina-badged models. Missoni’s move comes after six years of shaping Volvo’s electric sub-brand, and now he’s set to bring his minimalist yet striking design approach to BMW’s bigger offerings.

On the other side of the spectrum, Oliver Heilmer, the design head at Mini since 2017, will take responsibility for the compact to mid-size cars, including the beloved M models. With the future of BMW’s smaller cars in his hands, Heilmer will also oversee the design of the brand's performance-oriented M division. Stepping into Heilmer’s old shoes at Mini is Holger Hampf, the former head of Designworks, BMW’s creative consulting subsidiary. Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce’s former design chief, Anders Warming, will now oversee Designworks and lead its "Advanced Design topics" division.

BMW has also appointed Claudia Braun to lead a new cross-brand department focusing on Colour and Material Design, working across BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce. Christian Bauer remains the key figure behind the brand’s digital customer experience, further enhancing BMW’s tech-driven interiors.

While these shifts may spark speculation about BMW’s design direction, the numbers tell a different story. BMW set a sales record in 2023, moving 2,252,793 vehicles despite the polarising reception to some of its recent designs. Social media may be ablaze with criticism, but in the showroom, BMW is winning.

Could they have sold even more cars without the controversial styling? Maybe, but BMW’s sales success shows that the company knows its audience. The brand’s wide range of combustion engines, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles covers the premium market extensively. For those nostalgic about the brand’s glory days of the E46 and E39, BMW's recent direction might not strike the same emotional chord, but from a business standpoint, it’s undeniably working.

Take the resurrection of the M5 Touring, for example. It’s returning to America for the first time, alongside the M3 Touring in other markets. The Z4 roadster, still available with a manual gearbox in the M40i, also nods to purists, while the rest of the lineup continues to evolve to meet modern demands.

However, the reality of 2024 is that the bulk of BMW’s success comes from its SUVs. Models like the X1 to the X7 are the real commercial drivers, even if the XM remains a bit of a design misstep. Meanwhile, the interior shift towards massive screens and the gradual elimination of physical buttons, including the iDrive controller, hasn’t deterred buyers. It’s clear that BMW’s tech-centric interiors are resonating with today’s audience, even if it signals the end of an era for those who miss the tactile controls of yesteryear.

The Neue Klasse EV concepts, however, promise a new design direction for the brand’s electric future. Although the current generation of BMW’s iX3 and the upcoming i3 sedan for 2026 will largely escape the influence of the new design team, the real change will come towards the end of the decade. By then, these fresh minds will have had a chance to leave their mark on BMW’s future, and we might witness the next big evolution in the brand’s styling.

For now, BMW’s reshuffle signals an exciting new chapter for a brand that’s no stranger to reinvention. And while we may long for the days of the ultimate driving machine, the reality is that BMW’s design—love it or hate it—is still driving them to record-breaking success.