Chris Bangle of BMW fame is now helping Xiaomi design cars, and production of the Volkswagen ID.2 might not be fully ramped up until 2026.
This is AM Drive, Motor1's daily look at the news you need before you get in your car.
Ex-BMW Designer Chris Bangle Helping Xiaomi Draw Its Future Cars
The second echo of BMW in Xiaomi's car design team has just been revealed.
— Tom van Dillen (@vandillenpek) December 29, 2023
Look who entered the stage: Mr. Chris Bangle! Although it was already clear that Mr. Sawyer Li, also ex-BMW, was heading up the EV design department at Xiaomi Technology, we now have a second clear echo… pic.twitter.com/ubXLJuph8o
In case you've missed the memo, Xiaomi is now a car brand. Its first car is the SU7, a large electric sedan built under contract by BAIC. The lead designer was Li Tianyuan, who penned the polarizing BMW iX. The Chinese tech giant has now added another former BMW designer to its payroll, none other than Chris Bangle.
Xiaomi chairman and co-founder Lei Jun took to X to make the surprising announcement about Bangle's new role at the company's car division. Christopher Edward Bangle was appointed chief of BMW design in 1992 after working for Opel and Fiat in the 1980s. During his stay in Bavaria until 2009, he penned a multitude of models, some of which had the infamous "Bangle Butt." The E65 7 Series is a prime example, as is the E63 6 Series Coupe.
Volkswagen ID.2 Mass Production Could Be Pushed Back To 2026
Volkswagen unveiled the ID2.all concept last year as promise of an affordable electric car scheduled to go on sale in 2025. It's still coming next year but a new report from Auto Motor und Sport (via Automotive News Europe) claims mass production is going to be pushed back to 2026. Apparently, the loosened Euro 7 regulations will allow VW to sell the Polo at a profit beyond 2025, so the German company is in no hurry to replace it with the ID.2.
Consequently, mass production at SEAT's Martorell factory in Spain has reportedly been delayed to May 2026. Based on the upcoming MEB Entry platform for electric cars with front-wheel drive, the VW ID.2 is expected to retail for less than €25,000 ($27,000). VW is already working on a sub-€20,000 ($22,000) EV scheduled to arrive later this decade.
Meanwhile, the production-ready ID.2 is still expected to get an official reveal in 2025 but production could be limited until around mid-2026.
