I love walking around auto shows with Chris Bangle. He always has a different perspective.
Many of you have likely already seen what Daniel Simon thinks of the new Toyota Prius design. He certainly didn’t keep it a secret, and you can’t fault his argument. So when I happened upon Chris at the Frankfurt show I thought I’d get an earful on why the Prius was a hideous mess, or some other version of the same story.
I’ve written about Chris on numerous occasions and published videos of his views here before. He’s certainly not a man to shy away from controversy and he’s always keen to speak his mind. Sometimes I think he just does it to play devil’s advocate, or to rile people up and provoke a reaction. But one thing’s for sure: he’s always got an opinion.
The thing I love about Chris is that he’s brutally honest. You never need to guess what he’s thinking — he wears his heart on his sleeve and he’ll tell you flat-out. That’s an admirable quality in a man, let alone a designer. Most people I meet keep their opinions to themselves. Perhaps it’s because I’m a journalist and those who don’t know me think I’m a vulture like so many journos out there. But I’m not.
So back to Bangle: His views on the Prius might surprise you, but they’re no less insightful. Watch the video above and let me know your thought in the comments below.
