Chris Bangle to receive lifetime design achievement award

Chris Bangle

After years in the vehicle design industary, Chris Bangle has been chosen by top automotive design professionals as the winner of the 2012 Lifetime Design Achievement Award.

The group of designers that chose Bangle for the award only obtained that privilege by wining it themselves. EyesOn Design annually issues the award, with past winners including Tom Gale, Giorgettor Giugiaro, Walter de’Silva, Chuck Jordan, Shiro Nakamuraa, Robert Lutz, Jack Telnack, and Sergio Pininfarina.

Bangle was born in Ohio, raised in Wisconsin, and received his Bachelor of Science at the Art Center College of Design in California and later earned a Master’s degree in Industrial Design at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Opel Junior show car and the 1993 Fiat Coupe designed helped launch his career. In 1992 Bangle was named the first American Chief of Design for BMW Group, and is responsible for the Z9 Gran Turismo concept, 3, 5 and 7 series redesigns, the Z4 and X5 generations, the X6, and the Mille Migna concept, along with others.

The Mini Countryman and Clubman have both be designed by Bangle’s team, as well as several Rolls Royce models. He is responsible for the design of BMW’s best-selling 7 Series, too. The EyesOn Design will be presenting this award to Bangle at an event next June at the Elanor & Edsel Ford House.

– By: Alexandra Koken