BMW eases into a life without chrome
At BMW, the conclusion was simple. The gloss and chrome shine that defined the brand for decades had run its course. From February, the first new cars will wear updated badges, signalling another careful step towards a more minimalist and digital identity. This is no revolution that sends fans onto the streets, but it is a subtle enough shift to make a trained eye pause on a new SUV or saloon.
The Bavarian manufacturer handled the update without fanfare, letting the design speak for itself. The new generation iX3 became the first to test the revised look, its nose carrying clues to many sleepless nights in the design studio. The most obvious change is the removal of chrome. The shiny inner ring that once separated the black outer edge from the blue and white centre has gone. So have the silver outlines that framed the colour segments, allowing blue and white to meet directly for the first time in the brand’s history.
Matte finishes and quieter signals
The entire badge now wears a satin finish with an almost matte appearance, replacing the mirror smooth surface that dominated until now. When BMW introduced its transparent communication logo in 2020, it was meant only for screens and printed material. This version is different. It is a physical emblem that will appear on all new models, regardless of whether they are electric or powered by traditional combustion engines.
In a telling move, BMW also dropped the blue accents that previously marked out electric models. The message is clear. Electricity is no longer a special case in Munich, it is the new normal and no longer needs visual emphasis.
Part of a bigger picture
The refreshed look forms part of the wider Neue Klasse strategy, through which BMW is trying to balance its historical heritage with a forward looking vision. Critics may argue that without chrome the emblem loses some of its old gravitas. What remains is undeniably cleaner and more contemporary.
It feels like a finely made watch stripped of excess gold and decoration, leaving the engineering to speak for itself. Whether this change quickens the pulse of the average car owner is open to debate. Inside the Bavarian offices, the belief is firm. The future is matte and free of chrome.
