American designer Chris Bangle understands that it can be difficult to see a car in terms of Art with a capital A. As such, he separates his work into issues of "automobiles" (unemotional products, causing problems such as pollution and congestion) and "car-iness" (an expansion of the human, and ultimately a truly artistic expression). Satisfying the tensions between these problems -- and the tensions between engineers and designers -- is, for him, the essence of his work.

Offering radical forms and ideas, Bangle has been a polarizing figure within the industry; he has overseen all of the brands within the BMW family, including Mini and Rolls-Royce. In 2009, Bangle left BMW to pursue his own personal design interests and develop his consulting firm, Chris Bangle Associates.