Legendary design chief leaves BMW

BMW design chief David Robb has left the company after a disagreement with a colleague.

BMW sources confirmed today that the man credited with transforming the firm had gone.

BMW design has gone from staid and uninspiring to world-beating since Robb took the helm in 1993.  

Under him, BMW has produced such bold and innovative models as the S1000RR, K1200R and F800S, as well the R1200GS, the firm’s biggest ever seller.

Before Robb the range consisted almost exclusively of similar-looking tourers and all-rounders with a self-imposed 100bhp limit.

A BMW source said Robb left following a disagreement with “another designer”.

There are suggestions he cleared his desk on the day of the disagreement.

The source said: “He’s gone. He’s been very important but things move on.”
A replacement will be announced “imminently”.

There was no hint at the Milan Show in November, where Robb presented BMW’s two new big-capacity scooters, the typically bold C650 GT and C600 Sport. 

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