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"I will listen to the critics as I have since the 7-Series was released. I've heard it all from 'not interesting enough', to 'too interesting' and back to 'not interesting enough'. But I pay much more attention to what the market is saying."

With sales of new BMW models exceeding those of the predecessors, who he listens to is hardly surprising, but Van Hooydonk goes further. He wants to use BMW's commercial success as a stick to beat its artistic critics. "The market can deal with whatever changes we make far better than, maybe, the writing profession." BMW executives rarely criticise their detractors - least of all journalists. The new man is setting an early marker that he will tackle critics head on.

And there's more. Van Hooydonk cheerfully breaks BMW's corporate ban on criticising rival brands. He believes Audi and Mercedes are copying BMW's more sculptural designs - in Audi's case, by redesigning its grille to make it deeper and more gaping and, in Mercedes' case, by exaggerating the curves on its latest models.

"I see other brands experimenting with what they call 'putting more emotion in the design', and why is that? Because they have seen that, despite all the criticism we have attracted, our approach is working. We are selling more cars."

Slagging off the press? Accusing rival German brands of mimicking BMW's aesthetic? Van Hooydonk seems to be saying: 'Come and have a go if you think you're art enough.' Or, as he puts it: "BMW firmly believes that design is core to the brand. Emotional design sells cars, and to create emotion you have to take a stand. If you try to be everything to everyone, you will fail."

So the design revolution rolls on. "For sure. And you know what?" Van Hooydonk pauses for effect, flipping his fringe and breaking into a broad grin, "we're having fun doing it."

John Arlidge