BMW designer Chris Bangle leaving auto industry

— -- Christopher Bangle, one of the auto industry's most influential and controversial designers, is leaving his longtime post as BMW's top designer at the end of the month.

In fact, he will quit the auto business entirely, BMW says.

He is perhaps best known for the furor he created with the raised, bustle-like trunk lid he first applied to the redesigned 7 Series BMW in 2002 and carried on to the German automaker's other models as those were redesigned. The look quickly became known as the "Bangle Bustle," in addition to some stronger labels.

Even though it was widely panned at the time, other automakers adopted it. The look, toned down for mainstream tastes — but still having the practical effect of increasing trunk volume — has spread throughout the car business. Toyota, for instance, uses the style to distinguish its mainstream Camry sedan and its big Avalon.

While acknowledging that the rear-end styling wasn't greeted with universal enthusiasm, BMW U.S. spokesman Thomas Salkowsky said that nevertheless, "He moved the industry."

BMW said that Bangle, 52, will "pursue his own design-related endeavors beyond the auto industry," beginning "a new phase in his life while maintaining strong ties with the BMW Group."

"If you talk to Chris over a beer, he talks about epiphany. He's big on epiphanies. One has to assume that he had an epiphany" about moving on, Thomas Baloga, BMW U.S. engineering vice president, commented Tuesday on the sidelines of the Washington, D.C., auto show.

Bangle — remarkable as an American running a German automaker's design operation — has been head of BMW Group Design Development since October 1992, the automaker said.

He studied at the University of Wisconsin and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., then moved to Germany where he worked for Opel. He also worked for Fiat before joining BMW in Munich.