The Hofmeister Kink

An iconic BMW design cue that has made it through many generations is the Hofmeister Kink. The Hofmeister Kink, or H-Kink, is a small inward kink at the base of the C-Pillar. As the C-Pillar slopes back towards the trunk of the car, right before it would normally end, it kinks back inward. Named after BMW design director, Wilhelm Hofmeister, the famous Kink first debuted on the 1961 BMW 1500, which was part of the “Neue Klasse” of BMW vehicles.

BMW has put the Hofmeister Kink on every single car since the Neue Klasse cars in the 1960’s. It’s so simple yet if BMW were to take it off of a new car, enthusiasts, BMW or otherwise, would not like it. The H-Kink is a fabulous little design quirk that truly gives the C-Pillar a sporting look and accentuates the rear wheels and the cars rear-wheel drive nature.

Source: BMW Blog