On Monday, BMW revealed the Concept 4 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The company described it as “a look ahead to the expressive face of the 4 Series range.”

Expressive would be one way to put it. Others might be “gigantic” and “hideous.” It’s not quite Silverado 2500 HD-level enormous, but it’s certainly…prominent.

The Concept 4 presents a novel interpretation of BMW’s iconic kidney grille, in which designers oriented it vertically instead of horizontally. But it still covers a vast horizontal expanse, as well. It sort of looks like a BMW mated with a Lexus, producing an offspring that looks like an aerodynamic beaver. A grille is the focal point of the car, and the focal point of ths car is ugly — and not in a way that will grow on people as the Internet simmers down.

BMW describing this Concept as a “look ahead” to future 4 Series models is a scary thought. That could mean that, in order to park the next M4 coupe or convertible in their driveway — a vehicle that may the best pure sports car in the BMW lineup, and is one of the last to feature a manual transmission — BMW enthusiasts would have to put up with that mug. It would be a particular disappointment considering that model is due for a performance upgrade.

There’s still hope. The design is still in the “concept” stage. There’s still time for BMW to heed criticism and tone that face down for production models. Then again, it’s also possible BMW brushes off the skeptics and strides large-face-first into its “confident and classy” future.