BMW's new design head defends style shift; Van Hooydonk drew the controversial 7 series' exterior.(News)(Bayerische Motoren Werke AG)

Byline: Diana T. Kurylko

Adrian van Hooydonk, the 40-year-old Dutch native who has emerged as the real designer of BMW's much-criticized 7 series, makes no excuses for the break-the-mold look of the automaker's flagship sedan.

The 7-series redesign three years ago attracted a lot of criticism, and Chris Bangle, BMW's longtime senior designer, has been taking the criticism for it.

Billed by Bangle as the beginning of a necessary overhaul of BMW styling, the 7 series features a straight beltline that wraps around onto the trunk, creating a wedgelike protrusion.

Now BMW has started to point out that van Hooydonk, president of BMW's …