Monday 26th April 2010

BMW's New Concept Gran Coupe

Stylish 4-door coupe could be the new BMW range-topper

BMW has taken the wraps of a 4-door 'coupe'-style design study that could herald the introduction of a new range flagship.

The BMW Concept Gran Coupé was revealed last week at a private event in Beijing, and - the company says - has all the classic features of a BMW coupe. That (in case you didn't know), includes a long wheelbase, vaulted bonnet with forward-pointing lines, the set-back greenhouse, the flat silhouette, the coupe-style roof line and the short front overhang.

Built off the latest 7 Series (and shared 5 Series/5 GT) platform, the Concept Gran Coupé is being mooted elsewhere in the media as a potential new 8-series designed to take on sporty luxury saloons like the new Jaguar XJ, Maserati Quattroporte and Porsche Panamera.

BMW's design chief has been quoted as saying "we're convinced we should make a car like this", and various reports suggest we could see the car in showrooms by 2012.

With what BMW describes as a sporty, flat silhouette, the body height comes in at just under 1.40m. This makes the Concept Gran Coupé up to 10cms lower than the 5 Series or the 7 Series, they say.

More from BMW's official press release:
"The roof line tapers off gently into the rear, thereby elongating the vehicle's proportions. The forward-tilted shark nose visually extends the bonnet and creates characteristic BMW proportions with its forward-pointing dynamism. This stretched character is also highlighted by the side lines, where there is a deliberate avoidance of the typical sill line. The flat proportions make the window graphics appear extremely narrow and dynamic at the same time. Another BMW design icon, the Hofmeister kink, is especially strikingly formed - additionally emphasising the exclusive character of the vehicle. The frameless doors give the BMW Concept Gran Coupé a modern character since the glass surfaces appear to merge seamlessly without being interrupted by columns.

"At the rear, only design elements such as the lights and tailpipe trim appear to be visible at first sight. The entire rear section appears slimmer and lighter at the centre, though still exuding power and dynamic performance since the volume is reinforced towards the sides. The L-shaped light banks feature a slight, almost subtle curve and the entire design of the lines and surfaces highlights the vehicle's elegant overall appearance. The third brake light, positioned in the rear window, is also fitted with LED technology. It takes up the kink in the roof and illuminates the entire width of the rear window. The powerfully flared wheel arches above the rear axle highlight the particularly sporty character of the BMW Concept Gran Coupé.

"Another highly sporty and also elegant feature is the rim concept in which the individual spokes extend deep into the centre of the rim towards the hub, giving the rim a striking three-dimensional quality. The spokes themselves are not solid but relief-milled, giving them a visual lightness.

"The sculptural shaping style characteristic of the entire body design of the BMW Concept Gran Coupé permits a unique interaction between concave and convex surfaces. It also enables the light to be selectively reflected and channelled. Thus the exterior mirrors integrated in the window shaft appear very light, blending harmoniously into the side view since their shape assimilates the entire line styling.

"The BMW Concept Gran Coupé is a further development of the classic design of a notchback sedan in which the individual body sections merge harmoniously into a flat, elongated and at the same time dynamic overall image. The effect of this 4-door vehicle derives not just from specific highlights but from its overall appearance, which authentically reflects its character. The car's dynamic potential is embodied in its proportions and lines, signalling power but also elegance and forward thrust."

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