Wednesday 22nd July 2015

Two BMW debuts at Monterey

A pair of concepts will grace the finely manicured lawns at Monterey - start speculating!

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Good news, a guess the concept before they announce the concept game! The assorted motoring events of Pebble Beach are now just a couple of weeks away, where the world's most exclusive and expensive cars are exhibited, revealed and raced in front of very wealthy audience. Wearing bad trousers.

This please. All of this please BMW

As part of the celebrations, BMW has announced it will reveal "two world premier [sic] concept cars" at the BMW Villa. Because why just have a stand when you could have a frickin' BMW Villa? Given the press conference will include speeches from Karim Habib (BMW's Design Director) and Dirk Haecker, VP of R&D for M Division, we can assume these will be fairly significant concepts.

Already though we have a couple of clues. The image accompanying the release from BMW was a steering wheel that looks near identical to that seen on the recent CSL Hommage concept. But could that be a world 'premier' when it was seen at Villa d'Este?

You'll remember also BMW announced the 'CSL Homage livery' (note the one 'm') earlier this year, with a Z4 GT3 painted in a gloriously evocative paint scheme as part of the 40th celebrations. Could the second car be the M6 GT3 that will replace the Z4 next year? Painted in the CSL Homage colours for old time's sake, obviously.

But there are plenty more possibilities too. Officially describing the new vehicles as concept cars implies it won't be a race ready competition car. A few are suggesting the M4 GTS may finally be confirmed at a concept stage. The M5 has had its little 30th birthday shindig, and the M2 is surely significant enough to wait for Frankfurt. Perhaps it will be the fully fledged 2 Series Gran Tourer M car that soccer Moms across America must be clamouring for. Alright, that's a little silly. Any more educated guesses readily welcomed!

 

 

[British Beef]

BMW seem to specialise more and more in exotic concept cars and dull road cars.

[British Beef]

They used to make cars with engines that had racing pedigree, V10 screamers, V8s with manual boxes, and the best Straight 6s in the world.

Today they do hybrids, overweight GTs and very fast cars with auto boxes and engine sound generators from the hifi. Fast yes, but like a Tesla dull to drive.

I just think what they used to make was far more exciting and in tune with what I want compared with what they currently offer.