New 8-series in the offing?

petroguzzler · 24th April 2010, 10:10

BMW presents the concept of a new 4-door coupe. The BMW Concept Gran Coupé underscores the outstanding design expertise of the German premium automobile manufacturer.

With an exclusive Design Night on the evening of the first press day at Auto China in Beijing (April 23rd to May 2nd 2010), BMW provides an in-depth insight into its design philosophy and development strategy. The program of the BMW Design Night is modular in structure and presents extensive background information on the premium automobile manufacturer’s innovative design culture. In addition to highlighting the long versions of the BMW 5 Series developed specially for the Chinese market, the main focus is on an elegant 4-door vehicle with striking dynamic proportions: the BMW Concept Gran Coupé.

The concept study on display symbolises the outstanding design expertise of BMW. The BMW Concept Gran Coupé concentrates the fundamental values of the brand. Its body design authentically captures a sense of superior dynamic performance and high-quality elegance. The shaping style, which follows a coherent pattern down to the last detail, convincingly visualises BMW’s philosophy as an automobile manufacturer. As with the Concept CS 2007, BMW once again sets new benchmarks in the design of 4-door coupes with a distinctive sporty character.

Based on a powerful tradition in this segment, the BMW Concept Gran Coupé carries the essence of brand values and the genes of BMW design into the future. The concept shows the classic features of all BMW coupes: the long wheelbase, the vaulted bonnet with forward-pointing lines, the set-back greenhouse, the flat silhouette, the coupe-style roof line and the short front overhang reflect the dynamic potential of the vehicle. The surface structures and the fact that the design quality is geared towards perfection illustrate the aspiration of the brand BMW to build 4-door high-performance coupes with the sportiest proportions and the most elegant design.

In the BMW Concept Gran Coupé, BMW presents the vision of a 4-door vehicle which combines the exclusivity of a Gran Turismo with the fascination of a high-performance sports car. The design of the concept study underscores the expertise of the brand BMW in the development of vehicles with a distinctive sporty character which offer space for more than two occupants. This reflects the particular quality of the BMW Group design philosophy, which consists in precisely and authentically translating the specific values of product substance into an aesthetically convincing shaping style. The design process is set through with a passion for aesthetic appeal and dynamic performance, precision and perfection.

This is how the uncompromising premium aspiration of a BMW Group product, the unmistakable style of the brand BMW and the precisely defined character of each model are given concrete form.

shamik.bose · 24th April 2010, 10:55

BMW Gran Coupe

The BMW Group took us by surprise today with the world premiere of the Concept Gran Coupe. The Bavarian automaker calls it a four-door coupe which is fancy marketing talk for a saloon with sportier body proportions.

The car looks extremely production ready and it could very well enter the market within a year or two offering BMW a competitor the Porsche Panamera, the next Mercedes-Benz CLS and the upcoming Audi A7, possibly with the 8-Series badge on the boot.

The five-meter long Gran Coupé, which is a follow up to BMW's much more aggressive and unique 2007 Concept CS, comes with a very low body height of just under 1,400mm making it up to 100mm flatter than the 5 Series or the 7 Series sedans.

BMW also talks about "striking dynamic proportions", "sporty, flat silhouette" and "sculptural shaping" that fuse "the exclusivity of a Gran Turismo with the fascination of a high-performance sports car".

At 1.4-meters high, the car is 10-cm shorter in height than the 5er and 7er sedan. Current rumors suggest that the car is already approved for production and will be marketed as the BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe to rival the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, a car which BMW does not directly compete against at this time.

Here, the car's "vaulted bonnet" blends well with the wide kidney-shaped grille. The rounded rhombus-shaped headlights sit well above the bumper and create a sporty styling element. This is accentuated by the split bumper with large air intakes with black mesh grille.

In back, the nearly five-meter long car has more conservative styling, with a somewhat short and squared bumper. The car has a wide LED third brake light mounted above the glass, which matches the LED rear light clusters. Quad tailpipes are set into the bumper as well.

Here are the pictures. I think it looks fantastic. I especially love the wheels and the car looks stunning in profile.

kiku007 · 24th April 2010, 11:26

Very nice looking car there

shuvc · 24th April 2010, 11:52

Stunning is the word. Wonderfully proportionate. Fantastic profile. Love low slung cars.

prince_pervez · 24th April 2010, 12:00

Indeed a beautiful offering from BMW. The rear looks Linea-ish.

Sahil · 24th April 2010, 12:25

The 8 series has been my fav BMW yet, I hope this one makes it to the production line.
However the front end needs to be redesigned not to look this similar to the F10 5 series !

//M · 24th April 2010, 12:26

Probably the best looking 4-door coupe. I seriously hope BMW produces this car asap.
Incredible looking low-slung proportions.

gupta_chd · 24th April 2010, 12:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by prince_pervez

Indeed a beautiful offering from BMW. The rear looks Linea-ish.

Is it a compliment for BMW? They will commit suicide hearing this

AyAn! · 24th April 2010, 12:38

I think this one hints at the face of the new 6-Series. And considering BMW have gone ahead with more unconventional cars like the X6 and the 5GT in the recent past,this one should get the green light soon!

That said,its one handsome machine.Low,wide with a classic side profile. A truly good looking Beemer after a long,long time. This would make Bangle proud!

agspins · 24th April 2010, 12:38

Finally BMW got it right....after horrible GT and pig faced bimmers.Looks fab,just loved it.

MARCUS_520i · 24th April 2010, 14:01

She looks gorgeous!!
I'm sure white would look equally brilliant on her.
Btw, I'm curious about this particular setup of headlamps, can someone enlighten me about their terminology and functionality?
Thanks!

sachinj12 · 24th April 2010, 14:04

Awesome!!. I have no words to describe pic no 3. It blew me away.

MARCUS_520i · 24th April 2010, 14:13

@ agspins: "Pig faced bimmers"!! I'd always wanted to coin something on similar lines ever since the launch of the new 7, but just couldn't coz it was so damn ugly front-faced that my thinking process used to halt

The 8 however, is a beautiful car.

CrAzY dRiVeR · 24th April 2010, 14:20

Why did the move away from the old AMBER angel eyes?

The current white ones dont match up to it IMO!

Rahulkool · 24th April 2010, 15:02

Excellent, now this is how a car should look like. Side profile is perfect. Hope it to production as it is.

24th April 2010, 10:10	#1
petroguzzler BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Madras Posts: 461 Thanked: 263 Times	BMW's Stunning new concept: The GRAN COUPE BMW presents the concept of a new 4-door coupe. The BMW Concept Gran Coupé underscores the outstanding design expertise of the German premium automobile manufacturer. With an exclusive Design Night on the evening of the first press day at Auto China in Beijing (April 23rd to May 2nd 2010), BMW provides an in-depth insight into its design philosophy and development strategy. The program of the BMW Design Night is modular in structure and presents extensive background information on the premium automobile manufacturer’s innovative design culture. In addition to highlighting the long versions of the BMW 5 Series developed specially for the Chinese market, the main focus is on an elegant 4-door vehicle with striking dynamic proportions: the BMW Concept Gran Coupé. The concept study on display symbolises the outstanding design expertise of BMW. The BMW Concept Gran Coupé concentrates the fundamental values of the brand. Its body design authentically captures a sense of superior dynamic performance and high-quality elegance. The shaping style, which follows a coherent pattern down to the last detail, convincingly visualises BMW’s philosophy as an automobile manufacturer. As with the Concept CS 2007, BMW once again sets new benchmarks in the design of 4-door coupes with a distinctive sporty character. Based on a powerful tradition in this segment, the BMW Concept Gran Coupé carries the essence of brand values and the genes of BMW design into the future. The concept shows the classic features of all BMW coupes: the long wheelbase, the vaulted bonnet with forward-pointing lines, the set-back greenhouse, the flat silhouette, the coupe-style roof line and the short front overhang reflect the dynamic potential of the vehicle. The surface structures and the fact that the design quality is geared towards perfection illustrate the aspiration of the brand BMW to build 4-door high-performance coupes with the sportiest proportions and the most elegant design. In the BMW Concept Gran Coupé, BMW presents the vision of a 4-door vehicle which combines the exclusivity of a Gran Turismo with the fascination of a high-performance sports car. The design of the concept study underscores the expertise of the brand BMW in the development of vehicles with a distinctive sporty character which offer space for more than two occupants. This reflects the particular quality of the BMW Group design philosophy, which consists in precisely and authentically translating the specific values of product substance into an aesthetically convincing shaping style. The design process is set through with a passion for aesthetic appeal and dynamic performance, precision and perfection. This is how the uncompromising premium aspiration of a BMW Group product, the unmistakable style of the brand BMW and the precisely defined character of each model are given concrete form. Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

24th April 2010, 10:55	#2
shamik.bose Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Kolkata Posts: 1,684 Thanked: 133 Times	New 8-series in the offing? BMW Gran Coupe The BMW Group took us by surprise today with the world premiere of the Concept Gran Coupe. The Bavarian automaker calls it a four-door coupe which is fancy marketing talk for a saloon with sportier body proportions. The car looks extremely production ready and it could very well enter the market within a year or two offering BMW a competitor the Porsche Panamera, the next Mercedes-Benz CLS and the upcoming Audi A7, possibly with the 8-Series badge on the boot. The five-meter long Gran Coupé, which is a follow up to BMW's much more aggressive and unique 2007 Concept CS, comes with a very low body height of just under 1,400mm making it up to 100mm flatter than the 5 Series or the 7 Series sedans. BMW also talks about "striking dynamic proportions", "sporty, flat silhouette" and "sculptural shaping" that fuse "the exclusivity of a Gran Turismo with the fascination of a high-performance sports car". At 1.4-meters high, the car is 10-cm shorter in height than the 5er and 7er sedan. Current rumors suggest that the car is already approved for production and will be marketed as the BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe to rival the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, a car which BMW does not directly compete against at this time. Here, the car's "vaulted bonnet" blends well with the wide kidney-shaped grille. The rounded rhombus-shaped headlights sit well above the bumper and create a sporty styling element. This is accentuated by the split bumper with large air intakes with black mesh grille. In back, the nearly five-meter long car has more conservative styling, with a somewhat short and squared bumper. The car has a wide LED third brake light mounted above the glass, which matches the LED rear light clusters. Quad tailpipes are set into the bumper as well. Here are the pictures. I think it looks fantastic. I especially love the wheels and the car looks stunning in profile. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by shamik.bose : 24th April 2010 at 10:57.
	() Thanks

24th April 2010, 11:26	#3
kiku007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: AU Posts: 2,354 Thanked: 7,582 Times	Very nice looking car there
	() Thanks

24th April 2010, 11:52	#4
shuvc Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kolkata Posts: 2,913 Thanked: 354 Times View My Garage	Stunning is the word. Wonderfully proportionate. Fantastic profile. Love low slung cars.
	() Thanks

24th April 2010, 12:00	#5
prince_pervez Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Redwood shores, CA, USA Posts: 4,211 Thanked: 52 Times View My Garage	Indeed a beautiful offering from BMW. The rear looks Linea-ish.
	() Thanks

24th April 2010, 12:25	#6
Sahil Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 6,322 Thanked: 7,766 Times	The 8 series has been my fav BMW yet, I hope this one makes it to the production line. However the front end needs to be redesigned not to look this similar to the F10 5 series !
	() Thanks

24th April 2010, 12:26	#7
//M Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 6,323 Thanked: 23,696 Times	Probably the best looking 4-door coupe. I seriously hope BMW produces this car asap. Incredible looking low-slung proportions.
	() Thanks

24th April 2010, 12:38	#9
AyAn! Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Durgapur/Calcutta/Pune Posts: 2,169 Thanked: 869 Times	I think this one hints at the face of the new 6-Series. And considering BMW have gone ahead with more unconventional cars like the X6 and the 5GT in the recent past,this one should get the green light soon! That said,its one handsome machine.Low,wide with a classic side profile. A truly good looking Beemer after a long,long time. This would make Bangle proud!
	() Thanks

24th April 2010, 12:38	#10
agspins Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: MH-31 Posts: 1,659 Thanked: 520 Times View My Garage	Finally BMW got it right....after horrible GT and pig faced bimmers.Looks fab,just loved it.
	() Thanks

24th April 2010, 14:01	#11
MARCUS_520i BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 524 Thanked: 166 Times	She looks gorgeous!! I'm sure white would look equally brilliant on her. Btw, I'm curious about this particular setup of headlamps, can someone enlighten me about their terminology and functionality? Thanks!
	() Thanks

24th April 2010, 14:04	#12
sachinj12 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,187 Thanked: 168 Times	Awesome!!. I have no words to describe pic no 3. It blew me away.
	() Thanks

24th April 2010, 14:13	#13
MARCUS_520i BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 524 Thanked: 166 Times	@ agspins: "Pig faced bimmers"!! I'd always wanted to coin something on similar lines ever since the launch of the new 7, but just couldn't coz it was so damn ugly front-faced that my thinking process used to halt The 8 however, is a beautiful car.
	() Thanks

24th April 2010, 14:20	#14
CrAzY dRiVeR Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bangalore / TVM Posts: 17,310 Thanked: 74,356 Times View My Garage	Why did the move away from the old AMBER angel eyes? The current white ones dont match up to it IMO!
	() Thanks

24th April 2010, 15:02	#15
Rahulkool Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,430 Thanked: 1,881 Times View My Garage Infractions: 0/1 (5)	Excellent, now this is how a car should look like. Side profile is perfect. Hope it to production as it is.
	() Thanks