There’s no denying that BMW
has been very creative with its recent launches (3 Series GT, anyone?)
and it doesn’t show signs of slowing down. Coming as a bit of a surprise
is the BMW Vision Future Luxury concept, which makes its debut at the
Beijing Motor Show.At first glance it’d be easy to assume this concept hints at a 7 Series successor.
The flagship, after all, has been around since 2008 and is now a bit of
a wallflower, especially compared to the new and impressive S-Class
sedan. But a closer look at the concept’s proportions suggest this could
be something bigger, perhaps the rumored 9 Series sedan that would slot
about the 7 and possibly share its platform with the Rolls-Royce Phantom.
Regardless
of what it may or may not preview, BMW says the sedan concept is a
design study, previewing the automaker’s “intelligent lightweight
engineering, innovative interior design and a radically new user
interface design.” BMW also makes many references to its lightweight
construction, suggesting its body is composite-intensive, much like the
i3 and i8.
Other notable design cues are
its suicide-style doors, made possibly by an intricate B-pillar design
that is integrated with the front seat frame. The concept’s front end is
standard BMW, including its oversized twin kidney grille and quad
headlight design. The side profile shows hints of the sexy
Pininfarina-penned Gran Lusso Coupe
concept that debuted at last year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
show, while the massive rear end showcase quad exhaust tips and thin
taillights that feature strands of organic LEDs, which BMW says are
thinner than human hair.Inside, the rear passengers
are treated to reclining seats, fold-away tables, and high-tech-gadgets
including a tablet that controls most infotainment functions. Meanwhile,
the minimalist cockpit showcases only the essentials, with most
everything controlled by touchscreen or capacitive buttons. Overall, the
large sedan is relatively handsome and we’ll likely see more of it
after it makes its debut in Beijing
