BMW Concept Gran Coupé - Auto Shows
The German carmaker takes another shot at a high-end, four-door coupe.
In a move reminiscent of—and likely inspired by—its sultry Concept CS of 2007, BMW is unveiling a new, low-profile, four-door coupe concept at the 2010 Beijing auto show. Called the BMW Concept Gran Coupé, it’s meant to showcase the company’s design abilities and philosophy. But instead of being a one-off like the CS, BMW design chief Adrian van Hooydonk tells us that the Gran Coupé will be built, a decision we suspected from the concept's production-ready look.
According to BMW, the Gran Coupé “concentrates the design expertise of the brand” and “captures a sense of superior dynamic performance and high-quality elegance.” Whatever. It’s a sleek, low-slung, long-wheelbase sedan with a coupe-like roofline and short overhangs. Details about its powerplant and drivetrain technology are not available, but what we can tell you is that the Gran Coupé is a few inches longer than the new 5-series at nearly 197 inches, but is about four inches lower at 55.1.
Full-LED headlights and a prominent BMW kidney grille dominate the forward-angled shark nose, with sweeping lower air inlets helping to accentuate the width of the car. The doors feature frameless windows, which add sleekness by rolling up over and obscuring the B-pillars. The overall theme, with dynamic concave and convex lines and powerful wheel arches, is one of elegance and aggression. The concept’s slim-looking rear end features L-shaped LED taillights and a full-width LED third brake light across the top of the rear window. As with most concepts, the wheels also contribute to the look, with the Gran Coupé’s oversized rolling stock sporting thin, relief-milled spokes that extend into the center of the wheel, lending a three-dimensional appearance. Expect much of this design to transfer over to the next-generation 6-series.
Details about the interior are nil. Rumors of a high-end BMW four-door coupe, possibly carrying a revitalized 8-series moniker, have come and gone ever since the CS concept was shown a few years back. Had BMW said nothing about production, this Gran Coupé would likely have served as little more than additional fuel for those rumors, but we're happy to say that this one will become a reality.
