BMW Gran Coupe concept unveiled

The Munich-base carmaker has just unveiled its Gran Coupe concept in China, a swoopy four-door that clearly points to another niche filler for the luxury brand.  More importantly it also has the next-generation Mercedes-Benz CLS, new Audi A7 and even the Volkswagen Passat CC in its sights.

Despite the buzz at the Beijing Auto China show that the Gran Coupe points to a new 8 Series model, it is still officially a showcar.  "At this stage we haven't received anything official from the factory on whether it's going into production," BMW Australia spokesman, Tim James, says.

"But clearly there are elements that could appear in future models."  Visually, the Gran Coupe draws on the 2007 Concept CS for inspiration.

However, it showcases the brand's future styling direction being pursued by BMW's design boss Adrian Van Hooydonk.  BMW says its newest showcar is faithful to the classic features found in all its coupes.

It has a long wheelbase, short overhangs, vaulted bonnet with an aggressive, upright grille, a set-back cabin and coupe-style roofline.  At almost 5m long, the coupe sits between the 5 Series and 7 Series. However it is 100mm lower than a 5 Series.

Van Hooydonk has presented a new take on some traditional BMW styling cues, from the kidney grille to the shark nose and a new chrome interpretation of the Hofmeister kink in the rear C-pillar.  Like its German production rivals, the frameless doors allow the window glass to merge seamlessly with the body.

The wedge-shape LED headlights are matched by LED daytime running lights in the bumper and deep below-bumper air intakes.  At the rear L-shaped LED tail-lights merge into the bodywork while the quad exhaust outlets are integrated into a rear diffuser.

A third LED brake light is positioned at the top of the rear window and illuminates the entire width of the window.  If the Gran Coupe goes into production it could share some of the new engine technology available in the 5 and 7 Series.  This could include BMW's latest direct-injection 3.0-litre turbo petrol and diesel engines, as well as a flagship petrol V8.