BMW Concept CS

By Dr Long

BMW unveiled a jaw-dropping all-new concept car at the Shanghai Motor Show 2007 recently. Showing off their iteration of four-door coupe in the form of the Concept CS, the Bavarian automaker served a challenge to Mercedes-Benz, Aston and Porsche all at once. Expected to become BMW's new flagship model, with rumours of it becoming the next 8-series, the CS is believed - and appears - to be almost production-ready. It shares underpinnings with the next generation 7-series (which is also under development), being longer and wider than the current 7, with a lower curvaceous roofline plus lowered body sills bilaterally. Even with a larger body than the 7-series, the CS will just be a four-seater, with a pair of sculpted seats and a distinct rear centre-console for only two back occupants.

Mercedes-Benz introduced the 4-door sports coupe genre with its CLS. Although in the same vein, the BMW Concept CS will be larger, and likely more upmarket (read: expensive), to be positioned head-on against the upcoming Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide.

The Concept CS allow us a glimpse into the next generation of BMWs design and how it is shaping up to be. Although his previous ‘works of genius’ have been met with mixed reactions, designer Chris Bangle continues to apply his controversial "flame surfacing" for complex curves and contours. The CS looks like a more gorgeous evolution of that philosophy – a surprising real looker coming from Bangle - with sharper edges and fluid surfaces abound. The top-of-the-line future 8-series will likely draw power from a 6.0-liter V12, which is essentially the M5 5.0L V10 with two extra cylinders. Other engine options include V10 and V8 versions of smaller displacements, probably nicked from the E60 M5 and E92 M3 respectively. Anyone game for a RM1.5million M8, perhaps from BMW Malaysia, in the future?