Beijing Auto Show: BMW Chases The Four-Door Coupe Niche

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

While its German rivals pour into the burgeoning four-door premium coupe segment, BMW has been busy exploring the premium five-door GT segment. With its complement of GT variants complete, the Bavarians are making up for lost time with this Gran Coupe Concept, debuting at today’s Beijing Auto Show. Basically a lower, wider, more coupe-profiled 7-series, the Gran Coupe is clearly aimed at models like the Porsche Panamera, Maserati Quattroporte and especially the forthcoming Audi A7. And though it’s technically just a styling exercise, the Gran Coupe (or something like it) could be headed for production.When asked by Autocar about the Gran Coupe’s chances of launching a revival of the 8 Series nameplate, BMW Chief Designer Adrian van Hooydonk said:

I don’t think of this car as an 8-series, but our marketing department may think differently. Either way, their work is just beginning, and I know that often it can take longer than our design work!



Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Blowfish Blowfish on Apr 24, 2010

    Anyone know what used gen1 Quattroportes are going for these days? I am sure u can afford the car, if u cant fix them yourself i am not so sure if yours will run. The Gen 1 , u mean from 60's? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maserati_Quattroporte 63-69 In the late 70s there was an Indy or Ghibli sitting in a Toronto car lot, I always stop by after hours to admire her. I am happy to drive these Merc Oel burners, simple & cheap to run.

  • Hughie522 Hughie522 on Apr 24, 2010

    I think it looks too similar to the current-gen 5 and 7 series, and it really does nothing for me visually. BMW have gone from Bangle era eye-searing to Lexus-dull in just one generation, an incredible feat. Compare the Passat and old gen E-Class to their CC and CLS derivatives to see what I mean. No doubt the BMWistas will buy it in droves, as they always do.

  • Carson D At 1:24 AM, the voyage data recorder (VDR) stopped recording the vessel’s system data, but it was able to continue taping audio. At 1:26 AM, the VDR resumed recording vessel system data. Three minutes later, the Dali collided with the bridge. Nothing suspicious at all. Let's go get some booster shots!
  • Darren Mertz Where's the heater control? Where's the Radio control? Where the bloody speedometer?? In a menu I suppose. How safe is that??? Volvo....
  • Lorenzo Are they calling it a K4? That's a mountain in the Himalayas! Stick with names!
  • MaintenanceCosts It's going to have to go downmarket a bit not to step on the Land Cruiser's toes.
  • Lorenzo Since EVs don't come in for oil changes, their owners don't have their tires rotated regularly, something the dealers would have done. That's the biggest reason they need to buy a new set of tires sooner, not that EVs wear out tires appreciably faster.
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