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What's German, has four doors, and isn't a sedan? You said Mercedes CLS, didn't you?
Alright, maybe you said Porsche Panamera or Audi A7, but as of now that's the only one you can actually buy. Conspicuously missing from that lineup was BMW.
Automobile Magazine reports the unveiling of BMW's CS at the Shanghai Auto Show potentially ushers in an entirely new segment for the Bavarian builder. Design chief Chris Bangle is adamant the concept isn't a coupe or a sedan, but a GT in the classic grand turismo mold. "A sports car for four people," according to chief designer Adrian van Hooydonk. Bangle asserts the 7-Series will always be BMW's top of the line sedan, but not necessarily the most extreme example of the maker's potential for design and technology.
A striking design without using any ugly stick for the task, the CS is a big car, longer and wider than the 7-Series, but rides lower than the 6-Series. Compared to the quite possibly ungainly (we won't say fugly until the camouflage is completely removed) Porsche and beautiful but understated Mercedes, the CS represents something completely new in the evolving segment as well as BMW's lineup. No one is declaring the CS concept will make it into development (although we find it unlikely BMW would ignore the segment), but van Hooydonk says even with the three year lead time required to bring it to the public, design and mechanical elements of the concept are representative of the direction for the existing and upcoming production models. The article also states other four-door coupe concepts are being explored, including one based on the 3-Series and another on the next generation 6-Series.
Or does it? We just might smell a new 8-Series.
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