Vision Future Luxury - Closer than you think.
September 24 , 2006 - taken from German car zone published by Scott27.
Projekt PLS- F-03. Premium luxury Sedan.
D-day is fast approaching at BMW soon the decision will be made on where does the brand go next , Serious decisions will be given on the next generation 6er Coupe and cabrio ( expected to be a evolution of todays car) and a model Although only existing in sketches , computer animations and claymodels to either top the BMW brand , expand a segment or open an entirely new segment for BMW.
With the motoring media reporting that a "small" Rolls-Royce is being developed they are reporting that it will be a direct rival for the Bentley Continental GT family - It wont be...
Although their will be a smaller RR family below the Phantom it will not be directly competing against the Bentley Continental family but be positioned slightly lower than the Phantom.
Four factors are weighing against this decision.
1. To keep RR exclusive .
2. The BMW brand has enough stability to compete against the upper reigns of the segment including the Bentley continental Family.
3. BMW like to investigate new segments - witness BMW X3 (premium compact SAV segment) , BMW E87 Coupe and cabrio ( premium small coupe and cabrio segment) , BMW RFK and BMW X6 "sport activity coupe)
4. BMW do not really want a me too Coupe competitor as the segment is crowded enough.
Whilst we have talked about the 8er Coupe prospect another competing model for greenlight this october is BMW's " Premium luxury sedan" which is being investigated as a possible 9 series addition.
BMW see this as a possible new segment, a large sedan positioned above the 7er A beautiful looking car with a unique lower sleeker shape than a 7er (think CLS in the upper segment) with 4 drs, following the RFK idea with rear suicide doors , a shallow glass area , small rear overhang thin slits for headlights wide BMW twin-kidney grille, large wheels - whilst the design will be cutting edge and as fresh as the proposed 2012 launch.
Technology and architecture will not be any different utilising from it's cutting edge philosophy. An all alloy space frame with alumiunium front and rear modules and carbon fibre composite body panels will keep this car seriously lightweight , The floorpan will come direct from modules utilised from the upcoming 7er. BMW would then have it's "Individual" division compose interior options to make it BMW's set alone exclusive choice in it's own segment.
Although in creative discussion several engine choices are being investigated.
With the next 7er BMW are slimming down some options available the top line V12 will only be offered with the LWB only due to poor sales of the current SWB V12 .
The next V12 being developed By BMW will incorporate BMW's turbo technology - one option could be leaving a Naturally aspirated V12 in the 7er and focusing the Twin-turbo V12 for their top line project. Another option is letting a Specialist (Alpina) fettle the V12 for the new car.
One strategy that would earn BMW serious environmental credentials would be the addition of a Hydrogen "9" A social concious luxury sedan for the environmetally concerned.
One thing that has been made abundantly clear is that it remains a single model - a BMW with No M-variant.
A soon to be approved model will be BMW's Motorsport achievement With the PLS project It would be BMW's technological flagship - It would be the car that would bring BMW back into contention with luxury car buyers who see BMW and Mercedes as lower class, less exclusive everyman brands.
It will also be the car that will bridge BMW to RR unless BMW acquire Aston Martin.
Then all bets will be off....
Shanghai , China April 2007.
BMW unveils the CS Concept Car.
A groundbreaking concept designed to portray the direction the luxury market needs to take for Premium manufacturers.
The CS concept was a symbol, it was a concept that was conceived to understand whether a place for BMW in the luxury segment could exist. The CS was a vehicle thinking ahead to now , a possible direction the market could take , a market that is relevant now but did not exist in 2007.
Beijing , China 2014.
BMW unveils the Vision Future Luxury. A concept that showcases BMWs approach to a segment of the market , a concept that aims to discover an entire new direction in a luxury car.
The conception of Vision Future Luxury began with an investigation to prevent the decline of the luxury sedan against a luxury SUV. A segment that continues to grow and demand more concepts.
The concept relates to the Concept CS in what direction will the segment take? VFL shows where it has ended up. Right at the door of the luxury market knocking on Rolls-Royce.
The luxury market is a market that constantly needs progress and innovation, full creativity is essential. As is understanding the market it is aimed at. In this case its China. I was asked why not debut this car in New York?
The American market is not its target.
If we take the Concept CS back in 2007 it was a concept aimed at progressing the luxury market to where the market was heading. Vision Future Luxury is the next stage of progress to determine the possibility of a more premium model to compete with High priced sedans and to fit under the entry Rolls-Royce model The Ghost.
Whilst Vision Future Luxury certainly illustrates a distant future it also illustrates the coming future in which if we add and subtract from this concept we receive the next generation of BMW 7er models.
The front of the VFL has been described as ostentatious but it reflects the luxury car market and makes a statement so that there is no doubt that people know what it stands for. Just as a Rolls-Royce face is dominated by the large grille , the same goes for the new S-Klasse. The front end of the car is dominated by a larger than normal twin kidney grille that leaves no doubt that this is a BMW. Due to the premium market that is allowing for a new BMW X7. Because of that cars height it will receive a larger than normal grille. To remind everyone this is the ultimate BMW SAV and a flagship in its own right.
The large grille is not retained for the new 7er it uses one similar to today's car but with a slight increase in width , more in perspective with the BMW collaboration with Pininfarina - The Gran Lusso.
The headlights show the possibilities with BMW laser-light technology allowing for slimmer units , the 7er will feature standard LED so the light units are slightly larger , laser-light will be an option. The outline of the headlights are similar in shape but slightly larger , they connect to the grille as per normal BMW these days , the outline is sharper and follows the squared-off look of the front bumper , the hood lines up to the grille because of the higher front dispensing with the current nose cone.
The rear of the car shows a similarity with the next 7er. The rear light units are thinner and sit higher up , the air breathers sitting under neath are not present but will be actual parts of the rear metal work allowing for a full trunk opening aperture. The way the rear lights wrap around the rear so you can see a surface on top is carried over , the excellence of this is that it allows the rear arch to be broader so that when looking at the car from the rear it gives the coke bottle look a similar feature is on the current BMWs to add more visual muscle and make the car broader than before.
The licence plate continues on the boot-lid as of previous 7er models. The lower diffuser accentuates the exhaust ports and rear reflectors. Given the admiration in many markets for chrome detailing. As shown on VFL there will detailing around the lights and across the boot lid. This will also feature on the lower diffuser and will wrap around the rear bumper.
The shape of the rear lights are more in line with the idea displayed with the Gran Lusso concept.
LED technology will of course make them thinner and stretched than the larger units in today's car.
The outline of the car conforms to a typical BMW sedan. Again strong proportions and a dynamic roofline allows especially in a long vehicle , a more athletic appearance and coupe-esque roofline that allows for a very short rear overhang and a long hood. If we look at we can say the outline is the DNA of the next generation of sedans. So we see the future 7er , 5er and 3er in that outline and there is no denying that it is a true BMW. Visually perfect with strong proportions and added athleticism.
The BMW character line is present on the 7er. Again it is placed higher up just bellow the glasshouse so you get a crease with a minimal surface that allows placement of the individual door openings. The best example is seen on the Gran Lusso how it runs across the length of the car and of course it is like current BMWs more three-dimensional so it broadens out again evident from the rear so you can see the outline like a coke bottle.
The lower flanks that add surface design and connection to the air breather is carried over.
This is more three dimensional than before as the shape is imprinted into the lower half of the car across the doors.
It is formed deeper at the air breather, pronouncing it three dimensionally. As it travels along the doors it becomes one dimensionally before leaving a barley visible imprint of the shape.
Again the air breather allows for extra decorative detail and for most models this will be in either chrome , mat chrome or shadow line. As it runs along the sills then forming the air breather.
Next time I will talk about the engineering aspect which I will leave you with the important feature crucial to the lightweight engineering of the new 7er.
CARBON FIBRE LOAD BEARING SECTION. And how it will feature in the DNA of the next generation of BMWs.
And then the interior and features on the VFL which are more realistic than you may think.
So, we are now discussing the similarities in two particular photos and not in the actual cars. Wow. As said: yes, in those two particular photos the selected areas do look a bit similar. But that's it. Still, what's the point?
