[lux]

That 7er concept drawing looks way too much like a Lexus LS--hopefully the real production model will look appropriately BMW.

Also, if BMW makes the future X7 with similar design cues from the 5GT--forget about high volume sales.

[misterbeemer]

Originally Posted by debdoub

Not weird dude, you are totally right. Honestly I don't like any of there styles after year 2003.

Completely agree. The new cars don't stand apart much from other cars on the road and don't feel as "exquisite". And none of the renders look good at all...the 7 series, X7 renders look puke worthy.

[bunker]

Originally Posted by Frosty

Those are some ugly ass prototypes...

[joey5622]

I'm liking the look of the 7er! Wonder if this goes into actual production

[M5007]

That's an incredible number of cars

[Nang Vann]

looks alright ay...

[vladberca]

Those are old drawings for X7, it will look more modern for sure, as for the 7 series its final design wasn t finished yet...
i8 has to be a hit that the profits to be reinvested in other sport cars like M1 and I'm sure they will sell more than their initial plans

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by bimmerjph

I just don't see BMW ruining their green credit on a big SUV. But who knows. I wouldn't have thought that BMW would make a SUV Coupe and look what happened.

LOL. BMW is the most highly penalized manufacturer in history for not meeting CAFE regulations.

[Matski]

Originally Posted by Propagator

"1 Million units is what luxury car sales are expected to grow to by 2015 propelled by new and emerging markets and established tentpole markets."

Can anyone translate this for me? Doesn't BMW already sell over 1M units worldwide, and has been since 2004? What exactly is the definition of "luxury car" here?

1 million units GROWTH, not total. You're right BMW sells well over 1 million units a year, but they can't tag simply tag on another 1,000,000 3ers and 5ers, so all these new models we're seeing is an attempt to draw customers from other demographics.

An X7 makes sense and always has since BMW sold Range Rover, CS II... I'm not so sure, the numbers for 6GC and 7er are already pretty low, they must be chasing some pretty small numbers here. M1 OBVIOUSLY I would like to see, but I can't see it happening until after i8 market launch and i3 volume production - so a few years away yet. The Rolls-Royce coupe I'm looking forward to greatly, I love the Phantom Coupe, and I think the Ghost looks fantastic,.. I hope they do more to differentiate it from the Ghost and give it a new name.

SCOTT, the Ghost is built off the 7erLi platform? what will the ghost coupe be built off?

[Propagator]

Originally Posted by Matski

1 million units GROWTH, not total. You're right BMW sells well over 1 million units a year, but they can't tag simply tag on another 1,000,000 3ers and 5ers, so all these new models we're seeing is an attempt to draw customers from other demographics.

"1 Million units is what luxury car sales are expected to grow to"

Maybe my English is off, but the original sentence does not read that way. It says the market will grow TO 1 million units.

Oh well.

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by Propagator

"1 Million units is what luxury car sales are expected to grow to"

Maybe my English is off, but the original sentence does not read that way. It says the market will grow TO 1 million units.

Oh well.

Luxury car sales (depending on who you talk to) are cars base priced over $75k.

[Harold Wood]

V16 Hybrid please

[SCOTT26]

Many questions...

1 Million units is what luxury car sales are expected to grow to by 2015 propelled by new and emerging markets and established tentpole markets."

Can anyone translate this for me? Doesn't BMW already sell over 1M units worldwide, and has been since 2004? What exactly is the definition of "luxury car" here?

I am mentioning specifically the high end premium segment which involves the 7er and Rolls-Royce Ghost and Phantom. Spearheaded by sales in new and emerging markets for luxury cars, The whole luxury segment is expected to grow to 1 million units by 2015. The BMW 7er cannot sustain itself in this market as projections show that luxury sedans are experiencing a decline in favour of super-luxury high-end SUV's.
The reason why you have seen Concepts from Lamborghini and Bentley lately because The SUV is the future of the luxury car. SUV sales are rising whilst standard luxury sedans like the 7er are declining. In many markets although due for replacement in around eighteen months - The X5 is still driving sales for BMW as is the BMW X6.

SCOTT, the Ghost is built off the 7erLi platform? what will the ghost coupe be built off?

The "Ghost" Coupe and DropHead Coupe is built on a shortened version of the current architecture found underneath the 5er , 5er Touring , 5er GT , 6er , Gran Coupe , 7er and Ghost.

The RFK was BMW's answer to the Mercedes-Benz R-Klasse until the majority of it was then transformed into the 5er GT. The interior for example of the GT was primarily for the luxury MPV. The actual RFK was the car that was seen in the scoop photographs until BMW pushed forward the car as the 5er GT.
Strangely enough the Mercedes-Benz R-Klasse has a significant sales base in China similar to the 5er GT.
The interior of the RFK in all its seven seater highluxury glory is carried over for the X7 only. The length of the X7 dictates a more Touring esque shape than a utilarian concept.

LOL. BMW is the most highly penalized manufacturer in history for not meeting CAFE regulations.

It is actually Mercedes-Benz. The larger more premium AMG cars and SUVs aswell as the SLS AMG brings penalties to nearer 1 million dollars for Mercedes-Benz. BMW's are not as high as that. Porsche though, are even higher.

The X7 will not be a "Volume car" just as the 7er is not a "Volume car" if you want to talk about volume within BMW then the 1er , 3er and 5er best describe volume.

[bimmerjph]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

LOL. BMW is the most highly penalized manufacturer in history for not meeting CAFE regulations.

No I meant their green image. My bad.

[antzcrashing]

Originally Posted by bimmerjph

No I meant their green image. My bad.

now that is where you are very wrong, BMWs green image is one of the best among all mfgs, they often win awards for this, and among luxury mfgs, they are hands down on the top.

but back on topic..

[bimmerjph]

Originally Posted by antzcrashing

now that is where you are very wrong, BMWs green image is one of the best among all mfgs, they often win awards for this, and among luxury mfgs, they are hands down on the top.

but back on topic..

That is what I am saying. I don't see them ruining it on a range topping SUV.

[manicm]

All I want from the next 7 is to be better looking. The current 7 is a hopelessy boring looking car - the 7 year old S-Class still looks like a million dollars next to it. BMW needs to inject some style and glamour into their flagship saloon, which currently is made largely redundant by the 5-series.

[Jaylyons1]

Originally Posted by debdoub

I don't get it why BMW keeps making cars bigger they're becoming like American cars. Humble opinion

There are very few companies, in any country, that downsize their cars or even keep them the same. Striving to make a car larger and handle better while losing weight happens everywhere.

[e46e92love]

Funny how ///M wants nothing to do with Toyota & would prefer to " go at it alone".

At least some at BMW still get it.....


Cheers,
e46e92

[advantage20]

Scott,

Provided that BMW very likely will follow their nomenclature's logic (3 Series sedan --> 4 Series Coupé + GranCoupé, 5 Series sedan --> 6 Series Coupé + GranCoupé...) and name the "CS Coupé" the 8 Series GranCoupé, wouldn't it make sense to pair it with a 2 door variant (8 Series Coupé) as a luxury GT coupé playing the role of a 7 Series coupé?

The Ghost Coupé will probably be a notch more upmarket anyway, and yes the 6 Series is definitely more upmarket than a mere 5 Series coupé and is closer to the 7 Series price-wise, but Mercedes do have their CL Class as a luxury coupé variant of the S Class which if I'm not mistaking sells pretty well, so isn't an 8 Series Coupé + GranCoupé duet imaginable above the 7 Series?

The two 8 Series variants would of course share development costs, therefore styling and engineering (as will do the 4 Series variants and the 6 Series variants) and that would allow BMW to finally offer a large GT V12 2 door coupé again!

[Alpina_B3_Lux]

Originally Posted by debdoub

I don't get it why BMW keeps making cars bigger they're becoming like American cars. Humble opinion

Exactly my view as well.

Only hugely oversized cars in the pipeline, and the only real sports car that they would need - in order to make their claim of a sports brand at least a bit believable - they have put on back burner.

A real shame. Competitors like the Audi R8 and SLS AMG are already planning their second generation of these cars, and BMW hasn't even had a real supercar for decades.

Alpina_B3_Lux