With four of the five premium German automakers adopting the four-door coupe experiment, BMW is not blind to the realization that they are the living with a void in their product array. Shown at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show as a concept vehicle, BMW showed off their fighter to the Mercedes-Benz CLS and the soon to be released Audi A7 Sportback. Identified in China as the Gran Coupe, BMW’s low-looking, four-door captured the sporty essence the brand known for producing “The ultimate driving machine” is meant to project. Though classified as a concept, the degree of production car cues made it clear that the Gran Coupe was merely awaiting a powerplant choice and a starting price tag. According to Automotive News, BMW has issued the official go ahead to the Gran Coupe’s production version for the 2012 calendar year.
Presenting a satisfying exterior image, expect very little to change from the Gran Coupe concept vehicle. Shorter in overall height than the BMW 3-Series sedan, the four-door coupe’s design conveys a racier appearance which also helps lower the center of gravity. Wheel arches are powerfully emphasized while vehicle lighting projects an equally strong character. On the concept Gran Coupe, BMW took a fresh approach on the tail lighting.
If going with a choice of existing powerplants, the 4.8 liter normally-aspirated V-8 or the 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged V-8 seems to be formidable candidates featuring 360 and 400 horsepower. The only problem with these high-technology BMW engines is they’re already widely used in the current German luxury car lineup. If BMW wants to furnish more of a specialized sports coupe, there might be a chance for the German automaker could spark a unique sensation with their fusion creation. Perhaps the 4 liter V-8 used in the BMW M3 could inspire the passion needed for their upcoming four-door coupe.
The roll-out of BMW’s four-door coupe is expected to closely correspondent with the upcoming revision of the 6-Series. Caught testing at the Nurburgring next week, the set of spied 2012 BMW 6-Series (provided on pistonspy.com) has given potentially truer insight on the composure of the four-door coupe drivetrain. A six-cylinder entry-level engine is expected to produce more than 300 horsepower while a 4.4 liter V-8 will again be offered with a mild power bump. The real power gain will be made on the new BMW M6 slated to house a powerplant with a 600 horse output. It’s reasonable to assume the four-door coupe will also be honoured through an M line upgrade. Automotive News’ source with the announcement has also entertained (albeit casually) the notion that the production vehicle based on the Gran Coupe could be a hybrid.
With the BMW production car unlikely to be sold with the Gran Coupe name, the question remains for where will the four-door coupe fit in the German’s auto company’s numerical lineup. With the Bavarian auto company wanting to position this car above the 5-Series, the closest number left available on top of the listing is 8-Series. However, it seems more reasonable that BMW may opt to use their alphanumeric sports car scheme the ‘Z’ preceding the selected number perhaps the Z5 or Z6.
Information Source: Automotive News, BMW, Pistonspy.com
Photo Source: BMW
