Two New BMWs for 2008

BMW is moving into more product niches with the launch of two all-new models planned by 2008, according to BMW chief Helmut Panke. He describes one as "a new segment" combining innovative seating, dynamic performance, and the "distinct appearance of a coupe" with the all-wheel-drive platform of the next-generation X5 SUV. Imagine a Mercedes CLS crossed with an M-Class, and you're in the ballpark, say Munich sources. Believed to be known internally as the V5 and scheduled to be produced at BMW's Spartanburg, South Carolina, plant, it'll have about five inches more wheelbase than the new X5 and be longer, probably 195 inches in overall length. Style will take precedence over function: Panke goes on to say that the car will likely be a four-door, four-seater.

The other new 2008 BMW is the much-rumored "space-functional concept"--but it's not a minivan, Panke insists: It's a "combination of versatility, function, and individual space, with a sporty appearance and dynamic performance." Codenamed RFK and likely to be called X6, it'll be a rolling testbed of new technologies, including active steering, dynamic drive, electronic damper adjustment, active ride control, and a lane-departure warning system with active camber control and crosswind compensation. Panke adds that, despite its size, it won't be a seven-seater. "We won't build the biggest vehicle in the segment," he says. "The emphasis here is to provide the most available space for four or five passengers."

Panke says the V5 will be a "U.S.-focused" model, while the X6, to be built in Europe, is aimed at European buyers who routinely travel long distances across the Continent. However, both will be sold around the world and will be powered by the new, lightweight 3.0-liter inline-six and an upcoming new-generation V-8 with direct-injection. There's also a new 4.0-liter, 238-horsepower turbodiesel V-8 for Europe and a possibility that the V5 will even be available with the 6.0-liter V-12 from the 760.

Panke's announcement also is important for what he didn't say--BMW's M1 mid-engine sports car scheduled for 2007 or 2008 is indefinitely on hold.