BMW’s MPV plans appears to be quite unsettled. First, it was two “space-functional concept” vehicles, the V3 (based on the 3-series) and the V5 (based on the 5-series).

The first to be eliminated was the V3 (”the 3-series platform’s dimensions are incompatible with the Space-functional concept”). Then there was the problem that V might be interpreted as a three-letter word (”BMW doesn’t build Vans!”).

In the end, it seems that the Space-Functional concept has been abandoned, in favor of two cars with low development costs that will occupy two different niches: the X6, a coupè-suv that will appeal to people who desire a sportier SUV than the X5 and who don’t need as muchspace; second will be the BMW Super-Touring or “Luxury Sports Cruiser” (LSC), a long and sporty estate with four indipendent seats, based on the next generation of the 5-Series Touring (expected in 2009).

The LSC should be on the market in 2010, it will be longer than the Touring (almost 5 meters), it will have a 3 meters-long wheelbase and it will be about 1.55 meters high. It should be sportier than the Mercedes R-Class and more spacious than the 5-Series Touring (4 independent seats, with a fold-down seat for an eventual fifth passenger).

There’ll be no risk of anyone thinking of the LSC as a “van”, but I sure hope that BMW’s designers will choose a different rear than the one depicted in Huckfeldt’s sketch..

Auto Bild’s crystal ball says this about the LSC’s engines: the omnipresent 3.0i 6-inline, its bi-turbo version 3.0Si (306 ps), the 4.4Si V8 (408 ps), the 2.5d turbodiesel engine (204 cv), the 3.0d (245 ps) and the 3.5d biturbo-diesel with 300 ps. The base engines (3.0i and 2.5d) will be offered only in RWD versions, while all other engines will be offered both with RWD and with the x-drive 4WD system (xi or xd). The price should be about 5,000 € higher than similar versions of the 5-Series Touring.

One last thing: BMW’s engineers are hard at work on a double-clutch robotized gearbox (DKG).

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