From the automaker that gave us the sport/activity vehicle comes a minivan we aren't supposed to call minivan. It's known internally at BMW as LSC or Luxury Space Cruiser. It features elements of touring, SUV, and van genes, says Michael Ganal, BMW Group marketing chief. The van element is least significant, he claims--it's not an appropriate vehicle type for BMW.
The LSC will be based on the 5 Series platform because it's built in Europe. (This differentiates it from BMW's other new model line, the coupe SUV, which will be built in South Carolina on the Mk2 X5 platform.) It'll be smaller and lighter than a Mercedes-Benz R-Class or Audi Q7, which are SUV-based. BMW will save weight partly from compactness and partly from use of aluminum in the body and suspension. And it'll be more carlike to drive than a Q7 or R-Class, Ganal insists.
It'll be a two-box body, with six- or seven-seat three-row interiors offered. Despite the name, ultimate space isn't the chief priority. Ganal cites what happened when Mercedes and BMW both decided to make a car smaller than the 3 Series/C-Class size. Mercedes went for space, with the front-drive one-box A-Class, whereas BMW's 1 Series is--apart from the hatchback--a traditional rear-drive BMW, leading to a sacrifice of space. The same will happen when BMW builds its LSC--space and versatility will be better than in a 5 Series, but driving characteristics and style won't be sacrificed as much as they have been with the R-Class.
Standard 5 Series engines and transmissions will power the LSC. That means the new magnesium-blocked Valvetronic six-cylinder engine goes up to 3.0 liters and Valvetronic V-8 up to 4.8 liters. Later in the model cycle, BMW will introduce direct-injection gas engines. But there'll be no M version: BMW insists its M tag is applied only to cars that can make use of the power and suspension upgrades--again making M an operation different from Mercedes's application of AMG across the range.
BMW will offer rear-drive or Xdrive all-wheel-drive options on the LSC. Further chassis options will include self-leveling air suspension and Active Front Steering. BMW will preview this machine with a show car in late 2006 or early 2007.
The coupe SUV, however, is a different story. "It's a 4x4 with coupe styling, but a high driving position, produced in the U.S. So you can imagine what that could be," says R&D chief Burkhard Goeschel. "It should behave as it looks."
BMW also is working on a new range of engines, using direct gasoline injection (known as High Precision Injection and exhibited on the X3 Efficient Dynamics show car at Frankfurt) and turbocharging. The HPI concept, where fuel is guided into the cylinder by the jet itself, allows the engine to run lean at all operating ranges, not just light load, so is claimed to offer fuel savings of about 10 percent. It'll be introduced first in Europe where low-sulfur fuel is widely available.
But combining with turbos at a later stage, BMW will downsize the cylinder capacity and increase compression ratio for improved fuel efficiency. Goeschel says these engines have no turbo lag, can produce 150 pound-feet of torque per liter displacement, and have fuel efficiencies to match diesels.