German Car Zone

It's no secret BMW is developing a "coupe" version of its X5 off-roader, called the X6. Company officials have confirmed its development, and spy photographers have spotted prototypes in testing.

But the X6 isn't the only crossover-coupe under development at BMW, if Germany's Auto Bild is to be believed. According to the latest issue of the magazine, BMW is also working on a coupe version of the X3, called the X4. While the larger X6 has four doors, the X4 has just two.

It's not known if the X4 is currently under development — or if the project has even been approved — but it's clear BMW is serious about this emerging "Sport Activity Vehicle" segment. [See full X4 illustration].

I read some comments by BMW USA's Tom Purves in Automotive News that casts some doubt about the viability of such a vehicle.

"It could be made to go like a BMW," he said. "I have no doubt that it would sell, but the question is whether it would sell in a large enough quantity at what would be a lower price [than the X5]."

AutoBild claims in the latest issue BMW will debut 30 new models in the not-so-distant future. X4 being on of them.

Read my post in "Future of BMW" thread (Future of BMW): BMW Board are to decide till May what new models to get green light. And many of models I listed there (most of them already considered but put on ice in the past) will be taken into consideration - including X4.

Will have to wait a few more months to get the final answer.




PS: perhaps the Board have already decided something, since they usually take important decisions on their meeting taken place just before big auto shows (NAIAS this time). Yet usually they do that before Geneva & Frankfurt / Paris auto shows.

The latest news: "The birdie" told me today the Board had given a green light for X4 SAC already. So, Autobild is right.

Some Huckfeldt's CGIs are published, but not worthy to comment.

Expect the side profile. See X6 thread for more ...

X4 in AutoBild:
http://www.autobild.de/heftarchiv/vo...Q QqDQQ%3D%3D

Huckfeldt's dream. More of nightmare.

Like I said in X6 thread: the silhouette of the car on thic CGI is almost like the one of X6.

While the front (grille & headlights) is similar to F5 RFK.


Perhaps this CGI is done on some initial sketches from years ago when X4 was already considered but been put on ice. The final design decision is to come in the following years. Mind that the final design decision is made somwhere i the middle of the development process which lasts normally 5-6 years. But since BMW has to fill product gap for the years 2010-2012 perhaps some processes could be sped up.

Audi is building competition for X4?