BMW and Pininfarina have blown the covers off their new jointly designed and developed Gran Lusso Coupé in advanced of the one-off model’s world premiere at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2013 this weekend.
The large coupe model is the outcome of the first collaboration between BMW and Pininfarina, and it follows the BMW Z4-based Zagato Coupé presented at last year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.
When the Bavarian carmaker shared a sketch and a couple of cropped details of the car along with the information that it uses a V12 powerplant earlier this month, the first thing that came to mind was the possibility of a 21st century version of the 8-Series Coupe that was built from 1989 to 1999.
In our eyes, the BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso V12 Coupé looks more like a two-door, coachbuilt version of a future 7-Series made to compete against the Bentley Continental GT, than a true successor to the 8-Series, but BMW officials think otherwise.
According to an Autoweek report, sources from within BMW, who asked to remain anonymous, said that the concept could provide a glimpse to a high-end coupe wearing the 8-Series badge.
“We want to send out the message the future is not all about electric cars, but also traditional models with real emotional appeal,” said the BMW source. “Whether that includes an 8 series is not yet decided. But the Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe gives an indication of how such a car might look.”.
The big BMW coupe’s foundation is borrowed from the 7-Series coupe with the 760Li’s 6.0-liter turbocharged unit providing power to the rear wheels. How much power that is remains unknown, but in the 760Li, the V12 delivers 535-horses.
Inside, the dashboard looks very much like the one in the 5-Series and 7-Series models (you’ll have a hard time telling the difference between the two), sans the more exclusive and stylish materials and color combinations, courtesy of Pininfarina’s eye for design.
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