2008 New York Auto Show: BMW CS Concept

BMW Launches a new concept vehicle that looks as if it's intended for production as the new 8 Series, and, hints at the future of its vehicle design.

For BMW fans, the CS signals that the Bavarian automaker is now seriously in the game against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLS and the Porsche Panamera. With plenty of powertrains to choose from, the CS Concept could be making it's way stateside in very quick order.

It must have really wore them down. Day after day, BMW executives have sat and cringed with every gratuitous Porsche Panamera spy photo or Mercedes-Benz CLS sighting in the 'ol neighborhood. They don't have a car like that, after all, and people like cars like that. Their competitors have cars that fill the need, or are famously building one.

It's enough to make you choke on a strudel.

The most significant thing about the BMW CS Concept is that it's here and looking very production-feasible, even with a slightly crazy-yet-elegant approach to the sheetmetal. While it's mostly a design direction at this point, the specs come in as slightly larger and longer than the 7 Series, which lights up the speculation machine regarding a possible new 8 Series. Some are also claiming that the CS foreshadows the next 6 Series. Either way, it looks like we'll be seeing more of this beauty, and in pretty short order.

By Brian Chee Photo Credit: BMW of North America