The Automotive Crystal Ball: BMW to Make an Off-Road Coupe?

An upcoming crossover wagon cum SUV (see automotive news section for Mar 3, 2005: BMW Announces Two New Model Series at

An upcoming crossover wagon cum SUV will hardly be revolutionary, but rather seems to follow in the footsteps of Mercedes-Benz's new R-Class. (Photo: Artist's Rendering)

Geneva Auto Show) is hardly revolutionary, but rather seems to follow in the footsteps of Mercedes-Benz's new R-Class. Another, however, is wild, extravagant, and for lack of better terminology, revolutionary. Truly, the Sport Activity Coupe, or SAC for short, is unlike anything else ever made, and will be the figurehead vehicle that BMW uses to lead its new model offensive. Panke describes the SAC as a mixture of sports car, coupe and off-roader, and a vehicle which would more-or-less become a production version of the controversial, asymmetrical X-Coupe from the 2001 Detroit auto show.

While the SAC, as it has been understood, will be completely different in

The SAC is said to ride on a heavily-adapted version of the next X5 platform. (Photo: BMW of North America)

style from the X-Coupe, the concept's main qualities, namely its height and sleek shape, will be emphasized. One might think of it as a BMW version of the Mercedes-Benz CLS, with a tough, off-road appearance.

While still in its early stages of development, the SAC is said to ride on a heavily-adapted version of the upcoming 2007 X5 platform, the vehicle that will continue the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) model line. Slated to be somewhere in the 185-inch-long range, the SAC should actually be smaller than the current 6-Series coupe, although it would be wider and much taller.