Presently responsible for several high performance versions of standard BMWs, the M Division will lead the way on this new project currently codenamed "CS". Ludwig Willisch, president of the M Division, says that it will not be an M car, but its name has not been finalized.
The CS will be based heavily on their 2007 Shanghai motor show Concept CS, and will be built to rival the Mercedes-Benz CLS3 AMG and Porsche Panarama.
Designed to be a four-seat coupe, much like the original 8-series built between 1991 and 1999, the new car will measure more than 16 feet in length, wearing a body built of aluminum and carbon fiber. It is believed the new car will use a sportier chassis than the 7-series, and be powered by either a 6.0-liter V-12 engine or a smaller twin-turbocharged engine.
The CS is one of several key projects under the M Division's auspices, but it will be the first non-M-badged car to come out of the subsidiary.
Source: Drive