This weekend is the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Northern Italy and BMW will be out in force with two concepts, the Concept Ninety motorcycle celebrating the 90th anniversary of its Motorrad division and the lavish yet somewhat restrained Gran Lusso Coupe. BMW announced the Gran Lusso Coupe a week ago and teased us with a few initial photos. Now we have a detailed look at the concept, which has been developed together with legendary Italian design house Pininfarina.

The Gran Lusso Coupe marks the start of a partnership between the two firms and while there’s been no mention of production we can envision the concept serving as the basis for a new 8-Series. In fact, BMW even states that the look is ready to join the high-end luxury class, though strangely we also see a resemblance to Volvo’s Concept You from 2011.

Generous surface design and taut contours give the Gran Lusso Coupe an elegant look, while hallmark BMW proportions--a long wheelbase, stretched hood, short overhangs and a set-back greenhouse--hint at the concept’s performance. That performance comes from a V-12 engine nestled under the hood and spinning the rear wheels, though sadly we don’t have any specs for the mighty powerplant. BMW does mention, however, that the concept’s grille was made especially large to reflect the power of the V-12 engine.

Viewed up close it discloses highly accomplished detail work: the front part of the kidney grille is made of matte-sheen aluminum, while behind it an identically shaped part in high-gloss black adds visual depth. Moving rearward there’s a contrast of curved surfaces and sharp character lines, topped by a classic coupe profile. A high shoulder line extends almost horizontally along the entire side of the car, leading to an almost flat rear deck reminiscent of the design of the previous-generation 6-Series.

The wheels measure 21 inches in diameter and blend matte-sheen aluminum with glossy black.

On the inside, the BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe blends themes of elegance and luxury. The minimalist and driver-focused layout of the classic BMW cabin is lent a thoroughly new touch through the influence of Pininfarina. Key elements include the unique color combinations, the sweeping patterns of the doors and the select material choices. The latter includes a special swamp-preserved wood called kauri that’s more than 48,000 years old.

There are four generously-sized seats, set out in a 2+2 configuration, and all of these are lined in high-grade leather from the Foglizzo leather factory. Their light Tobacco Brown shade creates a warm, exclusive ambience. Metal highlights in black chrome set a technical counterpoint to the extensive application of natural materials.

In addition to the Gran Lusso Coupe, BMW will also be presenting the Concept Ninety. This concept was built in collaboration with custom bike company Roland Sands Design and draws its inspiration from the BMW R 90 S of the 1970s. Like with the Gran Lusso Coupe, there has been no mention of production for the Concept Ninety.

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