BMW Shelves Plans For Production-Model CS

Revealed back in April at the Shanghai Motor Show, the Concept CS was to see BMW enter the four-door luxury coupe market, joining the likes of Porsche and Aston Martin. Unfortunately, increasing pressure from a world economy in ruins has forced the Bavarian manufacturer to pull the pin.

Plunging profitability across the BMW Group has forced the axing of the proposed flagship model, which would have been positioned above the 7-Series in BMW's model lineup. With BMW reporting an uninspiring 1.3 percent profit last quarter, and with "recession" being the word of the moment across its huge European and US markets, it's not hard to see how BMW management came to this decision.

While still inking the ledger in black (just), BMW's quarterly report shows that the 'big Bavarian' has taken a whalloping across its global operations.

"The BMW Group recorded a net profit of euro 298 million for the third quarter (- 62.9 %). The net profit for the nine-month period was 39.7 % lower at euro 1,292 million," BMW's Quarterly Report says.

BMW's focus moving forward will be on the continued development and implementation of its EfficientDynamics range of technologies which includes things like stop-start technology, hybrid drive and brake regeneration. You can check out more on the range of EfficientDynamics initiatives here.

While the loss of some concept cars barely registers on TMR's radar, the decision to cancel the proposed BMW CS (which may have possibly been V10 or V12-powered) will now leave us wondering what might have been.