There's no denying that BMW has been very creative with its recent launches (3 Series GT, anyone?) and it doesn't show signs of slowing down. Coming as a bit of a surprise is the BMW Vision Future Luxury concept, which makes its debut at the Beijing Motor Show.

At first glance it'd be easy to assume this concept hints at a 7 Series successor. The flagship, after all, has been around since 2008 and is now a bit of a wallflower, especially compared to the new and impressive S-Class sedan. But a closer look at the concept's proportions suggest this could be something bigger, perhaps the rumored 9 Series sedan that would slot about the 7 and possibly share its platform with the Rolls-Royce Phantom.

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Regardless of what it may or may not preview, BMW says the sedan concept is a design study, previewing the automaker's "intelligent lightweight engineering, innovative interior design and a radically new user interface design." BMW also makes many references to its lightweight construction, suggesting its body is composite-intensive, much like the i3 and i8.

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Other notable design cues are its suicide-style doors, made possibly by an intricate B-pillar design that is integrated with the front seat frame. The concept's front end is standard BMW, including its oversized twin kidney grille and quad headlight design. The side profile shows hints of the sexy Pininfarina-penned Gran Lusso Coupe concept that debuted at last year's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este show, while the massive rear end showcase quad exhaust tips and thin taillights that feature strands of organic LEDs, which BMW says are thinner than human hair.

Inside, the rear passengers are treated to reclining seats, fold-away tables, and high-tech-gadgets including a tablet that controls most infotainment functions. Meanwhile, the minimalist cockpit showcases only the essentials, with most everything controlled by touchscreen or capacitive buttons. Overall, the large sedan is relatively handsome and we'll likely see more of it after it makes its debut in Beijing.

Source: BMW