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      04-10-2013, 03:13 PM   #1
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Mystery Valencia Orange BMW Previews 2 Series Coupe Air Breather?

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Mystery Valencia Orange BMW Previews 2 Series Coupe Air Breather?
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Our photographer recently spotted this Valencia Orange BMW in transport. The presence of the car cover likely means that it's not any model already revealed or in production. Question then is... what is it?

Our guess is that this is the upcoming 2 Series coupe (F22) or convertible (F23). We come to that conclusion by eliminating other models that it may reasonably be.

4 Series Coupe or 3 Series GT?

The F32 4 Series has been spied for nearly a year and a half now and although it will not start production until July, it's already been spotted fully uncovered during a recent commercial shoot.

A comparison of the functional Air Breather vent on this car and on the 4 series coupe shows that they do not match in shape or design. The 4 Series vent has less of a boomerang angle and the vent covers have a different design.

The mystery car's Air Breather vent closely matches that of the 3 Series GT in shape and style. But, the orange car is missing the extra side body character line which runs parallel above the bottom character line on the 3 Series GT. It's also unlikely that we would see Valencia Orange on a model like the 3 Series GT and even if that were untrue, there's little reason to cover up a 3 Series GT since it's already been debuted publicly.

4 Series Air Breather:

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3 Series GT Air Breather:

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Mystery car (2 Series?) Air Breather:

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2014 X5 (F15)?

Although leaked images of the 2014 X5 confirm that it will have an Air Breather vent just as on the 4 Series and 3 Series GT, the shape does not match the one seen on the mystery car. Valencia Orange is also a highly unlikely color to be given to the X5, nor does the preliminary X5 order guide show it as an available color.


5 Series LCI or 1 Series LCI?

Unlikely to be either model as the spied F10 5 Series LCI prototypes have not shown to have added Air Breather vents. It's also too early for the F20 1 Series LCI, and when that arrives, also we don't anticipate the LCI model to incorporate such a significant body change.


2 Series Coupe or Convertible?

The Valencia Orange color already exists on the F20/F21 1 Series hatchback so it would make sense to see it on the 2 Series. Also, Valencia Orange has already been seen as a color on preproduction M235i's VIN description.

Although 2 Series spy photos have not yet shown the Air Breather vent, the prototypes seen thus far still wear heavy camouflage on its front fenders. Early 4 Series and 3 Series GT prototypes also did not reveal their Air Breather vents through its camouflage.

All of the above leads us to believe that this may be the 2 Series coupe or convertible. Now, that was a lot of analysis and words on a single photo showing just a part of a mystery car, but we have pretty high hopes about the upcoming 2 Series, so to be possibly seeing a part of its final design (albeit small) is exciting.

With all this talk about Air Breather, what does it do exactly? The vent allows air to flow around the front wheels so as to reduce drag around the wheels. There is an intake vent within the wheel well which funnels air through and out the vent on front fenders.

P.S. The BMW 2 Series is about to do media preliminary work in Los Angeles, so all our SoCal folks should keep their cameras handy. Catch all our 2 Series coverage at http://www.bimmerpost.com/2-series/


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Bonus pics of M235i coupe recently spotted, as well as recent videos:

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      04-11-2013, 02:49 PM   #2
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That's identical to the 3-GT just paint matched. You can also see a bit of the body line behind it.
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      04-11-2013, 02:54 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by b1aze View Post
That's identical to the 3-GT just paint matched. You can also see a bit of the body line behind it.
3GT has double body line, this car does not.

You can see the difference here (no double line on the orange car):

3 Series GT Air Breather:



Mystery car (2 Series?) Air Breather:

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      04-11-2013, 02:58 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by b1aze
That's identical to the 3-GT just paint matched. You can also see a bit of the body line behind it.
Yep looks exactly the same.
Edit: spoke too soon. Saw the next post about body lines. Good catch.

And this doesnt look at all like valencia orange.
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      04-11-2013, 02:59 PM   #5
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I think the reported benefits of the vent (read: no real benefit) are really, really far from being worth the cosmetic sacrifice.
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      04-11-2013, 03:01 PM   #6
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Fire orange ???
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      04-11-2013, 03:02 PM   #7
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It's just a 3er GT crash test prototype ... Carmakers (incl. BMW) use this typical base non-metallic orange on crash - test prototypes (with all body parts in the same body color: mirrors, linings, trims, decorations etc).






Last edited by EnI; 04-11-2013 at 03:13 PM..
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      04-11-2013, 03:03 PM   #8
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Definitely a different model and not the 3GT judging from that body line that runs into the middle of the "air-breather" on the 3GT which is not present on this one.

I'm not into this whole air breather thing anyway. I think it looks stupid.
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      04-11-2013, 03:12 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason View Post
3GT has double body line, this car does not.

You can see the difference here (no double line on the orange car)
Double line is there but hardly seen due non-metallic color & poor lighting. But the concave surface between the lines / creases is clearly visible.
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      04-11-2013, 03:14 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EnI View Post
It's just a 3er GT crash test prototype ... Carmakers (incl. BMW) use this typical base non-metalic orange on crash - test prototypes (with all body parts in the same body color: mirrors, linings, trims, decorations etc).



Your crash test theory is very interesting. I would also agree with an earlier post that this doesn't really look like VO. Can't say I'm a fan of the air-breather vent but I haven't seen it in person so I'll hold my final judgement until then.

Either way, can't wait to see the M235i and M2 make their debut!
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      04-11-2013, 03:25 PM   #11
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Exciting news ! I can't wait to know more about what may be my next car
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      04-11-2013, 03:27 PM   #12
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@SedateMe

It's not a theory. It's a fact. It's a crash - test prototype of 3er GT. Nothing else.

2er Coupe & Cabrio bottom character line / crease is identical to the one on 1er hatch - it runs directly into front wheel arch, while the one on 3er GT ends before reaching the wheel arch. Also the crease featured (/ framing) the front wheel arch on 3er GT is complete, while the one on 1er / 2er is not - since it gives way to bottom character line that extends directly into wheel arch:

2er Coupe body-in-white with exposed bottom character line (that's running directly into wheel arch; while on the orange car it doesn't since that's 3er GT, not 2er):
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Last edited by EnI; 04-11-2013 at 03:35 PM..
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      04-11-2013, 03:35 PM   #13
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it's clearly a crash test vehicle - on every other car the airbreather has a different color than the rest of the car
my first thought was the crash test orange and I would bet it is one of those
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      04-11-2013, 03:41 PM   #14
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those ducts look special needs
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      04-11-2013, 03:44 PM   #15
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just look at the plastic piece for the car jack - have you ever seen a car where this actualy was painted?
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      04-11-2013, 03:52 PM   #16
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Definitely a 3 GT crash test vehicle.
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      04-11-2013, 04:07 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EnI View Post
It's just a 3er GT crash test prototype ... Carmakers (incl. BMW) use this typical base non-metallic orange on crash - test prototypes (with all body parts in the same body color: mirrors, linings, trims, decorations etc).





Quote:
Originally Posted by OverDriven View Post
Definitely a 3 GT crash test vehicle.
Why would they do the test crash now? 3GT is already been revealed and launched.
Doesn't make any sense to me.
I think it's a 2 series.
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      04-11-2013, 04:56 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lemon Jelly M3
Quote:
Originally Posted by EnI View Post
It's just a 3er GT crash test prototype ... Carmakers (incl. BMW) use this typical base non-metallic orange on crash - test prototypes (with all body parts in the same body color: mirrors, linings, trims, decorations etc).





Quote:
Originally Posted by OverDriven View Post
Definitely a 3 GT crash test vehicle.
Why would they do the test crash now? 3GT is already been revealed and launched.
Doesn't make any sense to me.
I think it's a 2 series.
way to keep the hope alive! C'mon M235i!
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      04-11-2013, 05:07 PM   #19
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First BMW decides to saddle all of the non M Cars with RFT's, now it appears they got a warehouse deal on JC Whitney side vents. I'm scared to ask what's next.
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      04-11-2013, 09:26 PM   #20
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Other folks are spot on in this thread. It's not Valencia Orange, it's not a 2 series. It's just a 3 GT crudely spray painted flat orange. Not only did they spray over the vent but you can even see overspray on the lower part of the jack pad. And the character line is there, if you adjust the levels in Photoshop it is much clearer. It's just hard to see given the lack of reflectivity in the flat paint.

Trust me, I am just as excited as everyone else to get more shots of this puppy, but this aint it.
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      04-11-2013, 09:55 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bread View Post
First BMW decides to saddle all of the non M Cars with RFT's, now it appears they got a warehouse deal on JC Whitney side vents. I'm scared to ask what's next.
JC Whitney! Ha! Man, that goes waaaaaaay back. Are they still in business?
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      04-12-2013, 07:23 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpine F31
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bread View Post
First BMW decides to saddle all of the non M Cars with RFT's, now it appears they got a warehouse deal on JC Whitney side vents. I'm scared to ask what's next.
JC Whitney! Ha! Man, that goes waaaaaaay back. Are they still in business?
That was funny. I was thinking the same thing.
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