This is BMW's X6 crossover, caught without the usual heavy disguising and revealing a strong coupé roofline to the rear.
The aim for BMW is to provide a new approach to the SUV class and in its own way be as innovative as Mercedes, which created the four-door coupé CLS some years ago to critical acclaim.
There are likely to be some compromises in terms of interior space, given the new design format. For a start, rear-seat headroom and rear cargo volume. What it loses in practicality, however, it supposedly gains in performance.
The principle behind the new X6 is that it will be a very performance-orientated SUV, aiming to match the desired off-road looks with proper road-going performance.
However, don't expect to see many X6 owners anywhere near the grass, let alone off-road and in the mud. While the very idea will undoubtedly annoy the anti-SUV lobby, BMW believes there is a substantial audience for such a vehicle.
Expect it to arrive sometime during 2008, with prices starting slightly higher than the X5, probably around 185,000 for a three-litre petrol version.