We were expecting to see a new BMW luxury concept at this year’s Beijing Auto Show, and we did, but it wasn’t the 9-Series we were promised by the Internet. It was in fact the BMW Vision Future Luxury, which is a preview to what the next-generation 7-Series will be like.

BMW Vision Future Luxury not only showcases the new design direction for future high-end Bimmers, it also gives us a taste of the technology features that are being prepared in terms of construction, connectivity, safety, and convenience.

The VFL is made from a blend of carbon fiber and aluminum which makes the whole very light for its size, allowing better efficiency and performance. Even the interior materials are picked carefully to comply with this approach. You get stuff like carbon fabric and components covered with a load-bearing layer of aluminum and wrapped in leather. Lot of engineering has gone into every little detail.

Such an advanced vehicle, of course, should excel at gadgetry. And with a whole host of high-tech equipment, the VFL certainly does. There is the new BMW Vision Head Up Display that uses augmented reality to enhances the driver’s view of the road ahead, and the Touch Command Tablets for the rear passengers. The instruments meanwhile benefit from a new three-dimensional technology that is entirely customizable.

The technology features are awesome. The design though… well, it is controversial to say the least. Those laser headlights, the mahoosive kidney grilles, and the air intakes in the front bumper give the car a very silly look. But hey, it’s just a concept.