Houston Cars

The BMW PAS, pictured here, is a mystery to me.  PAS stands for Progressive Activity Sedan, whatever that means.  I have absolutely no idea.  The PAS is supposed to slot between the 5 series sedan, and the new X6 FDCCWUV.  The trouble is, the X6 is already slotted between the 5 series sedan and X5 SUV, “creating” a segment of arguable value.  Trying to slot a vehicle between the 5 series and X6 is even more sketchy.  Add that to the fact that the PAS and X6 look nearly identical to me, and I’m really lost.

The PAS is supposed to have a bit more headroom than the X6, for what that’s worth.  In my eyes, it’s not worth much.  I don’t think “a bit more headroom” is a valid reason to create an entirely new vehicle.  It’s a reason for a vehicle update, sure.  But not an entirely new vehicle.  BMW seems to be trying to create niches as of late, and I think that’s a terrible decision.  They are great at building cars, and they should keep it simple.   My advice?  Axe the PAS now, and stop wasting $$ on it.  There is no market for this vehicle.

For comparison, here’s a shot of the BMW X6:

See more pics of the PAS at Car and Driver.