[ptack]

Just what the heck is it supposed to be? The article doesn't make it any clearer.
Based on the same platform as the new 5-series, which arrives next year, the PAS will provide BMW with an MPV for the first time. The firm has lost sales to the likes of the Ford S-Max as 3-series drivers have families and want more space, and this is the company’s response.

Ok, so they're going to make minivan? But no..

The PAS design team considered adding a third row of seats to create a sort of luxury people carrier, but Autocar understands this idea has been scrapped because of the heavy curvature of the roof. Instead, the PAS will come X6-style with four deep-set individual seats, or with the more conventional arrangement of two front seats and a rear bench.
Umm, so they're going to give families more space, but only 4/5 seats? I can see it if this is just a replacement for the X5, but it's no MPV.