BMW AG, the German luxury carmaker, turns 100 this year, and to celebrate the centenary the company unveiled the Vision Next 100 concept. As the name suggests, the concept sheds some light on the future design direction of the company.

The concept car was premiered during centenary celebrations at the Olympic Hall in Munich, southern Germany.

The concept vehicle combines coupe-type stance with the combined attributes of a sedan. The face of the concept clearly portrays the BMW label with the famous kidney grille at the centre, and the kidney grille seems to have grown in vertical proportion on the concept. The Vision Next 100's design has some cues from the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car. However, it is commendable that the company has given a different character to the concept with sleek body.

As many automakers are heavily investing in autonomous cars, BMW is also gearing up for the same in this concept. The concept features Boost and Ease modes that offers a choice of driver-controlled or autonomous options. In Boost, the entire vehicle is controlled by the driver inputs just as any normal cars, while in the Ease mode, the car takes control. In this mode, the steering wheel and centre console retract, the headrests turn to the side, and the seats and door trim merge to form a single unit so that the driver and front-seat passenger can turn towards each other.

The company is yet to divulge details of the power train, but it is safe to assume the concept could be powered by an all electric or fuel cell powertrain since BMW calls this an emission-free car for the future. The Vision Next 100 concept will go on a world tour shortly stopping in China, the UK and the USA.