Someone'll Pay: BMW Probably Won't Stop at the 8 Series

Like a grinning child whose dad is pushing them on the swings, BMW wants to go higher. Higher!

In both price and model designation, BMW knows there’s loftier ground to claim — and buyers willing to fork over the contents of their bulging bank accounts to make it profitable. That’s why the looming 8 Series, a luxurious coupe bearing a resurrected name, likely won’t be the pinnacle of Bimmer’s range for long.

Speaking to Autocar, BMW design director Adrian van Hooydonk made it pretty clear Bimmer wants to challenge the likes of Mercedes-Benz and its top-flight Mercedes-Maybach S600. And that makes the prospect of an ultra-lux 9 Series all but inevitable.

When asked if there was space above the 8 Series, van Hooydonk replied, “Let’s say this – we won’t stop here [with the 8 Series]. Obviously our job is to have more ideas than the company can build, because the other way round would be very bad.

He added, “My team and I are now looking at 2021 and beyond – as far out as 2030. We have a lot of plans.”

Volume segments like midsize and compact sedans have all the growth of a collapsing star, but there’s dollars in hand for ultra-premium vehicles, with buyers outside North America and Europe being top of mind. China is seen as a key market for a new range topping sedan – both the upcoming 8 Series four-door coupe and its two-door sibling, and a potential 9 Series.

It’s expected that a 9 Series would, like the 8 Series, adopt the architecture of the 7 Series. Naturally, there’ll be luxury in spades and a collision between power and technology. In a flurry of trademark filings, BMW recently called dibs on the i9, X9, and iX9 monikers, so there’s a clear desire to test the limits of its range.

[Image: BMW Group]