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

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

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]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Sportyaccordy Sportyaccordy on Aug 23, 2018

    BMW should abandon the series nomenclature altogether and just make the MSRP the badge.

  • Craiger Craiger on Aug 24, 2018

    As a former BMW owner I'm happy to see this. Will it get me to open my wallet? Probably not. I think I'm going to wait for the new 12 Series coupe, but not until the Gran Coupe 4 door.

  • Mikey My late wife loved Mustangs ..We alway rented one while travelling . GM blood vetoed me purchasing one . 3 years after retirement bought an 08 rag top, followed by a 15 EB Hard top, In 18 i bought a low low mileage 05 GT rag with a stick.. The car had not been properly stored. That led to rodent issues !! Electrical nightmare. Lots of bucks !! The stick wasn't kind to my aging knees.. The 05 went to a long term dedicated Mustang guy. He loves it .. Today my garage tenant is a sweet 19 Camaro RS rag 6yl Auto. I just might take it out of hibernation this weekend. The Mustang will always hold a place in my heart.. Kudos to Ford for keeping it alive . I refuse to refer to the fake one by that storied name .
  • Ajla On the Mach-E, I still don't like it but my understanding is that it helps allow Ford to continue offering a V8 in the Mustang and F-150. Considering Dodge and Ram jumped off a cliff into 6-cylinder land there's probably some credibility to that story.
  • Ajla If I was Ford I would just troll Stellantis at all times.
  • Ronin It's one thing to stay tried and true to loyal past customers; you'll ensure a stream of revenue from your installed base- maybe every several years or so.It's another to attract net-new customers, who are dazzled by so many other attractive offerings that have more cargo capacity than that high-floored 4-Runner bed, and are not so scrunched in scrunchy front seats.Like with the FJ Cruiser: don't bother to update it, thereby saving money while explaining customers like it that way, all the way into oblivion. Not recognizing some customers like to actually have right rear visibility in their SUVs.
  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
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