Company design boss Adrian van Hooydonk hinted towards a four-door coupé to take on Mercedes-Maybach’s S 600. The German marque recently launched a new 8-series to take on the Porsche 911 and Mercedes S-class, and intends to venture further into the premium market. You will see a range of new, premium models, including a new 9-series.
When asked whether BMW had plans for a 9-series, van Hooydonk said, “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.”
The 8-series shares platform elements with the 7-series sedan, and such architecture would likely underpin a future 9-series. A large four-door coupé would work in markets like China, while a 9-series would also tie in with the potential expansion of BMW’s SUV and electric i ranges.
Van Hooydonk added, “the i brand has created a lot of opportunities for us, both in the acceptance of new technologies, and also in the acceptance of new design. [In terms of design], a car like the i8 opened doors to us we didn’t even know were there.”
