BMW only just revived the 8-Series and has already
suggested that its range could expand further with a range-topping 9-Series
family. Speaking with Autocar about the chance of a 9-Series seeing the light
of day, BMW design director Adrian van Hooydonk remained coy on details.
If BMW is to introduce a 9-Series, it will likely
take the shape of a four-door coupe and rival the Mercedes-Maybach S600. It
would also be the ideal way to complement the 8-Series and BMW’s ongoing push
into the higher-end of the luxury market.
The German car manufacturer re-introduced the
8-Series after a near 20-year absence earlier this year. The new model shares
components of its platform with the 7-Series and would likely serve as the
basis for the 9-Series. If this were the case, the full range of 8-Series
powertrains would probably be offered for the 9-Series, including the 532 hp,
4.4-liter petrol of the M850i and the 316 hp, 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder
diesel of the 840d.
It is thought that a BMW 8-Series could prove
especially popular in markets like China. The 9-Series probably won’t be
the only all-new BMW arriving in the coming years. The car manufacturer has
trademarked model names between i1 and i9, iX1 and iX9, as well as X1 and X9.
