It would take years and it will likely depend on the success or failure of the 8 Series Gran Coupe.
The new BMW 8 Series coupe remains a fresh offering in large grand touring, and we haven’t yet seen the four-door Gran Coupe. Automakers think and plan years in advance, so it shouldn’t surprise that BMW executives could be thinking about a 9 Series offering to further elevate the brand into the luxury category.
Autocar asked BMW the 9 Series question during a recent conversation with Adrian van Hooydonk (the manufacturer’s design director). Although he didn’t immediately give an yes answer, he did not dismiss the idea of a large Maybach fighter. Hooydonk strongly suggested that something was in the works, according to Autocar’s report.
He said, “Let’s do this,” to Autocar. “We won’t let this stop. Our job is to think of more ideas than the company can create. It would be very difficult for us to do the opposite. My team and me are currently looking to 2021 and beyond, as far as 2030. There are many plans.
Although there is plenty of room to interpret that quote, the main takeaway from it is that a 9 Series was not ruled out. However, you shouldn’t be surprised to see a large BMW prototype at the Nurburgring anytime soon. According to Logic, the automaker would like to know how customers react to the 8 Series Gran Coupe before they commit to something larger and more costly. It will be unveiled in the first quarter of next year. Then, it will need some time to get on the market. Hooydonk’s reference to looking forward to 2030 suddenly makes sense.
It will be fascinating to see how luxury car markets develop in this age of SUVs. BMW’s X7 could be the most popular choice for its wealthy customers, with buyers flocking to all levels of sport utility vehicles. We will only know the outcome when it comes to this.