BMW News: Rumorpile: BMW 6-Series to Become 911 Fighter, 8-Series Making A Return

[William Maley]

There are some big changes possibly afoot with BMW's coupe lineup.

 

Auto Express reports that BMW will be changing the focus of the next-generation 6-Series from grand tourer to a Porsche 911 fighter. This means the 6-Series will become slightly smaller than the current model. Auto Express speculates the new 6-Series will utilize the joint BMW-Toyota platform that will underpin the next-gen Z4 and long-rumored Toyota Supra. Sources at both companies say this new platform is able to be scaled for larger models. At the moment, the proposal for the new 6-Series is for a coupe and convertible, no Gran Coupe.

 

Which leads us to the second part of this rumor. In a separate story, Auto Express reports that BMW has trademarked a number of 8-Series names (825, 830, 835, 850, 845, 860 and M850). Of course, trademarks don't mean a product will come out. But a source at BMW says the trademarks isn't just for BMW to keep them in their custody.

 

We first reported on the possible return of the 8-Series back in February as a competitor to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupe. It is expected that the 8-Series to come in a coupe, convertible, and Gran Coupe (sedan).

 

Source: Auto Express, 2

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[David]

Yawn and the continuation of minutia models that most people will never remember continues from the Germans who look for world domination as german versions of Toyota, Chevy or Ford.

[Suaviloquent]

So they basically want to take a 6 Series Gran Coupe, call it an 8 Series Gran Coupe, improve it's interior from the 6 Series level to 7 Series...

 

and probably tack on another $100,000 to the price of the vehicle. Huh....

[balthazar]

Wait, I got a couple of real sticky wickets in this piece.

 

• BMW is going to use a platform they developed with input from…… TOYOTA????????????? There are not enough laffs to express the ridicule this deserves.

 

• With all the flippant, misguided commentary we hear people spout saying 'Cadillac is copying BMW'…. I'm sure as hell expecting a rash of the like 'BMW is copying Mercedes' by revamping an existing established model to "copy" the mercedes S-coupe. Without question on this one.

 

• BTW, expect the nonexistent sales of the 6-series to plunge into the double digits/mnth with this move. Not that I give a crap about sales numbers for luxury vehicles, but SOME FOLK DO.

[Suaviloquent]

Toyota is very capable of building a great set of underpinnings for their vehicles. It's just that for some reason their top brass is ultra conservative, are reactionary to the market now - and they figure what works for their customers - basically incremental improvement over revolutions is what works for them as well

[smk4565]

I am glad to see the 8-series return, I thought that was one of the best BMWs ever, I liked the 90s 8-series, I hope they make the new car similar to that.

 

The 6-series should be a 5-series coupe/converable that is $55k, not whatever the hell it is now.  A 6-series Gran Coupe (which s 5-series based) is more expensive than a 7-series.  That makes no sense.  If they think they can make a 6-series compete with a 911 they are delirious.  The 6-series should compete with E-class coupe/convertible, and be like 190 inches long, so for those that think a 435i coupe is too small, they can get a 635i for $5,000-10,000 more.