2019 will mark the return of the 8 Series to the BMW product roster, but it’s entirely possible the Munich-based automaker won’t be stopping there. The head of design at the company, Adrian van Hooydonk, has indicated in an interview with Autocar magazine that there could eventually be a new model inserted above the 8 Series in the hierarchy of the BMW lineup. Might we see a 9 Series at some point in the not-too-distant future?
“Let’s say this: we won’t stop here. Obviously our job is to have more ideas than the company can build, because the other way round would be very bad.”
- Adrian van Hooydonk, BMW
He added that his team is already at work on models that will only see the light of day beyond 2021, and some are on the schedule for as far away in time as 2030. And yes, he conceded that one of them could be a coupe-style sedan that would be positioned as a direct rival to the Mercedes-Maybach S Class.
In terms of its market positioning, BMW has quite a bit of room to manoeuvre: currently its most expensive vehicle is significantly cheaper than the least-expensive model offered from Rolls Royce (which it also owns).
Names registered
As it happens, BMW has already registered a ton of different names for potential future models. These range from the i1 to the i9, and from the iX1 to the iX9. Presumably these would refer to electrified cars and SUVs, able to cover up to nine models in each category.
The model referred to by Adrian van Hooydonk could be an i9. It stands to reason that if we’re talking about a model that will debut closer to 2025 than to 2020, it will surely have to be partially or fully electric.
It’s also worth remembering that BMW’s eternal German rivals, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, are both currently working on high-end electric sedans.
It would be downright illogical for BMW to sit idly by.