BMW Trademarks Slew of 8-Series Monikers; Prepares 6-Series Re-positioning
06-01-16, 11:23 AM
#1
BMW Trademarks Slew of 8-Series Monikers; Prepares 6-Series Re-positioning
The BMW 8 Series is back! New GT range to include M8 supercar
BMW is set to bring back the 8 Series as a luxury GT to rival the Mercedes S-Class Coupe
The BMW 8 Series is set to return with an all new model to rival the Mercedes S-Class Coupe as a large, luxurious grand tourer.
Trademark applications with the global intellectual property regulators reveal that BMW has already started the basic prep work. In late March it applied to strengthen its control of a string of 8 Series-related names, including 825, 830, 835, 850, 845, 860 and M850.
• BMW 6 Series to morph into new Porsche 911 rival
A BMW insider has confirmed to Auto Express that the move was not merely a case of the company ring-fencing the badges for possible future use, and that it reflects an imminent rejig of BMW’s GT line-up.
BMW’s decision to bring back the 8 Series is due to a change of heart on what the 6 Series needs to be. The Bavarian manufacturer has not considered a rival to the Porsche 911 sports car before, preferring its 6 Series to be a larger, heavier GT. But the arrival of the Mercedes-AMG GT in the same market as the Porsche 911 has signalled new conflict between the big German premium brands, and now BMW wants the 6 Series to be its contender, as a more agile two-seater sports car. It’s that move which will make room for the new 8 Series.
BMW has also applied to register M8, signalling the potential arrival of a production car that was originally considered back in the early nineties. BMW created prototypes with a V12 engine (the motor that would ultimately end up in the McLaren F1) in the original 8 Series, but canned the project due to a perceived lack of customer demand.
The new M8 would give BMW a rival for the likes of the Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe. M division would probably choose to use the twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 engine, producing around 450bhp, allowing the 7 Series’ V12 engine to be used in high-designation ‘regular’ 8 Series models like the 850 and M860.
The BMW 8 Series is set to return with an all new model to rival the Mercedes S-Class Coupe as a large, luxurious grand tourer.
Trademark applications with the global intellectual property regulators reveal that BMW has already started the basic prep work. In late March it applied to strengthen its control of a string of 8 Series-related names, including 825, 830, 835, 850, 845, 860 and M850.
• BMW 6 Series to morph into new Porsche 911 rival
A BMW insider has confirmed to Auto Express that the move was not merely a case of the company ring-fencing the badges for possible future use, and that it reflects an imminent rejig of BMW’s GT line-up.
BMW’s decision to bring back the 8 Series is due to a change of heart on what the 6 Series needs to be. The Bavarian manufacturer has not considered a rival to the Porsche 911 sports car before, preferring its 6 Series to be a larger, heavier GT. But the arrival of the Mercedes-AMG GT in the same market as the Porsche 911 has signalled new conflict between the big German premium brands, and now BMW wants the 6 Series to be its contender, as a more agile two-seater sports car. It’s that move which will make room for the new 8 Series.
BMW has also applied to register M8, signalling the potential arrival of a production car that was originally considered back in the early nineties. BMW created prototypes with a V12 engine (the motor that would ultimately end up in the McLaren F1) in the original 8 Series, but canned the project due to a perceived lack of customer demand.
The new M8 would give BMW a rival for the likes of the Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe. M division would probably choose to use the twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 engine, producing around 450bhp, allowing the 7 Series’ V12 engine to be used in high-designation ‘regular’ 8 Series models like the 850 and M860.
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BMW 6 Series to morph into new Porsche 911 rival
The next BMW 6 Series will be a sports car designed to take on the Porsche 911 - Exclusive!
BMW is preparing a sports car rival for the Porsche 911 – as well the separate return of the 8 Series badge – Auto Express can exclusively reveal.
The German brand is hatching a radical plan to realign its 6 Series model as a smaller, more agile sports car - allowing space at the top of the range for the return of the 8 Series.
• The BMW 8 Series is back! New GT range to include M8 supercar
BMW has not contemplated a Porsche 911 rival before but the new Mercedes-AMG GT’s arrival as a competitor to the 911 has changed that. BMW has earmarked the 6 Series as the car to fill the that gap in its range.
A smaller 6 Series could feasibly be based on the shared sports car platform that BMW has been working on with Toyota. Up to now, it has been believed that the two firms would spin off different-sized vehicles from the chassis, with BMW placing it beneath the next generation of Z4 and Toyota using a larger version for the return of its Supra coupe.
However, senior BMW and Toyota sources have already confirmed that the new platform is scalable - and with the Z4 accounting for a tiny number of sales annually, there would be obvious benefits in economies of scale if BMW were to find a further use for the new set of chassis components. It would probably result in a slightly larger vehicle than the Z4 - rising from 4.3 metres in length to around 4.5m, or about the same as the Mercedes-AMG GT and Porsche 911. This would, in turn, provide the small increase in under-bonnet capacity required to cope with V8 engines, as well as BMW’s proven six-cylinder units.
Auto Express understands that the current proposal is for the 6 Series to become a sports car and convertible only, with no Gran Coupe in the future. This model would live on as an 8 Series Gran Coupe – offered alongside the two-door coupe and a convertible.
BMW is preparing a sports car rival for the Porsche 911 – as well the separate return of the 8 Series badge – Auto Express can exclusively reveal.
The German brand is hatching a radical plan to realign its 6 Series model as a smaller, more agile sports car - allowing space at the top of the range for the return of the 8 Series.
• The BMW 8 Series is back! New GT range to include M8 supercar
BMW has not contemplated a Porsche 911 rival before but the new Mercedes-AMG GT’s arrival as a competitor to the 911 has changed that. BMW has earmarked the 6 Series as the car to fill the that gap in its range.
A smaller 6 Series could feasibly be based on the shared sports car platform that BMW has been working on with Toyota. Up to now, it has been believed that the two firms would spin off different-sized vehicles from the chassis, with BMW placing it beneath the next generation of Z4 and Toyota using a larger version for the return of its Supra coupe.
However, senior BMW and Toyota sources have already confirmed that the new platform is scalable - and with the Z4 accounting for a tiny number of sales annually, there would be obvious benefits in economies of scale if BMW were to find a further use for the new set of chassis components. It would probably result in a slightly larger vehicle than the Z4 - rising from 4.3 metres in length to around 4.5m, or about the same as the Mercedes-AMG GT and Porsche 911. This would, in turn, provide the small increase in under-bonnet capacity required to cope with V8 engines, as well as BMW’s proven six-cylinder units.
Auto Express understands that the current proposal is for the 6 Series to become a sports car and convertible only, with no Gran Coupe in the future. This model would live on as an 8 Series Gran Coupe – offered alongside the two-door coupe and a convertible.
06-01-16, 10:19 PM
#6
I read recently that the 6 Gran Coupe is a really hot seller but the Coupe/Convertible aren't. Makes sense as they are grand tourers that compete more with the SL than the 911. As a BMW enthusiast i've always wondered why they never attacked the 911 head on like Audi and Mercedes have done recently.
Overall I'd just like to see BMW go back to focusing on making some of the best drivers' cars out there like they've done with the M2 (the M3/M4 are still good enough). All the F-platform cars have been so disappointing and are the reason I refuse to get rid of my E90. They just don't make 'em like that anymore.
Overall I'd just like to see BMW go back to focusing on making some of the best drivers' cars out there like they've done with the M2 (the M3/M4 are still good enough). All the F-platform cars have been so disappointing and are the reason I refuse to get rid of my E90. They just don't make 'em like that anymore.
06-01-16, 11:00 PM
#7
I read recently that the 6 Gran Coupe is a really hot seller but the Coupe/Convertible aren't. Makes sense as they are grand tourers that compete more with the SL than the 911. As a BMW enthusiast i've always wondered why they never attacked the 911 head on like Audi and Mercedes have done recently.
Overall I'd just like to see BMW go back to focusing on making some of the best drivers' cars out there like they've done with the M2 (the M3/M4 are still good enough). All the F-platform cars have been so disappointing and are the reason I refuse to get rid of my E90. They just don't make 'em like that anymore.
Overall I'd just like to see BMW go back to focusing on making some of the best drivers' cars out there like they've done with the M2 (the M3/M4 are still good enough). All the F-platform cars have been so disappointing and are the reason I refuse to get rid of my E90. They just don't make 'em like that anymore.
Personally I think BMW has forgotten what made them great to start with, driving dynamics and the way their cars handled. Their cars now days sell on reputation alone, and they are great cars, but they don't handle like their previous cars, they're softer, fatter, less direct, filtered through a layer of microprocessors.
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06-02-16, 06:42 PM
#8
Lexus Test Driver
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BMW for the past few years has been on a hell bent obsession of not catering to enthusiasts. They've been chasing the latest, awesome selling trend of crossovers, wagoniods, suvs, hatch type vehicles that are popular now by offering a ton of variants in that segment. Then they have also been dulling the steering and making the cars drive more like a Toyota Camry because that's what potential new customers had before and that's what they expect. Then they've been making some pretty crazy/weird electric vehicles that are losing them buckets of money.
Personally I think BMW has forgotten what made them great to start with, driving dynamics and the way their cars handled. Their cars now days sell on reputation alone, and they are great cars, but they don't handle like their previous cars, they're softer, fatter, less direct, filtered through a layer of microprocessors.
Personally I think BMW has forgotten what made them great to start with, driving dynamics and the way their cars handled. Their cars now days sell on reputation alone, and they are great cars, but they don't handle like their previous cars, they're softer, fatter, less direct, filtered through a layer of microprocessors.
06-02-16, 07:25 PM
#9
BMW for the past few years has been on a hell bent obsession of not catering to enthusiasts. They've been chasing the latest, awesome selling trend of crossovers, wagoniods, suvs, hatch type vehicles that are popular now by offering a ton of variants in that segment. Then they have also been dulling the steering and making the cars drive more like a Toyota Camry because that's what potential new customers had before and that's what they expect. Then they've been making some pretty crazy/weird electric vehicles that are losing them buckets of money.
Personally I think BMW has forgotten what made them great to start with, driving dynamics and the way their cars handled. Their cars now days sell on reputation alone, and they are great cars, but they don't handle like their previous cars, they're softer, fatter, less direct, filtered through a layer of microprocessors.
Personally I think BMW has forgotten what made them great to start with, driving dynamics and the way their cars handled. Their cars now days sell on reputation alone, and they are great cars, but they don't handle like their previous cars, they're softer, fatter, less direct, filtered through a layer of microprocessors.
06-04-16, 08:48 AM
#11
Lexus Test Driver
From what i read on BMW forum from insiders, the 6 series is not going anywhere from its current position in marketplace.
There may be 8 series to compete with new Sclass coupe down the road.
Next to come are - new 5er, Z5, Z6 and X7
There may be 8 series to compete with new Sclass coupe down the road.
Next to come are - new 5er, Z5, Z6 and X7
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