BMW Weblog spoke to “sources with an excellent monitor report” about what’s in retailer for the 8 Sequence. The rumors sound like BMW is constant down the street steered earlier this 12 months of killing the 8 Sequence coupe and convertible, holding simply the Gran Coupe for the subsequent era due in 2026 or thereabouts. The brand new twist within the scuttlebutt is that this next-gen 8 GC could be battery-electric solely. BMW Weblog did not point out a tidbit from a report in January that the 8 Sequence lineup would department off right into a 7 Sequence mannequin and merge with the 4 Sequence to launch a brand new 6 Sequence lineup, however combining these two nuggets sounds believable. The 7 vary has been remade with ICE and electrical variations. A electrical 8 Sequence Gran Coupe would grow to be a 7 Sequence Gran Coupe, whereas the ICE 8 Sequence coupe and convertible could be parlayed into a brand new 6 Sequence.
After all, that is all hypothesis. What’s not speculative are the gross sales figures for the 8 Sequence. The coupe, cabriolet, and Gran Coupe look like on monitor for one more annual gross sales tally of seven,000-8,000 items within the U.S., identical as they’ve achieved the previous two years right here. Numbers are nicely down this 12 months in Europe, although, simply as they have been in 2021 in comparison with 2020.
There are nonetheless loads of questions. BMW Weblog suggests the automaker “is likely to be taking a look at simplifying the 8 Sequence lineup and holding solely the most effective promoting merchandise.” Primarily based on the whispers to date, we aren’t positive if something is being simplified or if it is merely being transformed to electrical and/or relabeled. If BMW’s doing like each different automaker, pruning lineups each to economize for widescale electrification and maximize manufacturing within the face of provide shortages, it could make sense to trim the 8 vary to a sportier electrical 7 Sequence Gran Coupe. Say the 4 Sequence and eight Sequence coupes and convertibles are used to resurrect a 6 Sequence coupe and convertible — superficially, that is eliminating two automobiles. However it strains perception to suppose the 4 would die and BMW would go away the three Sequence and not using a coupe or convertible possibility. If the 4 Sequence dies however the 3 Sequence picks up one or two new variants — which might be the previous variants that turned the 4 Sequence — it is doable no automobiles are eradicated.
What’s clear is that the world of massive luxurious sedans and GTs goes the best way of the electron. The Taycan is already right here. Maserati simply revealed its GranTurismo Folgore. Audi’s obtained an electrical A9 E-Tron reportedly coming in 2024, a Bentley EV is due a 12 months or two later. Jaguar’s mentioned to be going all-electric with a trio of crossovers in 2024, however we would not be shocked at an electrical XJ or new GT displaying across the time the subsequent 8 Sequence is predicted to debut. BMW Weblog says the Munich automaker has till about three years earlier than launch to decide, that means plans would begin firming up round a 12 months from now.
