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Originally Posted by advantage20
Quote:
Originally Posted by mkoesel
From M Division? And on the 8 Series underpinnings? But perhaps the intel from the original source is inaccurate.
At any rate an X8 would make for interesting debate. Would such a vehicle supplant the X6 as the 8 Series essentially does the 6 Series? It would seem like a good bet.
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As I see it, the X3/X4 and X5/X6 (and more recently X1/X2) pairs are here to stay, as they cover the C, D and E segments with a complementary offer that fulfills most needs. In other words, most buyers shopping for an SUV will certainly find a model to their taste within this lineup depending on their criteria (practical or stylish, large or compact) and budget, and conversely most of these models will sell well thanks to the current global SUV frenzy (even if the X2 will certainly face harsh competition from the new Evoque).
Therefore I'm pretty sure the X8 will not replace the X6 but complete it, replicating its formula on the upper F segment as a coupé version of the X7, and again I'm not worried it will sell. The outgoing 6er Coupé on the other hand is exiting the declining 2 door E segment (with pretty much its only competitor being the E Class Coupé), and while Mercedes can rely on its image and luxury coupé heritage to keep selling both an E Coupé and an S Coupé, it seems as though BMW aren't confident they can follow that, and in order to maintain a large 2 door coupé offer, they had to keep the sporty philosophy and size of the 6er while glazing it over with the freshly exhumed upmarket image, prestige and nameplate of the 8er, and marketing it exactly as this high luxury + high sportiness mix that is distantly aiming at Aston Martin territory ('The Gentlemen's Racer'). Or maybe it was a deliberate choice to just mix the best of both worlds in one model.
I'm pretty sure Scott was joking about an X8 Concept for Geneva though, as the production X7 still has to be revealed and settle in first  |
Would make sense to be a 8er GC, 9er, whatever it'll be called. I don't think they'd bother presenting a M8 cabrio.
I agree on the X model line up. They wanna fill every gap, and I'm sure the X6 and X8 will co-exist.
What I'm worried about the 8er is it's price point. As far as rumors go, it will probably slot somewhere near the new continental GT and AM Vantage. It won't be as sporty or light as the AM, and won't be as luxurious as the CGT. It will be in between the two, as far as competence goes. Problem is, I don't see BMW competing with either..the 6er was a expensive car, yes, but it performed on par and even exceeded more expensive cars like the ones I cited. Now, they will increase the price point to compete directly with them, and what the 8er will bring to the table to compete with them, if not being less expensive?
IMHO BMW doesn't have the badge to ask the same price as those cars. They are bespoke, from design to reality with one purpose. The 8 brings its drive train from an M5 ffs. IF it was as special as the concept, and with bespoke engine etc, light weight, I could see it being somehow "competitive". But just a number really isn't that compelling. They should've kept it as a 6er. There's nothing new, groundbreaking, or outstanding about the 8er that suddenly makes it worthy of the supposed price tag it'll carry.