Quote:
Originally Posted by mkoesel
Why not both an M vehicle and M Performance vehicle like the 1 through 6 Series will feature (well, perhaps not the 6)? Well, I'd venture to guess that BMW did their homework and found that the existence of the M8 would make an M860i superfluous from a customer interest perspective.
First off, I don't think it is any more strange for there not to be an M860i than it is strange that there is not an M7. Secondly, there is yet the opportunity for an M860e with V8 + eDrive.
You almost surely won't see a V12 X7, and similarly I don't think there is much chance for a V12 8 Series. The question is, what will the X7 do with no flagship? Well, this might be the perfect vehicle to introduce this theoretical M*60e drivetrain, no? Seems like a great opportunity to me. We'll see what they have in store.
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There is a significant difference in overall driving experience between, say, an M760i and an Alpina B7, and that difference wouldn't be less notable between an M760i and a potential M7 (taking into account engines alone, not all the other characteristics the Alpina is brilliant for). Still, it makes more sense to me that there be both an M860i and M8 than there be both an M760i and M7. Because despite the differences in engine character and overall experience, and despite its relative lightness compared to its rivals, the 7 still remains a large and fat saloon no matter what, while the smaller and lighter 8 on the other hand has a much more versatile potential, as either a comfortable luxury super GT coupé (archetypal version: V12) or a nimble hardcore supersports coupé (archetypal version: V8).
Of course there would be a certain level of overlapping and there are customers who would equally buy an M8 or an M860i if one or the other wasn't available. And of course we can expect the M8 to be savage enough to significantly differ from the more well-behaved 850i. However there are rivals on the market which do offer both V8 and V12 versions, sometimes even in various levels of output. The S Coupé S63 and S65 offer a different enough overall package to not excessively step on each other's toes; granted, there is a more legible hierarchy between S63 and S65 than there would be between M8 and M860i where the V12 would be the 'lesser' model, but this isn't all new to BMW (4 cylinder E30 M3 vs 6 cylinder) and again the whole driving experience would differ significantly.
Moreover, BMW hasn't been shy at all about its upmarket ambitions for the new 8 and its whole top of the line (7, X7, potential 9, new black and white logo communication...), and it wouldn't be too wild to imagine that high-end versions of the 8 Series prepared by BMW Individual might go after rivals which currently seem out of its league like the Continental GT and DB11 (the S Coupé can definitely hold the comparison). In this respect, no M860e hybrid would beat a V12 M860i as a purely status symbol, and though doomed at long term 12 cylinder engines are still demanded enough in certain markets. Even though it would ultimately represent a marginal share of the total 8 Series sales, a statement would be made. I would surmise that the development costs would be worth it in terms of further building the brand image, as BMW seems to openly claim that it aims to become the number one premium luxury brand (currently they are obviously behind Mercedes). Again we might not see any more V12s in quite a short term, but one generation run would only build BMW's image, maximise the V12's development cost, and definitely attract buyers. Now again the likelihood is pretty low according to current available information.