BMW Launching Upmarket 8 Series Coupe NEXT Year!

Man, BMW has struggled in this segment over the years. There have been other 8-cars (I hated the 850 but the Z8 was alright) coupes that just didn't cut it. And they just killed the 6-series, as I understand it. Let's see what they come with this time.

I'm not certain that going upmarket is the trick.

Why?

The 6-Series missed the mark; the old 8-Series was OK but sold in tiny numbers because it was too expensive and too quirky; the Z8 was awesome; the i8 is 'Meh' mainly because it is gimmicky and ugly.

Perhaps BMW should do another Z8 class vehicle - mid-engine, monster 600/700HP M-V12, hybrid added for punch, great looking, smoking fast - to take on the McLarens and fast hybrid Porsches.

BMW has lost the performance crown to AMG and should not copy Mercedes AMG product line.

A $300,000 2 sec 0-60, 230MPH supercar is what they need to do to burnish their image.

A warmed over 6-Series in the guise of an 8-Series is NOT what is needed.

Above 100K, the BMW brand name will quickly lose prestige.

C'mon. They've renamed the ugly, stepchild 6 and will now call it an 8 and charge 20K more - of course their margins will be better.

And sales will remain horrid.

BMW has yet to prove it can compete in th luxury coupe segment. After numerous failed attempts, it will have to come up with something truly unique and innovative to outsell the S-Class Coupe. Based on BMW's current trend of interior and exterior design, I'm not optimistic on the chances of this car succeeding.

According to recent news reports - BMWs are really really hot cars - even when standing still.

Top end luxury car buyers will not like this kind of revelation about their cars. Mercedes is now the clear large luxury car leader - and nothing anyone has done will change that anytime soon because an S-Class is the car to be seen in right now.(Especially a Maybach with a Chauffeur.

The time might be ripe for BMW to hop into the fray. The S-coupe has kind of a led a resurgence in this segment below the Continental GT. With the Lexus LC upcoming as well, this chunk of the market might really start burning up. Now, the key for BMW is to clock in with a distinctive model. It cannot just be a $20k more expensive 6 Series. Mercedes was genius for naming their new big coupe the S-Coupe and allowing everyone to forget the CL, essentially presenting a new model. The LC is a brand new model, connected to no past regular production Lexus. If people just see the 8 Series as a more expensive 6, then it'll fail.

I don't see it doing large numbers. If priced over $100k and optioned to $150k or $170k (like Porsche) you might as well spend a bit more and buy a Continental Coupe.

The new 8-Series Coupe is almost destined for failure before it's even unveiled.

BMW's exterior design has been moving at a snail's pace from one generation to the next, which is not good considering the old 6-Series coupe couldn't compete with the S-Class Coupe.

BMW's interiors have widely been regarded as trailing Mercedes-Benz and Audi's, which is not good because buyers paying $140K-$150K want opulence.

The price won't help its case. With a decently-optioned price in the $140K-$150K range, this coupe will go up squarely against the S-Class Coupe, Panamera Turbo and is within shouting distance of Bentley's Continental Coupe.

Most importanly, it's likely the BMW won't do anything truly great. It's luxury will be less than the S-Class Coupe's, its performance will be less than the Panamera Turbo's and its image will be less than the Bentley's.

This is a truly crowded segment and BMW will likely not offer anything compelling enough to make this a segment sales leader.

The S class coupe is on another level and BMW will have to do something on another level just to be 2nd place. theyll probably hover around the new lexus lc500 level but definitely not be able to be the Benz.