Place YOUR Bets! BMW Is Bringing An All-new PRODUCTION Model To Monterey Car Week — What Do YOU Think It'll Be?

This past week BMW put out a brief press release related to the upcoming Monterey Car Week festivities. Typically, BMW sets up shop there and makes sure to bring a concept vehicle for this event.

This year it's different, however. First off, I don't recall ever receiving a media alert for the event. So, I presume it's something BIG. Second, if you really parse the language in this release, it seems that BMW is making two things clear: 1) It will be a production variant; and, 2) it will be something we haven't seen the likes of previously.

One interesting thing I noticed upon re-reading the release is that the copy highlights it will be an "emotional" product.

While I initially thought it would be the X7 since of the types of well-heeled folks that attend Monterey Car Week may need a new people mover and vehicle for utility purposes, I now wonder if it could potentially mark the debut of the all-new X3M and X4M. Perhaps it's the all-new, flagship M8 or M850i Convertible? Z4?

That said, what would YOU put your money on, Spies?

BMW's press release follows:

Media Alert: BMW To Unveil World Premiere Production Car During Monterey Car Week.

Car Week 2018 Press Conference at 10:15 am on Thursday, August 23rd at The Lodge at Pebble Beach.

Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – BMW is pleased to invite all accredited media to a press conference for the World Premiere of an all-new BMW production car on Thursday August 23rd at 10:15 am at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Reviewing Stand on the 18th green of The Lodge at Pebble Beach Golf Course. At the press conference, BMW will also present the North American Premiere of the all new BMW M850i Coupe and the North American Premiere of the highly acclaimed BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe first shown at the Geneva Auto Show in May 2018. Speakers will include Bernhard Kuhnt, President & CEO BMW of North America and BMW Design Head Jozef Kaban.

The identity of the World Premiere model will be revealed closer to the time of the press conference. Suffice it to say that this new model will certainly be an emotional addition to the BMW range.

This time last year BMW presented the Concept 8 Series Coupe on the Concept Lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance – a preview of a forthcoming BMW model line. This year BMW reveals the first production model of the 8 Series: The 2019 BMW M850i. In addition, BMW will present yet another new concept car which again previews a future BMW 8 Series model: The BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe.

“The BMW 8 Series will take over as the new flagship model of the BMW line-up and, as such, combines unsurpassed sportiness and elegance,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design. “The BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe offers a look ahead to the most exotic and alluring variant of the new BMW 8 Series.”

The BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe is more than simply a luxury sports car with four doors. It symbolizes a new and unique understanding of luxury. “The BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe is designed to stir things up, to polarize – it should move you emotionally,” explains Domagoj Dukec, Vice President Design BMW M and BMW i. “With this car we want to reach people who are looking for something special and who want to stand out from the crowd. Here, BMW M is unmistakably taking luxury out of its comfort zone.” Like the BMW Concept 8 Series before it, the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe shows off BMW’s new design language, headlined by expressive surfacing that accentuates the car’s dynamism more vividly than before through its bodywork. A small number of precise character lines underline the graphic arrangement of the surfaces.

The striking exterior of the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe combines the core values of BMW M with elegance and luxury to create a new and captivating form, and reveals a new and exciting facet of BMW M. The new model sees the BMW Group looking ahead to the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe and BMW M8 Gran Coupe, which will be presented during the course of 2019 and round off the BMW 8 Series family.

BMW will again participate in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion this year with a number of race cars that celebrate The Ultimate Driving Machine.

MDarringer - 7/29/2018 3:51:33 PM

+1 Boost

SanJoseDriver - 7/29/2018 4:10:09 PM

0 Boost

Given it's California, going to go with the iX3 or iM3.

MDarringer - 7/29/2018 5:23:04 PM

0 Boost

Clearly, You've never been to Monterey Car Week.

carloslassiter - 7/29/2018 4:17:28 PM

+1 Boost

The Z4. Seems obvious.

MDarringer - 7/29/2018 6:21:58 PM

-2 Boost

Given the tone of the venue, the Z4 is more likely than the BS of EVs.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 7/29/2018 6:48:53 PM

0 Boost

They sell a lot of Range Rovers in Hollywood/Bev Hills/Etc... It could very well be the X7. It would have the broadest appeal vs an M8 Grand Coupe. But as MD said there is the show venue to consider.

MDarringer - 7/29/2018 7:42:28 PM

0 Boost

Concours is big so a Z4 tie in with the 507 would work as would a new level of motoring luxury X7

MDarringer - 7/29/2018 8:01:55 PM

-1 Boost

@CC You'll find that those who have never been to the Monterey event will prattle and say absolutely nothing all while pretending to be sage and wise.

TomM - 7/29/2018 7:42:33 PM

+2 Boost

Gee - its Monterey

So
1 - It will be big
2 - I will be a convertible or open top of some type
3 - It could be a crossover too.
4 - Likely to be EV as well

But then it could be a smaller open Sports Car too. However - they HAVE made them before so that does not meet the criteria.

mre30 - 7/30/2018 8:06:39 AM

+1 Boost

Since they used the phrase..."an emotional addition to the range" which can probably not be used to describe an SUV, I imagine its the Z4.

If it is the Z4, who really cares..unless they dropped the price by 20% and re-imagined the Z4 as a BMW Miata with a powerful engine 3.5i engine. The existing Z4 was interesting for about 6 months when it was introduced, but I haven't seen one of the road for about 5 years. Until the commentors mentioned it, I had forgotten that BMW was still selling it.

If, instead, the X7 is BMW's "..emotional addition to the range.." then BMW is dead to me.

MDarringer - 7/30/2018 11:15:12 AM

-4 Boost

The Z4 would be brilliant at $35K too bad it will push double that.

JRobUSC - 7/30/2018 12:28:25 PM

+6 Boost

"The Z4 would be brilliant at $35K too bad it will push double that."

Riiiiiight, because there was ever a chance that a Porsche Boxster rivaling BMW convertible would cost less than a Ford Focus.

MDarringer - 7/30/2018 1:25:03 PM

-5 Boost

You're clearly a dimwit and know ZERO about marketing.

The Z4 is an image enhancer for the brand. At its current pricing it sells in the dozens and provides zero image enhancement.

The Ford Focus does not have a base of $35K.

If it were truly affordable in the Mustang GT price range i.e. $35-50K, it would easily sell in much greater numbers and would give the brand a huge improvement in the perception that BMW is a sporting brand.

Pitting it against the similarly poor selling Boxster makes no sense for marketing. The Z4 will fail as will the 8 Series.

JRobUSC - 7/30/2018 10:05:11 PM

+4 Boost

So in Bizzaroworld, with MDarringer teaching Marketing 101 to us dimwits, the key to successful marketing is to be unnecessarily cheap. BMW and Benz and Porsche should sell for Ford and Chevy prices. Got it. You should email your marketing plan to Ferrari, Rolex, etc. All those high end brands are doing it wrong. Go cheap! That’s the way to market your brand! Those idiots are lucky to have stumbled across your genius on Internet forums, MDarringer.

MDarringer - 7/30/2018 10:42:44 PM

-3 Boost

@JRobUSC It was illogical to use Rolex as proof of your point or even Ferrari for that matter, maybe you couldn't afford a good university.

BMW is a mainstream automaker, not a cottage company like Ferrari.

The key to sustaining a company like BMW would be to lure young professional in and then step him up.

The young professional buys the Z4 for $35K and enjoys the sportiness of a BMW. He's "it" and life is great.

He gets married and down the road discovers his wife is expecting, so he spends $45K on a 3 Series because he's not ready to go to SUV land.

Second kid comes around a few years later and it's off to get an X5.

Even though the X5 has not an iota of sports car in it, the guy remembers 10 years ago when he was "it" and drove the Z4 and then chooses to see himself still as that sporty guy and the BMW he's driving to have "it" as well.

mre30 - 7/31/2018 9:59:53 AM

0 Boost

If we were to describe the Z4 in wrist-watch terms, it would be the $1,400 TAG Heuer - the inspirational first watch that many men buy when they get their first job and pay off on their credit card.

The thinking is "not showy..but sensible" but its definitely showy because if they could afford it, they'd definitely buy a Rolex. The TAG Heuer is a very nice watch in and of itself tho.

BMW needs to make the Z4 a low $40's Miata+ and the BMW Turbo 4 (for starters the one in the at a cheap price would be an excellent engine at that it in the entry-level 320i which starts at $34,900.

The stripper Z4 should start at $34,900 just like the 320i.

If the base Z4 moved off the lot at low $40's it would do wonders for BMW's image.

scenicbyway12 - 7/30/2018 12:30:24 PM

+2 Boost

It's the Z4 the press revealed this month ago.

http://europe.autonews.com/article/20180305/ANE/180309670/bmw-saves-z4-debut-for-summer