BMW 8-Series to make a come back as a four-door coupe?

[Andrew 30]

Four-door coupes are currently a fast growing market. With the success of the Mercedes-Benz CLS, other luxury auto makers are realizing the need for a four-door coupe in their model lineup. Audi is already hard at work with Audi A7, which it confirmed earlier this March, and Porsche is almost done developing their Panamera. So what’s BMW’s answer? To bring back the BMW 8-Series as a four-door coupe.

Since the BMW 7-Series doesn’t fit the company’s sports car philosophy and will never be made as an ‘M,’ BMW CEO Reithofer is trying to push for the 8-Series to become the company’s four-door sports coupe.

The old BMW 8-Series saw the end of production in 1999, which was built in a V12 version that produced 300-326 horsepower and a V8 version that produced 286 horsepower. If the 8-Series goes back into production expect horsepower output to be substantially above 350.

[martyyn 2]

Now that is fcuking sex

[Andrew 30]

Courtesy of Bimmersports new news service Fresh updated a couple of times a day. All will be posted on main page and in forums.

Cheers

[nz320i 0]

reminds me of a merc cls, but a lot nicer.

[cainchapman 0]

I'm sorry, you can't have a 4 door coupe.

coupe : a 2-door automobile often seating only two persons; also : one with a tight-spaced rear seat

It looks a bit like that squashed cockroach Mercedes have. But I still like it. Those M wheels are great.

[BMW POWER 2]

CLS + 6 Series = 4 door coupe. Why does everything look so the same these days?

[E30stz 0]

bft - been waiting for this for a long time cant wait.

[ThreeOneEight 0]

I'm sorry, you can't have a 4 door coupe.

coupe : a 2-door automobile often seating only two persons; also : one with a tight-spaced rear seat

Actually, Cain, 'Coupe' is a French word meaning 'short roof'. Remember the Rover P5B Coupe?

[conrod 1]

I'm sorry, you can't have a 4 door coupe.

coupe : a 2-door automobile often seating only two persons; also : one with a tight-spaced rear seat

It looks a bit like that squashed cockroach Mercedes have. But I still like it. Those M wheels are great.

What about the original Rover V8 coupe? That was a four door (very similar profile to the Chrysler 300C)

One of the translations of the word "coupe" meant "lower roof" and made no reference to how many doors were fitted.

[m_power 0]

I like it, sex on wheels.

[bravo 34]

I'm not sure - should just make a 6-series 4 door IMO. It doesn't even remotely appear to bear any design chain to the original - FTL I say.

[lidistick 70]

Back lights remind me of an Aston.

Nice but not really as cool as a CLS 63AMG.

[cainchapman 0]

Originally from:

coupe

1834, from Fr., originally pp. of couper "to cut (in half)" (see coup), from early 19c. carrosse coupe "cut-off carriage," a shorter version of the berlin, minus the back seat. First applied to closed two-door automobiles 1908.

Nothing to do with roof height. Still no 4 door coupe.

Just because people don't use the correct words. It doesn't make it correct.

McDonalds call themselves a restaurant.

Edited April 4, 2007 by Cain

[OLLIE 26]

Surely BMW one of the largest most reputable car manufacturers in the world wouldn't make the mistake of misnaming one of their new cars???

although on the 2 door argument, e30 'coupes' are the same shape as the 4 doors but just simply have 2 doors, are they really a coupe? or are they a 2 door sedan?

edit - unless it is the author of this article who made the mistake, perhaps it is more appropriately named a 4door sports sedan?

[Guest Denny Crane]

I'm sorry, you can't have a 4 door coupe.

coupe : a 2-door automobile often seating only two persons; also : one with a tight-spaced rear seat

It looks a bit like that squashed cockroach Mercedes have. But I still like it. Those M wheels are great.

I'm sorry, yes you can. A coupe is defined as not having a b pillar. 3 series - 2 door sedan. Old 8 series - 2 door coupe.

[cainchapman 0]

Coupe--Closed car with two doors, and technically, less than 33 cubic feet of rear interior volume.

No comments on B pillars. Probably a very common feature in coupes though.

[Mike 1]

CLS + 6 Series = 4 door coupe. Why does everything look so the same these days?

yip, just a rebadged CLS too me. having said that, CLS are f**king cool cars

Edited April 4, 2007 by Mike

[bravo 34]

AFAIK, a coupe was a 2-door car. Then they started making 4-doors with invisible b-pillars that looked like coupes - hence the name 4-door coupe. It's just a marketing thing. Sportscar oriented people want to buy coupes or cars that look like coupes.

Its not about BMW naming it correctly or not - its about marketing.

Edited April 4, 2007 by bravo

[entscheidend 0]

Sexy looking car .. but I dont think it should be badged as a 8 series - and yes to me it is a saloon NOT a coupe.

It looks a mix of a E64 / CLS & Aston

IMO It looks nothing like a 8 and therefore should have its own model- maybe make it the X9 or something.

I.E> When they made the Z8, it was based on a similar shell as the 507, but it was called the Z8 and not a 507

[hybrid 1039]

The 6 looked nothing like the old 6 either .. its progression ...

What will happen is the 8 series will be the new flagship for BMW. Like the 7 series was the beacon for the current BMW design flow ... this 8 will hint on what to expect in the next generation of BMWs ... exciting times ..

I for one have been wanting BMW to make a big GT tourer to compete with the likes of bently / ferrari etc as the 6 series sort of fell short of that ... 600 hp v12 anyone?

[cainchapman 0]

Marketing:

"A 4 door coupe" and "Ribena has vitamin C"

Doesn't mean either are true.

[alant 0]

I'm sorry, yes you can. A coupe is defined as not having a b pillar. 3 series - 2 door sedan. Old 8 series - 2 door coupe.

Coup'e is French for cut. you can have a coupe anything provided you have cut the roofline..... Remember the old Rover 3 litre 4 door "Coupe"? This argument is as old as that car.

Edited January 12, 2008 by alant

[ThreeOneEight 0]

Looking over this thread again, I was trying to work out what this new 6 Series reminded me of.

It's the 1991 Mazda MS-8, and that is not a good thing!

[bradc 0]

Correction to the first post, the original 8 series was produced with a 380hp 5.6L V12 - I have one

I personally quite like the CS Concept, I wonder how close the finished car will be to that. The new red picture looks quite ugly imho.

Ohh and I always quite liked the tail lights on those mazda's, very ahead of their time.

[3 SERIES 92]

Marketing:

"A 4 door coupe" and "Ribena has vitamin C"

Doesn't mean either are true.

Ha ha. Im with Cain on this one!