Mercedes are clearly reaping the benefits of having a bigger and more luxurious car than the S-Class on the market, and the Bavarians want a piece of that action.
BMW development chief Klaus Froehlich went on the record last week saying that his company will create a new ultra high-end saloon.
In terms of portfolio, there is a very large price gap between the 7-Series, which starts at about €82,600 in Germany, and the Rolls-Royce Ghost.
Froehlich told autonews that “just like certain competitors, we will see that we occupy with credible offers the price bracket of 150,000 euros ($170,000) and beyond.” Tongue-in-cheek, he added that “some simply do 4 or 5 wheelbases and add varying thick chrome packages. That will not be the BMW approach.” No points for guessing who he was referring to…
This means that whatever super-saloon Munich comes up with, it won’t just be a regular 7-series with a really long wheelbase. Simply stretching out an existing design can only take you so far, and the Germans want to create a saloon that actually drives and performs like their customers expect to.
Company CEO Harald Krueger also commented on the issue: “The luxury class will remain a high-margin segment, so we intend to enhance our presence by adding another new model.”
Some have speculated that such a model would be something like a “9-Series”, but a new flagship SUV is also know to be on its way.
Aside from resuscitating the Maybach brand, Mercedes also added the Pullman version and are also planning a luxury version of the current GLS. Its direct rival, though, has chosen a different approach, focusing on one special product instead of seriously upgrading some of its current top models.
Note: BMW Vision Future Luxury Concept pictured
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