Although the BMW Vision Future Luxury Concept from last year’s Beijing show was seen by many as a preview of the next-generation 7-Series, it is now clear that was not the case.
It looks like the automaker is aiming higher with that study, and rumor has it that BMW is considering the launch of a 9-Series model to compete with the Mercedes-Maybach S600.
According to a report from BMW Blog, a decision on the launch of a 9-Series model is expected to come this year. If approved, the BMW 9-Series will arrive in 2017 at the earliest.
If the Vision Future Luxury concept will be the basis for the 9-Series, the latter will become BMW’s largest model, with a length of about 5,500mm (216in) – which is about 280mm more than the long-wheelbase 7-Series.
BMW may retain the study’s suicide doors, but not the design of the B-pillars, which consists of carbon-fiber bars that morph into a carbon fiber seat frame below the belt line. Obviously, the 9-Series will get all the luxuries BMW has to offer, including laser headlights and OLED taillights.
BMW’s next CEO, Harald Krueger, is reportedly a fan of the 9-Series project, which means there’s a fair chance for the ultra-luxurious model to become reality.
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