BMW will go for that 'wow' factor with its 9 Series GT and i6 EV sedan in 2020

By Miles Branman December 22, 2015

BMW Vision Future Luxury Concept — BMW Vision Future Luxury Concept Image used with permission by copyright holder

BMW will continue its new model onslaught according to the latest reports from Automobile Magazine.

The first new vehicle in question will be a 9 Series four-door coupe based on the long-wheelbase version of the 7 Series. First previewed by the Vision Luxury Concept that debuted at the Beijing Motor Show, the production 9 Series will be a tether between Rolls Royce and BMW. Distinctly the new flagship, the 9 Series will be dramatically styled and priced somewhere between the 7 Series and Rolls Royce Ghost.

Reportedly, the 9 Series will go on sale in early 2020 with a four-seater configuration and engine options ranging from a twin-turbocharged V8 to a six-cylinder hybrid. There are also rumors of a V12-powered version to either wear the 960i badge or full-on M9 moniker. This range-topping variant could deliver as much as 650 horsepower. In related news, Rolls Royce is apparently developing an electric powertrain for its next-generation Phantom. That same mill could slot into the 9 Series further into the 2020’s.

As for BMW’s growing i Series range, a rumored electric sedan called the i6 (the i5 name would be reserved for an electric crossover) could debut in mid-2020. Similar in size to the BMW 3 Series, the i6 would be built on a “new ‘flat-floor’ component set” developed exclusively for EVs.

The i6 would have a carbon fiber construction similar to the i3 and i8. There may be multiple versions with different power and range levels. The top-spec i6 may have as many as four electric motors along with a lithium-polymer battery pack boasting more than three times the energy storage of contemporary batteries.

If the i6 does turn out to be the size of BMW’s 3 Series, it may rival Tesla’s Model III instead of the Model S. By 2020, there may be several more all-electric sedan rivals on the scene as well.

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