BMW crams more into its lineup
BMW crams more into its lineup
BMW could expand its spectrum of cars in both directions, reviving the eight series after a almost two-decade absence and potentially bringing a little 1-series sedan to the U.S. It has big plans for plug-in hybrids and electrical cars, including a roadster version of the i8 next year and a battery-electric crossover in the early 2020s. With crossovers surging among U.S. buyers, it’s also finding ways to fit several more of those into its lineup: an X2 targeting youthful consumers in early 2018, followed a year later by the X7, a three-row behemoth with potentially a six-figure price.
1 series:​ A 1-series sedan went on sale in China this year, but it won’t be sold here, at least primarily. Global sales chief Ian Robertson has said the petite front-wheel-drive sedan is unlikely for the U.S. But one source says it could go on sale here in early 2019. Competitors’ plans to bring fresh petite entries could put the pressure on BMW. Mercedes, for example, will begin selling the A-class sedan in the U.S. in 2018.​
Two series:​ A freshened coupe and convertible were introduced this year as two thousand eighteen models. An updated M2 will go on sale in late 2018. Contrary to latest reports out of Germany, the two series will retain a manual transmission option, according to BMW officials in the U.S. A fresh figure style – the four-door Gran Coupe – is expected in early two thousand twenty with a stir to the same fwd platform that underpins the one series. The coupe and convertible will be redesigned in 2022.
Three series:​ The redesigned 3-series sedan will go on sale in the U.S. before the end of two thousand eighteen and budge to BMW’s CLAR cluster architecture. CLAR debuted on the redesigned seven series and will eventually underpin all rear-wheel-drive vehicles three series and larger. Some 3-series cars for the U.S. will be sourced from a fresh factory in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, when it opens in late 2019. A redesigned M3 and a plug-in hybrid variant are likely to go after the sedan. The 3-series Gran Turismo is expected to be discontinued in 2019.
A fully electrified 3-series sedan could be on sale by two thousand nineteen or 2020. A concept version could be shown at September’s Frankfurt auto display.
Four series:​ The 4-series coupe is slated for a redesign in 2020, with a redesigned convertible coming in 2021. The 4-series Gran Coupe also would be redesigned in 2021. Plug-in and fully electrical versions of the Gran Coupe are probable.
Z4: Contrary to speculation, the two-door sports car will not be renamed Z5 when a redesigned car goes on sale in mid-2019. BMW is working with Toyota to jointly develop the Z4’s successor and a Toyota sport coupe. The previous Z4 went out of production last August. A Z4 concept could be unveiled during events surrounding the Pebble Beach Concours this month. With a fresh lightweight platform, the Z4 is expected to grow in size and get fresh engines. A plug-in hybrid variant is expected. A fabric roof will substitute the current retractable hardtop on the car.
Five series:​ The redesigned 5-series sedan went on sale in February after switching to the CLAR architecture. As of that launch, manual transmissions were dropped from the nameplate. Now 5-series variants will begin to roll out. The M5 sport sedan is expected to be shown at the Frankfurt auto display in September, with U.S. sales coming in early 2018. It will get a fresh M xDrive awd system that can be turned off to permit rwd operation. Hybrid and diesel variants are also planned. The five series Gran Turismo was dropped this year and won’t come back.
6 series: The fresh 6-series Gran Turismo goes on sale this fall in the U.S. Some call it a successor to the discontinued 5-series GT. The 6-series GT is based on the CLAR architecture. The GT variant joins the 6-series convertible and Gran Coupe. The 6-series coupe was dropped earlier this year in the U.S. The Gran Coupe and convertible are likely to be dropped after the two thousand nineteen model as BMW switches its concentrate to the fresh 8-series line.
7 series: The 7-series sedan will be freshened in two thousand eighteen and redesigned in 2022.
8 series:​ The fresh 8-series coupe will go on sale in the U.S. in late 2018, and a convertible will go on sale in the U.S. in late two thousand eighteen or early 2019. They are based on the 7-series flagship sedan and will contest against the Mercedes-Benz S-class coupe and convertible. BMW unveiled a concept version of the coupe in May. The 8-series coupe and convertible will be sleeker and sportier than the 6-series models they substitute. An M8 spectacle version is possible. An 8-series Gran Coupe variant is expected in late 2019. A V-12 engine is expected to power the family’s top-end model. BMW last built an eight series in 1999.
i3:​ The compact battery-electric car will be freshened by the end of 2017. A fresh sporty i3S model is expected to arrive in the U.S. by the end of the year. It could be shown at the Frankfurt auto demonstrate. The i3S will have more power and some minor styling tweaks to differentiate it from the base model. An i3 with a significantly larger battery and more range is expected by the end of 2018. A redesigned i3 is expected in 2020.
i8: A fresh roadster variant of the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car will go on sale in the very first half of two thousand eighteen in the U.S. It likely will be unveiled in November at the Los Angeles Auto Display. The existing coupe will be freshened in 2018. It will get a longer range and more power. The coupe and the roadster are expected to be redesigned in 2022, and they could budge to fully electrified at that point.
iNEXT: A planned extension of the i sub-brand previously referred to as the i5 has morphed into the iNEXT. BMW says it will introduce the iNEXT battery-electric crossover in 2021. It will have what BMW reportedly is calling Level Trio.Five autonomous driving capabilities. That means it should be more capable than Level three systems that permit part-time autonomous driving, but it won’t permit full-time driver-free operation. The vehicle’s range will top three hundred ten miles. The iNEXT primarily could be spinned out in a limited style to ride-sharing fleets before the general public gets a chance to buy it, but that’s not finalized. One faction within the company is interested in ride-sharing very first, while another faction wants to sell the vehicle directly to consumers from the embark.
X1: The X1 petite crossover will be freshened in early 2019. It is slated for a redesign in two thousand twenty two or 2023.
X2:​ A fresh puny crossover with coupelike styling will go on sale in the U.S. during the very first quarter of 2018. BMW is viewing the X2 as a potential conquest contraption to attract junior buyers with a lower budget to the brand. It will be sportier than the X1, with a more powerful engine.
X3:​ BMW aims to regain leadership of the fast-growing premium compact crossover segment with its redesigned X3 going on sale in November in the U.S. With fresh production locations coming online, the U.S. will get a significant increase in X3 allocation. The X3 gets lighter, more powerful and more efficient with better treating and driving dynamics, BMW says. Two models of the redesigned crossover will be available at launch: the X3 xDrive30i with a 248-hp turbocharged Two.0-liter four-cylinder and the top-of-the-line X3 M40i with a 355-hp turbocharged Three.0-liter inline six-cylinder. This will be the very first time BMW has suggested an M spectacle model for the X3.
More X3 variants will go after. A plug-in hybrid is expected in early 2018. Other likely variants include a rwd model and a potential diesel-powered model. An all-electric version will be sold in 2020, BMW has said. This is the third generation of the X3, and it moves to the versatile CLAR architecture.