Geneva show: BMW teases 8 Series Gran Coupe

BMW is set to spring a large four-door liftback concept at this month’s Geneva motor show, likely pointing to a Gran Coupe version of its all-new 8 Series.

The long, low-roof sedan will take its place on BMW’s Geneva stand alongside the two-door 8 Series coupe that will make its global public debut in production guise ahead of a showroom launch in Europe about November.

A teaser image released overnight on BMW’s Facebook page clearly shows the gap lines for the two side doors of the new concept. Although BMW did not call it a Gran Coupe, that seems the logical description of the car should it go into production – as seems likely – in 2019.

The rendering shows a kicked up boot spoiler on the tail of the “Gran Coupe” – a feature missing from pre-production engineering mules of the coupe.

Resurrecting the 8 Series nameplate after almost two decades, the new model effectively replaces the 6 Series. Production of the 6 Series coupe has already ceased in readiness for the production start-up of 8 Series in the second half of this year.

For now, the 6 Series Gran Coupe continues on sale alongside the 6 Series convertible and 6 Series GT, but logic suggests the drop-top and Gran Coupe will cease before too long, replaced by the 8 Series variants.

The 6 Series GT, which is based on the recently released 5 Series, is set to continue alongside the 8 Series for the foreseeable future.

Based on the timeline of the 8 Series coupe from concept in May 2017 to showroom launch in November 2018 – about 18 months – the Gran Coupe version could be expected to materialise in Europe in late 2019 and then perhaps in Australia in early 2020.

European reports suggest all three variants of the 8 Series will get the M8 treatment, backing up BMW’s claim that the new model will be a proper sportscar.

Based on BMW’s modular CLAR platform – short for Cluster Architecture – the new 8 Series shares its underpinnings with a raft of other BMW models, including the 5 Series, 7 Series, X3 and next X5 and 3 Series.

It is expected to share powertrains with the 7 Series, including four-cylinder and inline six petrol and diesel, V8, plug-in hybrid and V12.

At Geneva, the 8 Series coupe and Gran Coupe concept will take pride of place beside the new X4 that is getting its global airing.