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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