Since it was revived in 2003, the 6-Series has been BMW's luxurious Grand Touring flagship, but according to an intriguing rumor, that could soon change. BMW apparently wants to bring back the 8-Series name for an ultra-luxurious four-seat coupe, and reposition the 6-Series as a two-seater with an emphasis on outright performance.

These rumors come to us from UK publication Auto Express, which cites a source within BMW for the information. Auto Express points to recent trademark applications from BMW for various 8-Series names, including 835, 840, 850, and most interestingly, M8. Automakers often apply for such trademarks just to keep them from being used by competitors, but Auto Express presents a fairly convincing argument supporting BMW's rumored shift in tactic: Mercedes-Benz.

Mercedes now sells two coupes, the high-performance AMG GT and the incredibly posh S-Class Coupe. While BMW's current 6-Series splits the difference between the two Benzes, the next 6-Series could be positioned as a high-performance rival to the AMG GT, conveniently also taking on the Porsche 911 in the process. This would leave the expected new 8-Series to go up against the luxurious S-Class. BMW and Mercedes are currently engaged in a war to match each other's increasingly diverse lineups, so such a move from BMW wouldn't be a shock.

The other bit of evidence Auto Express cites in support of a 6-Series performance makeover is BMW and Toyota's upcoming shared rear-wheel-drive platform. It's expected that this platform will birth the successor to both the BMW Z4 and the Toyota Supra, but it's said to be a modular design. Theoretically, BMW could use this platform to underpin its AMG GT-baiting 6-Series, which would be smart financially since the Z4 segment on its own doesn't move a lot of units.

BMW introduced the 8-Series in 1989 as a replacement for the smaller 6-Series, but it was ferociously expensive–the V12-powered 850csi we tested in 1994 commanded just under $100,000 at the time, around $160,000 in today's dollars. As such, the 8-Series wasn't a sales success, and it died in its first generation in 1999.

Rumors of a sportier 6-Series and a revived 8-Series have floated around the internet for quite some time, but this is the most compelling evidence we've seen yet. That doesn't mean any of this will happen, of course, but it doesn't seem completely far-fetched.

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