Quote:
Originally Posted by RPiM5
Spot on! I think it makes no sense to bring back the namesake of the 8-Series if there is no V12. Otherwise we just have another 6-Series with a different badge and more luxury. What are the people at BMW thinking these days?
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Well an S550 Coupe, which as you know has a V8, has a $122k MSRP. So you are effectively saying that the only reason we should give Mercedes a pass on that price is because they have an even more expensive V12 model (over $160k) above it?
If BMW does not choose to offer a V12, it could simply be that not enough people are demanding one. After all, when we look at the V12 engines used by BMW, Bentley, and Mercedes*, we see nothing more than about ~650hp. Today's turbocharged V8 engines - which incidentally all of these same manufacturers also offer in this class of vehicle - can make just as much power and offer equivalent or better performance while weighing noticeably less. Sure, the V12 is seen as a status symbol in this class. But maybe BMW has already determined that the customer they are targeting with the 8 Series will prefer a V8 powered M8 over a V12 powered "M860i". I think this is quite plausible.
* I would have included Audi too but they appear to have killed the A8 V12, at least in the US. And no wonder - it was not turbocharged and woefully underpowered compared to the competition.