Setting aside future names for their models is nothing new in the automotive world. And BMW is no stranger of those tactics. A new filling from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines shows that BMW has got dibs on the “M7” and “M9” badge names.
BMW has never made a proper M7. For whatever reason, the M Division has never felt that the 7 Series made an sense as an M car. But it did reserve the name before in 2018. Any BMW with the M7 badge on the boot would be an actual M Division product, unlike the outgoing BMW M760Li, which is an M Performance car. Because of that, the M760Li is far more luxury-oriented.
We’ve driven multiple 7 Series’ and we can fully admit that, while good, the 7er isn’t the best luxury car on the market. It’s a pretty good drive, though, and its chassis is impressive for such a big heavy car. So we can actually imagine what a BMW M7 would be like and it’s an exciting idea. But with the move towards electrification, the odds of seeing a petrol-powered M7 are not very high. Instead, an electric M7 might make more sense in the future.
Now when it comes to the M9, there is even more mystery surrounding a potential model. There isn’t much chatter on the prospects of an M9 coming from Munich, and as many times before, the name could simply be just a placeholder. The M9 name has been rumored before and it could turn out to be a bespoke model, just like the upcoming BMW XM which doesn’t have a BMW series equivalent.
No further info is offered in these fillings, but we’ll make sure to keep our ear to the ground in case something shakes up.
[Source: CarBuzz] [Renderings by Giom Mouton]