BMW Would Like a Porsche 911 Fighter

The legendary Porsche 911 may have to contend with a new direct rival from BMW in a couple of years. That’s the wish expressed by Adrian von Hooydonk, the Bavarian automaker’s design director.

Here’s what he told British publication Autocar in a recent interview: “It’s a nice idea. Maybe we should work on that!”

Rumours of a 911 fighter at BMW began to spread four years ago, but none of them turned out to be true. Instead, the Munich-based company phased out the 6 Series—first the coupe and convertible, then the Gran Turismo in most markets—to maximize the success of the all-new 8 Series in the large sporty car segment.

A return of the 6 Series in a much different package is a real possibility, von Hooydonk hinted. This time the emphasis would be more on performance and dynamics than comfort and opulence. Unfortunately, the executive wouldn’t comment further.

Photo: BMW AG

It’s clear that BMW has the expertise, the powertrains and the technology to drive this project to market, but does it have the resources? That’s the million-dollar question.

Similar to Mercedes-Benz and Audi, BMW has to make big decisions and reduce costs globally. The priority going forward is electrification with the launch of plug-in hybrid models and soon a whole new generation of electric vehicles.

Also, don’t forget that BMW has just resurrected the Z4 in a partnership with Toyota. Is the little roadster enough for the company’s top brass or will they heed the advice of von Hooydonk and create a new sports car that can take on the 911 fair and square? We’ll keep our fingers crossed.

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