BmwTalk

Posted: **Wed Apr 15, 2026 7:30 pm**

Ask BMW fans what car the brand should add next and you’ll get all kinds of answers. Some will say BMW needs a real Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon or Range Rover rival. Something bigger, boxier, more upright, more imposing — a proper flagship SUV that feels tougher and more luxurious than the current X lineup. Others will argue BMW doesn’t need to go that far, but it probably does need something like an X9. A true seven-seater with real space for adults in the third row and enough cargo room behind it so you’re not forced to choose between passengers and luggage.

Then there’s the enthusiast answer. Some people still want BMW to build a supercar again. Others would rather see more dedicated M sports cars that aren’t just spun off existing series models. Something more special. More focused. More emotional.

Honestly, none of those answers are wrong. But if you ask us what BMW really needs, we’d go in a different direction.
BMW should build a 6 Series Shooting Brake

Yes, really. And no, not because it would be the smartest business move. It probably wouldn’t be. If BMW is chasing volume and profit, then clearly an X9 makes more sense. Bigger luxury SUVs are what the market wants, and BMW knows that. A large three-row SUV would likely sell in far greater numbers than any stylish low-slung wagon ever could.

But not every car has to exist because it makes the most financial sense. Some cars should exist because they make people feel something.That’s why the idea of a 6 Series Shooting Brake makes so much sense to us. BMW has enough practical cars. Enough SUVs. Enough sensible choices. What it could use a bit more of is something emotional — something stylish, a little unexpected, and something that instantly reminds you this brand used to take more risks with its lineup.

The 6 Series name is a good place to start. It still means something to BMW fans. It has always sat in a sweet spot in the range: more elegant and special than a 5 Series, but not as big or as formal as a 7 Series. In its best form, the 6 Series was beautiful, a little dramatic, and always had the right kind of road presence.

That’s exactly why it would work as a shooting brake. Not a bloated hatchback. Not another “GT” experiment. Not some awkward compromise between sedan, coupe, and crossover. A proper shooting brake. Long hood, low roofline, wide shoulders, and just enough practicality to make it usable without ruining the design. Something that looks gorgeous standing still and even better moving down the road.
Up next

And yes, before anyone brings it up, BMW just showed the Speedtop. It proves the shape works. It proves BMW designers still know how to make a stunning shooting brake. But the Speedtop is also not really the answer here. It’s based on the 8 Series and M8 footprint, it’s expensive, it’s exclusive, and it’ll never be a real lineup car. It’s more of a design flex than a serious product.

What we’re talking about is something a bit more grounded.
A Downsized Speedtop

Think smaller than the Speedtop. Lighter. More agile. More attainable, at least by BMW standards. Something that feels more alive on a back road and less like a collectible parked in a climate-controlled garage. The current market doesn’t need another oversized grand tourer. It needs something a little leaner, a little more playful, a little more connected. That’s where a 6 Series Shooting Brake could shine.

BMW already learned one lesson the hard way with the 6 Series GT. That car wasn’t great. It never had the right shape or the right image. It was practical, sure, but it didn’t make people want it. That’s the key difference. A shooting brake would. It would give buyers something that feels intentional, not compromised.

And the timing is actually better than ever.

Enthusiasts love wagons now. Maybe more than ever. Tourings have gone from niche oddballs to genuine dream cars for a lot of people. BMW itself has seen that enthusiasm firsthand. There’s now a real audience for cars that offer some practicality without defaulting to the usual SUV formula. Not everyone wants another high-riding family hauler. Some people want something lower, sleeker, and cooler.

And let’s be honest: the version everyone would really want is obvious. An M6 Shooting Brake.

That’s the one. That’s the dream.

Something with wide hips, serious power, a proper BMW stance, and just enough cargo room to make it practical in real life. A car that could do a weekend trip, tear up a mountain road, and still look special every single time you walked up to it. It would be irrational, a little niche, and probably impossible to justify in a boardroom presentation. Which is exactly why it would be so great.

So yes, the logical answer may be an X9. The profitable answer is probably some bigger, more luxurious SUV. And sure, a supercar would get people talking too. But from a purely emotional standpoint, from the perspective of what would make enthusiasts smile and what would add real character to the lineup, we keep coming back to the same idea.

BMW needs some emotional cars. What do you think BMW needs to do next?

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Source: https://www.bmwblog.com/2026/04/15/bmw- ... -brake-x9/

BmwTalk

BMW Needs a 6 Series Shooting Brake More Than an X9 SUV

BMW Needs a 6 Series Shooting Brake More Than an X9 SUV