BMW only just revived the 8-Series and has already suggested that its range could expand further with a range-topping 9-Series family.

Speaking with Autocar about the chance of a 9-Series seeing the light of day, BMW design director Adrian van Hooydonk remained coy on details.

“Let’s say this: we won’t stop here [with the 8 Series]. Obviously our job is to have more ideas than the company can build, because the other way round would be very bad.

“My team and I are now looking at 2021 and beyond – as far out as 2030. We have a lot of plans,’ van Hooydonk said.

If BMW is to introduce a 9-Series, it will likely take the shape of a four-door coupe and rival the Mercedes-Maybach S600. It would also be the ideal way to complement the 8-Series and BMW’s ongoing push into the higher-end of the luxury market.

The German car manufacturer re-introduced the 8-Series after a near 20-year absence earlier this year. The new model shares components of its platform with the 7-Series and would likely serve as the basis for the 9-Series. If this were the case, the full range of 8-Series powertrains would probably be offered for the 9-Series, including the 532 hp, 4.4-liter petrol of the M850i and the 316 hp, 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder diesel of the 840d.

It is thought that a BMW 8-Series could prove especially popular in markets like China.

The 9-Series probably won’t be the only all-new BMW arriving in the coming years. The car manufacturer has trademarked model names between i1 and i9, iX1 and iX9, as well as X1 and X9.