Wagons are not as popular a body style as they once were, having been pushed aside by the relentless onslaught of the crossover. If they were still a body style that enough people wanted, then maybe cars like this cool BMW M850i Gran Touring could actually have been made.

The Curious Case of the Shooting Brake

Their decline in popularity is clear - even Mercedes, the manufacturer that made something similar to the vehicle in this rendering, the CLS wagon, has dropped that body style for its latest generation CLS. Thankfully, Mercedes still offers an estate version of its new CLA (dubbed the CLA Shooting Brake), but that’s really your only choice of rakish, sexy load lugger at any price point.

Kia has recently joined the shooting brake club with the rather nice looking new Proceed, a very cool looking fastback/wagon mix. However, like the CLA wagon, it might be a bit too small for some people and, with that Kia badge adorning its nose, even less attractive to buyers.

The BMW 8 Series Gran Touring

That’s why something like this wagon variant of the new BMW 8-Series, that I have named the 8-Series Gran Touring in-keeping with BMW’s current naming scheme, would be a pretty cool car to fill that big, premium, rakish estate niche. BMW definitely has no plans to build such a car, as cool as one might be, because it wouldn’t get a return on its investment to develop it.

It would probably account for a very small percentage of four-door 8-Series sales, even though I’m convinced that some enthusiasts who still see the inherent coolness of a wagon, would one of their children to get behind the wheel of such a car. Maybe some affluent 8-Series Gran Coupe buyer will go to a coach builder and commission a wagon body style, but that doesn’t seem especially likely given that the new 8 sedan is a thing of beauty and it would be a shame to cut into one.

The 2020 BMW 8-Series Gran Coupe recently debuted as the third available 8-Series body style after the two-door coupe and the convertible. The 8-Series Gran Touring would certainly complete the range nicely, and while I’m convinced there was at least one BMW board meeting where making such a car was discussed, I think the chance of one actually being made by the Bavarian automaker is really slim.

Final thoughts

Imagine what an M8 variant of the 8-Series Gran Touring would look like, with the unique wagon style excellently complimented by the Motorsport-specific swollen wheel arches, bigger wheels, tires and brakes. It’s the stuff of dreams, really, for an automotive enthusiast who likes big, sporty estates, which is why I was compelled to make the rendering that illustrates this article.