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Originally Posted by stein_325i
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It's not the first time we've heard rumors of the C Class coupe and convertible being dead. It makes sense. Non-SUV sales are still falling, and this leaves two door models, which were already a small niche, with a very thin slice of the pie. I've read rumors of Mercedes going to a single four seat coupe/convertible model, similar to the old CLK (but this time also with no CL or S Class coupe/convertible in the lineup, obviously). I suspect this is where they are headed. Audi is there already with the A3/S3 convertible now gone and TT 2+2 coupe in its final model year, leaving only the A5/S5/RS5 four seat, two door models.
This may or may not foretell a similar future for BMW. With Mercedes reducing their sedan based two-door fleet, it opens opportunity for BMW. On the other hand, it is still a declining segment. At a minimum, it seems increasingly unlikely that the two door 8 Series models will survive past the current generation. If we assume that will happen for the sake of argument, the bigger question becomes, after the G42 2er and G22/G23 4er finish out toward the end of the decade, does BMW try to combine those into a single model somehow? If this were to happen, it would mean the end of either the M2 or M4 so it would obviously have big implications for enthusiasts.