GAC's M8 MPV set for E9 rename in Australia amid BMW trademark dispute

Few badges carry as much weight as M8, and BMW's hold on that name in Australia now looks likely to cost GAC its own. The Chinese brand's plug-in hybrid MPV, on sale locally since late 2025, is expected to switch to the E9 designation before the end of this year. GAC has yet to make anything official, but it reportedly lodged documents with the Australian government in mid-August listing the E9 as the vehicle's new name.

BMW's position is clear-cut: its M8 performance car has been sold in Australia since 2019, and the M8 trademark is registered there. Speaking in December 2025, a BMW spokesperson stressed that the group must safeguard the reputation its premium products have built over many years, adding that another maker was following a naming convention similar to its own.

GAC's stance evolved along the way. Kevin Shu, who runs GAC International Australia, initially dismissed the clash as trivial, noting that plenty of people share his first name, Kevin. By March 2026, however, the same executive confirmed the two companies were talking about the model name, later describing the discussions as reasonable and friendly and attributing the rethink to pressure from head office. Adding to the irony, BMW wound down M8 production itself at the end of 2025.