If the image quality were D3x standard (or above), it could be a very interesting alternative for certain uses - it would not be hard to put a live view focus feature in as a complement to the rangefinder (exactly as the D3x has 51 point AF PLUS live view focus) - my question is whether Leica will be too conservative to do that? A small, light camera with superb glass that printed 24x36 inches would have its appeal (it could also use a lighter tripod than a big DSLR, and have no mirror slap). It would actually be more of a replacement for "Texas Leicas" than for earlier M cameras, because it would, as Bernard points out, require more careful focusing than a film Leica, BUT it would have image quality that would have required 6x7 cm from a film camera (exactly what a Mamiya RF gave). If someone (probably not Leica) got really creative, it would even be possible to construct a rangefinder/ live view camera that had a tilt/shift sensor! Of course you'd have to use the live view to see the effect of movements, but no mirror opens that possibility.
-Dan