Leica no longer has access to the CCD image sensor inside the Leica M9 series of cameras. As a result "defective sensors cannot be replaced" moving forward, and you'll need to upgrade to an M10 or another CMOS-based Leica camera if this happens to you.
Leica has just announced the new M-E (Typ 240) digital rangefinder camera. The camera is designed for newcomers to the M system, "making it the new entry-point of Leica M rangefinders."
With much fanfare, Leica announced its new M and M-E digital rangefinders at Photokina today. The M breaks new ground by introducing some fancy new features that have never been seen before in an M rangefinder, while the M-E is the company's attempt at offering an entry-level digital rangefinder.
Notice that Leica has done away with its standard naming strategy. Apparently Leica is doing what Apple did with the iPad: leaving out the generation in the name entirely. In future, we'll be saying "Leica M" with "20th generation" in parentheses rather than Leica M20.