While the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe is go already, BMW’s pending M8 Gran Coupe will enter production next year.
Is that Bimmer for real, by the way?
Yes it is, even though it’s still a concept with some outlandish design details. BMW is set to provide an answer for the Porsche Panamera next year. At the Geneva motor show last month, BMW has shown a concept version of the forthcoming 8 Series Gran Coupe.
BMW freely says this particular show car is the clearest indication of what the production-ready article would look like in showrooms next year. The Gran Coupe will be the third model in the newly established 8 Series family to launch after the Coupe and Convertible.
A brawny M8 version is also being planned to square off the battle with the GT 4-Door Coupe and Panamera.
BMW hasn’t revealed any technical details yet for the M8. However, sources say the M8’s powerplant is related to that in the M5, that is, a 600hp 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8; the M8 could get a higher 650hp. Eight-speed automatic and xDrive all-wheel-drive are set to feature, as well.
A smaller 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine is being mooted to take on the mild-hybrid version of the GT 4-Door Coupe. And should the market crave for it, a 6.0-litre V12 with the 860i badge is also possible. In a nutshell, BMW is looking to lock horns wherever is possible on the uber-saloon dancefloor.
Is that AMG the saloon version of the GT sports car?
When Mercedes-Benz revealed the concept version in Geneva last year, it tried to communicate that a more practical variant of the GT sports car was under consideration.
And just recently, the production-ready model has been introduced at the same Swiss motor show last month bearing the same expressive Panamericana front grille as used in that two-door coupe.
Due to packaging constraints, however, the so-badged GT 4-Door Coupe is claimed to be based on today’s E-Class. This new AMG car is actually a five-door fastback with a coupe-like profile going up against the Porsche Panamera.
As the GT 4-Door Coupe is essentially a rehashed E-Class, the petrol engines are both familiar ones with twin turbos.
The first one is 435hp 3.0-litre inline-six coupled with 48V mild hybrid and EQ Boost system shared with the just-launched 53 models of the E-Class Coupe/Cabriolet and CLS. The 0-100kph acceleration time is rated at 4.5sec.
The other motor is 639hp 4.0-litre V8 which is an upgraded version of the one seen in the 63 S model of the four-door E-Class. It has a faster 3.2sec time.
Both the 53 and 63 models of the GT 4-Door Coupe use nine-speed automatic and the latest 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive hardware.
Will they be priced to match?
Mercedes hasn’t revealed pricing yet ahead of a possible Thai introduction toward the end of this year. However, a starting point of 10 million baht is likely because that’s how much the similarly powered Panamera 4 E-Hybrid costs.
That should also be the same case for the 8 Series Gran Coupe in entry-level form. The M8 range-topper, meanwhile, should be nudging the 15 million baht price level in the same manner as the 63 model of the GT 4-Door Coupe.
