Two-door hot-rod will inherit the mechanicals from the M5 saloon to snare punters of the Bentley Continental W12 and Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe.
BMW is surely busy promoting the 8 Series banner…
Two things have already happened for the newly resurrected 8 Series badge from BMW this year.
The Coupe model, which we have recently driven in M850i form, is set to go on sale in Thailand at the end of the year.
Although not likely to sell as well as the Coupe here, the Convertible has just been officially announced coming with the same engines as its hard-top sibling (the other one is the diesel-powered 840d).
Fans of BMW will also remember that a concept version of the M8 Gran Coupe was shown earlier this year previewing to not only another body style but one with full-fat M8 treatment.
And just this month, BMW has released the first pictures of the M8 Coupe in camouflaged form undergoing tests at the Estoril circuit in Portugal.
Key visual features identifying the M8 are four circular exhausts (the less brawny M850i sees two rectangular ones instead), chunky wheels, bigger air vents up front and the signature side-view mirrors.
*Hope it’s more powerful than the M5…
The only thing BMW has mentioned at this stage is that the M8 will develop maximum power “north of 600hp”.
True, it would be great if the M8 is more powerful than the M5 because it’s positioned higher up the price and status ranks.
At the moment, the M5 produces 600hp in standard form and 625hp in go-faster Competition guise. Giving the M8 extra poke of around 30hp over the M5 sounds nice, although nothing is confirmed at the moment.
Apart from sharing the 4.4-litre V8 with the M5, the M8 is getting the eight-speed torque-converter auto and all-wheel-drive system, which can switch to rear-wheel-drive for drifting hooligans.
BMW says the M8 will get M-specific bits in the chassis department including beefed-up suspension and body structure as well as meatier six-piston caliper front brakes (395mm as standard and 400mm carbon-ceramic as an option). The accompanying picture below indicates grippy P Zero tyres from Pirelli.
There are no hints to the M8’s performance. But as the M850i does 0-100kph in 3.7sec and M5 in 3.3sec, the M8 might see a record of at least the M5's time.
*How much would the M8 cost?
Well, if BMW is keen in making the 8 Series a success story, its prices may have to be kept inside the Bentley Continental W12 and Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe.
Having said that, it’s likely that the M8 would cost slightly in excess of 15 million baht on Thai shores. While the Merc isn’t officially sold in the country yet, the Bentley is currently chasing punters with 20 million baht to spare.
BMW says the M8 will be revealed in production-ready form late next year. The Convertible and Gran Coupe have also been confirmed to follow later with M8 outfit to choose from.
