You knew it was coming. BMW has finally ripped the covers off of the BMW M8 Gran Coupe. In keeping with the rest of the M range, the M8 Gran Coupe is available in two flavours; the standard Gran Coupe and the potent Gran Coupe Competition.
The BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe will be launched with a 400-unit limited edition run. The BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe First Edition will be available from launch in April 2020.
Design
The design differs from the standard Gran Coupe in exactly the way that you would expect. BMW has enlarged the air intakes, fitted a set of kidney grilles with double bars and added M gills behind the front wheel.
The rear spoiler, rear apron and diffuser have all been replaced with carbon fibre elements. The traditional twin-exhaust tailpipes finish the look at the rear. BMW’s carbon fibre roof reduces the centre of gravity.
Otherwise, the BMW M8 Gran Coupe is virtually identical from the A-pillar forward. A First Edition model will be available as part of a limited edition 400-car run and includes high-gloss block forged wheels, a bi-colour paint finish and black chrome tailpipes. An optional M Carbon exterior package can also be ordered.
First Edition models will get BMW Individual colour options, Aurora Diamond Green metallic with a Gold Bronze accent applied tot he badging, side window surrounds and M gills.
Performance
Under the hood sits a 4.4-litre V8 engine. It uses twin turbochargers mounted between the V. Power in the standard M8 Gran Coupe is 600 hp with 750 Nm of torque, rising to 625 hp and 750 Nm of torque in the M8 Competition Gran Coupe.
Power is routed through an xDrive all-wheel-drive system and an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission. The Active M Differential helps BMW offer three modes, 4 wheel drive, 4 wheel drive sport and a pure rear-wheel-drive 2 wheel drive mode.
100 km/h arrives in 3.3 seconds (3.2 seconds for the Competition), 200 km/h in just 11.2 seconds (11 seconds for the Competition). Top speed is pegged to the traditional 250 km/h with a 305 km/h top speed available if the optional M Driver’s Package is selected.
The sports exhaust system uses electronically controlled flaps to deliver its soundtrack. A button, the M Sound Control button, allows the driver to soften the exhaust note. It is designed specifically for the M8 Gran Coupe, an optional M Sport exhaust system switches the dials to ’11’.
The configurable settings inside the cockpit also allow the diver to switch between three engine settings; Efficient, Sport and Sport Plus.
Chassis
The Gran Coupe grows 200 mm over the Coupe. The M8 Gran Coupe uses a double-wishbone front axle with model-specific swivel bearings, torque arms, control arms and elastomer bearings. At the back, the anti-roll bars and forged links of the five-link rear axle are stiffened. The modifications also include a new steel x-brace and an aluminium transverse strutt.
The hardware has been set-up specifically for the BMW M8 Gran Coupe. It is described as offering a “linear build-up of transverse loads” and “neutral steering behaviour”. BMW have stiffened the engine mounts, increased the front wheel camber and replaced the ball joints with rubber mounts at the toe links.
The M-specific adaptive suspension includes a set of electronically controlled dampers with a choice of Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus settings. These adapt the ride setup to cater for the circumstance. The dynamic stability control system can be fully deactivated at the touch of a button.
Interior
Inside, carbon fibre trim and red splashes of colour confirm the performance credentials. The sports seats include a Merino leather or full leather finish with 3D quilting and integral head restraints. Bi-colour and Alcantara options are available exclusively as options for the Competition model.
An M leather steering wheel, M-specific instrument cluster and head-up display and M sport seats are all standard equipment. Automatic boot lid operation and a BMW Display Key are also standard equipment.
BMW Live Cockpit Professional is included as standard with a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 10.25-inch central display. BMW’s Connected and Connected Drive services are standard. The standard equipment also includes BMW Laserlight, BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, Driving Assistant and Parking Assistant.
The Competition
The clearest competition is the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. In 63 S 4MATIC+ trim, it produces 630 hp, 900 Nm of torque and reaches 100 km/h in exactly the same time.
If you were in the market for the M8 Gran Coupe, you might also consider looking at the Porsche Panamera and the recently released Audi RS7.
Availability
The BMW M8 Gran Coupe will be available from April 2020. We will get our first look later this year when it debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2019, alongside the recently released BMW X6M and BMW X5M.
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