BMW M850i Gran Coupé
Does Panamera rival pull off its multitasking role?
THIS is the BMW M850i xDrive Gran Coupé, the German brand’s answer to hot versions of the Porsche Panamera.
It’s tasked with doing a multitude of things: firstly, being based on the 8 Series coupé, it’s a GT at heart and not a full-on sports car, but the use of BMW’s M Performance tag for this M850i means it must marry that cruising ability with performance and handling, so it has to be fundamentally good to drive. Plus those extra doors and rear seats mean it now has to pull off 7 Series levels of luxury and comfort. Quite a list, then.
There’s no doubting its performance credentials. Beneath the bonnet is a 522bhp 4.4-litre V8 that develops 750Nm of torque. Linked to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive, it takes care of the 0-62mph sprint in 3.9 seconds – staggeringly quick for a car weighing 2,070kg.
That speed is also matched to an impressive level of agility and composure on the move for such a big car. The Gran Coupé carries an extra 231mm of bodywork over the regular Coupé, but you’d never know because it feels just as balanced and precise. The steering is really sharp and, in combination with its rear-wheel steering, helps to enhance the BMW’s responses and make it feel like a much smaller, nimbler car.
Hit Sport mode and everything tightens up; the steering becomes heavier, the ride noticeably firmer, and the noise from the exhaust amplified through the speakers. The engine has bundles of power right through the rev band, so relentless and rapid progress is never in short supply. The Gran Coupé does an uncanny impression of a sports car, even at more than five metres long.
As capable as it is, the M850i is best left to its own devices in Adaptive mode, where the driver can tailor the engine, suspension and gearbox parameters to suit the road at that exact moment. The body control feels relaxed and fluid, allowing the car to move with the road, but it’s often in contrast to the damping of wheel movements; the big 21-inch alloy wheels thud over potholes and can occasionally pierce into that air of refinement and composure.
Even so, the Gran Coupé does its best to transform into a long-legged and relaxing GT car, and mostly succeeds. Although therein lies the problem: the entry-level 840i does an equally impressive job in this respect while costing almost £30,000 less.
So performance is certainly accounted for, but what about luxury? As you’d expect, the M850i is a tech fest inside and beautifully finished. There’s all the kit you’d ever need on board, such as four-zone climate control, Apple CarPlay, adaptive cruise control, a full suite of parking sensors and cameras, heated and ventilated seats, plus gesture control for the infotainment system.
It’s as luxurious as a 7 Series up front, but passengers in the back may have some gripes. Although the Gran Coupé is as long as BMW’s flagship saloon, that swooping roofline comes at the expense of headroom. Kneeroom for large adults is acceptable, but you can only seat two people in the rear because the centre console runs the entire length of the car. In truth, a 5 Series is more accommodating and comfortable in the back.
Still, the flexible 40:20:40 rear bench lets you make the most of the boot if needed. There’s 440 litres of space with the seats up, but the lid opens like a saloon’s rather than a hatchback’s, as on a Panamera, so it may be awkward to load bulkier items.
With the BMW having such a broad range of abilities, there were always going to be compromises. Yet against a Panamera 4S, which is around £6,000 cheaper, more practical and perhaps a little sharper to drive, those compromises will stand out.