A concept heralds the return of BMW’S 8-series and VW finally makes an Up GTI, plus news on AMG’S hypercar and a GT2 RS
A new concept car paves the way for the return of the 8- series – and a hot M8, too
IT’S ALL CHANGE IN THE WORLD OF BMW’S big coupes. Out goes the 6-series, and most likely the svelte, four-door Gran Coupe version too, and in comes the new 8-series – a badge not seen since 1999, when the original E31 went off sale following a decade of taking on Porsche’s 928 and 996-gen 911 and Jaguar’s XJS and XKR models.
The new Concept 8- series (1) was revealed at the Concorso d’eleganza at Villa d’este in May, and 24 hours later a prototype of the forthcoming M8 completed a lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife as part of BMW’S M Festival celebrations.
The concept is a production car in all but details such as the wing mirrors, light units and bumper designs. What you see on these pages is pretty much the finished car in terms of overall shape, design direction and proportions. The 8-series and M8 are set for production in 2018, with the latter due to be shown in production form when a new GTE race car ( based on the road car) makes its debut at the Daytona 24 Hours in January that year, before BMW returns to Le Mans in June.
Based on an evolution of the 5- and 7-series’ CLAR platform, the new 8 could theoretically be powered by anything from a 2-litre four-pot to a 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12. In reality, expect a range of six- and eightcylinder petrol and diesel engines, including a hybrid, and a flagship V12. For the M8, the forthcoming M5’s twin-turbo V8 will be used, with an output expected to be greater than the M5’s 610bhp. That car’s switchable 4WD system, which allows drivers to select rear-wheel drive via the car’s driving modes, will also feature.
BMW’S new 2+2 coupe will return the marque to a segment it hasn’t been represented in for nearly 20 years – and since the original 8-series left the price lists, the competition has become stronger. Mercedes’ S-class Coupe offers the luxury and performance the BMW will need to match; Aston Martin’s DB11 the desire. And, of course, there’s the Porsche 911, which is morphing more into a GT with each iteration.
What, then, does this mean for the 6-series, the two-door 2+2 that has been a staple of the BMW lineup for more than 40 years (bar a small hiatus)? It won’t disappear completely, although we’re not sure what 6-series purists will make of the name appearing on the back of the 5-series GT replacement… IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THIS magazine, we didn’t pay the Volkswagen Golf GTI a great deal of attention. And there was a very good reason for that: it was woeful. VW’S fourth-generation Golf might have taken a step up in perceived quality compared to its predecessor, but until the turbocharged 1.8-litre version arrived, Volkswagen had the cheek to offer the GTI solely with a 2-litre naturally aspirated motor wheezing out only 7bhp more than the 108bhp of a Mk1 GTI 1.6 of 1976.
As such, it was down to 2001’s Lupo GTI to hold up Volkswagen’s GTI honour until the Mk5 GTI arrived. Small, pugnacious and punchy, it
Since the original 8-series left the price lists, the competition has become stronger
Left: inside, the Up GTI will get the usual hallmarks of a hot VW, including the familiar ‘Clark’ plaid upholstery still holds plenty of appeal today – as evidenced by the price you’ll pay for even a ropey example. Why it’s taken this long for VW to finally reveal a successor based on the Up, in the shape of the new Up GTI (2), is beyond us. Better late than never.
Recently unveiled at the annual Wör th erse et ref fens how in Austria, the new Up GTI packs a more heavily boosted version of the 1-litre TSI three-cylinder found in the quickest existing Up. Power is quoted as 113bhp with a healthy 147lb ft of torque to help it along. That should allow it to match the Lupo’s performance, with greater flexibility on the road, and at 997kg it’s only 22kg heavier than its predecessor.
We’ve driven a prototype – see overleaf – and the initial signs are good. The finished product is due to arrive in showrooms early in 2018, but it won’t be cheap – VW is aiming for a price of below 20,000 euros in Europe, which means a figure of around £17,000 here.
In contrast, £30,995 for the new 316bhp Honda Civic Type R
seems something of a bargain. We covered the new Type R in detail in issue 234 – and we drive it for the first time next month – but Honda has now confirmed pricing. That outlay nets you the basic model, while the GT version – with satnav, LED fog lights
and dual-zone climate control – comes in at £1000 more.
Someone is clearly running riot with the industry’s pricing gun, as we now also know the figures for MercedesAMG’S E63 4Matic+ Estate (3)
and Audi’s RS5 (4). The 444bhp Audi starts at £62,900, while AMG’S 563bhp offering begins at £81,130, or roughly £2000 more than the saloon. AMG will let you up the ante with the E63 S (£90,490) or the E63 S Edition 1 – £108,780 with Selenite Grey Magno matt paintwork, carbonfibre trim and yellow stitching inside the cabin. You can give your bank manager more vivid nightmares by selecting carbonceramic brakes (£6995) and the AMG performance exhaust (£1000).
If you’re yet to sign on the dotted line for a Ford Focus RS (5), there is now a new option pack for you to select. The imaginatively named ‘ Option Pack’ brings Nitrous Blue paint with a matt black roof, rear spoiler and mirrors, and black 19in forged alloy wheels too, but the most significant change is the addition of a Quaife LSD to the front axle. The thinking is that it should increase the car’s cornering speed and traction, and mated to the existing four-wheel drive and torque vectoring, the already ferocious pace of a Focus RS should become borderline feral.
Finally, Nissan plans to expand its tuning arm, Nismo (6). While there is a risk that this expansion will dilute the exotic appeal of Nissan’s most extreme road and race cars, the new Nismo Cars Business Department is aiming to make the brand’s models more consistent. Think less badge-engineering, more performance. The flip-side is that more Nissans will get the Nismo treatment, so performance models such as the GT-R and 370Z and oddities such as the Juke and Patrol Nismo may be joined by Micras and Pulsars. A Micra Nismo to rival the upcoming Toyota Yaris GRMN? We’re seeing March Super Turbo versus Toyota Starlet Glanza all over again…