BMW 8-Series
The new 8-Series is here... just 19 years after its predecessor left the building
Welcome to the New BMW. Not just specifcally this all-new 8-Series Coupe, resplendent here in its range-topping, £100k M850i suit, but deeper than that. This new 8-Series ushers in a new design language that’ll soon flter through BMW’s entire line-up.
So it’s a fairly important car, and one that couldn’t have come soon enough. Indeed, the frst-generation 8-Series died out just before the turn of the new millennium, and it was only last summer that BMW rolled out the gorgeous 8-Series Concept.
The production car has added a bit of heft to that concept’s design, but the philosophy of a language that focuses on “clarity” is still evident.
Underneath this M850i sits a “radically revised” version of BMW’s award-winning 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8. There’s a new crankcase that uses a new alloy for better strength, while the cylinder walls have been spray-coated in iron for reduced frictional losses. The pistons have been reinforced; the piston rings too. All so it can deal with the additional power and torque.
Total outputs measure 523bhp and 553lb ft of torque; 67bhp more than the engine it replaces, despite it weighing the same. This V8 is matched up to a new iteration of BMW’s eight-speed auto and a four-wheel-drive set-up that favours rear-drive wherever possible.
As a result, the M850i is capable of 0–62mph in just 3.7secs – quicker than both the standard V8 and V12 Aston Martin DB11, a car the 8-Series roughly shares proportions with – and a limited top speed of 155mph. The 840d is packed with a turbo 3.0-litre straight-six diesel, 316bhp, 500lb ft of torque and a 0–62mph time of 4.9secs, but it’ll record 46.3mpg instead of the V8’s 28.3mpg.
What else? There’s active steering as standard, roll stabilisation via electric motors on the front and rear axles, lots of aluminium and CFRP in its construction (though no weight fgure is given), and a plethora of driver assistance as standard. Things like hazard monitors, active cruise control, head-up display, park-distance control, and a pair of 12.3in and 10.25in high-res displays.
There are slim LED headlights – the thinnest lamps ever ofered by BMW – adjustable kidney-grille slats, a fully sealed underbody, multifunction seats, leather, lots of storage compartments and a 420-litre boot.
It’ll go on sale in November this year: the 840d starts at £76,270, while the M850i is £100,045.
“The number 8 in the model name stands for a high-ranking status within BMW’s product range. As in the past with the BMW Z8 and also with the current BMW i8, it is reserved for sporty cars that also fre the emotions,” says BMW.
Like we said earlier, welcome to the New BMW.