Oh goody! A new concept previewing the return of a production model series from BMW. It’s not an i model, nor an M model. It’s the absolute pinnacle of BMW’s range that is making a comeback – the 8 Series.
This concept of an 8 Series Coupe is an insight into what we can expect from future BMW luxury-performance models both in terms of design and in performance. On the surface, it retains enough classic elements to be instantly recognisable as a BMW with the iconic kidney grille. The lines are few but very crisp and add to its muscular stance and road presence with its long bonnet, sitting low to the ground on 21-inch wheels. At the rear, the sculpted lines seem to give the rear-end a pinched look with the new, slim taillights and large scoops to channel turbulent air from the rear wheel arches over the large trapezoidal exhausts either side of the carbon-fibre diffuser.
Inside the new BMW Concept 8 Series Coupe, you will find yourself in a blend of luxury and driving dynamics. Clean and uncluttered, the iDrive display and the transmission controls are familiar on the centre console and instrument panel positioned among all the exquisite premium materials for the trim. The square-ish sports steering wheel with the red-anodised shift paddles indicate at the car’s performance credentials. Speaking of performance creds, it currently has none.
The Concept 8 Series is a sign of things to come and is indeed close to a production-spec model, but it is still just a show car and hence BMW has not yet committed to any performance specifications just yet. Though it should be fair to expect plenty of power and intelligent driving aids. It would be fun to have something mad like the N74B66 engine in the latest BMW M760Li, a 6.6-litre M Performance TwinPower Turbo V12 tuned to produce 601bhp and 800Nm but a bi-turbo V8 is the more likely engine to be offered in an 8 Series. Want more performance? Fret not, for a proper loony M version has already been confirmed by BMW. A testing prototype of an M8 has been doing rounds of the Nürburgring already, clad in camouflage.
[UPDATE]
Meanwhile, the race-spec BMW M8 GTE has already been prepped to for the carmakers return to Le Mans. It’s got a highly tuned aero package with a strong wing game, significant weight reduction (1220kgs for a car that measures at 4980mm long) and a regulation-restricted 4.0-litre TwinPower Turbo V8 with a nominal base output of over 500bhp which can be tweaked depending on race classification. Take a look at the BMW M8 GTE below:
Take a closer look at the BMW Concept 8 Series Coupe in the gallery below:
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