All-New BMW M8, M8 Competition Unveiled

• M8 and M8 Competition unveiled in coupe and convertible form.
• Gets 20-inch alloy wheels and optional carbon touches on the exterior.
• Gets a ‘Setup’ button for easier access to car performance settings.
• Twin-turbo V8 develops 608PS of power; Competition gets an extra 25PS.
• Unlikely to be launched in India anytime soon.

After many spy shots, renders and teasers, BMW has finally unveiled the all-new M8. The M8 comes not just in a coupe form but is also in a top-down convertible variant. This unveil follows the revival of the 8 Series coupe last year, which brought back the 8 Series nameplate after a gap of almost 20 years. Along with the coupe and convertible variants, the M8 comes with a performance oriented ‘Competition’ variant just like the M5.

On the outside, all M8 models sport an aggressive front fascia with a blacked out kidney grille and large air intakes. The rear of the M8 gets traditional M-spec quad exhaust outlets, a slim spoiler and an aggressive fascia. BMW also offers the M8 with an optional M Carbon exterior package, which includes carbon fibre inserts on the front air intakes, mirror caps, side gills, and the rear diffuser. The M8 also features 20-inch light alloy wheels to complete the sportier exterior looks. In the M8 convertible, the multi-layer soft-top opens and closes in 15 seconds at the touch of a button. The electric mechanism can be activated while driving at up to 50 km/h.

Inside, the M8 gets model specific leather upholstery options. All M8 models receive a 12.3-inch instrument cluster screen along with a HUD (Head-Up Display) as standard. Alongside the instrument cluster is a 10.25-inch infotainment system which features driver assist, park assist, navigation and a personal assistant system. Additional driver assist systems are also offered as options for customers.

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The new M8 features a ‘Setup’ button on the centre console which gives drivers quick access to settings for the engine, dampers, steering and braking system. A new ‘M Mode’ button on the centre console allows drivers to alter the information displayed on the instrument cluster and heads up display according to their preference. The standard M8 coupe and convertible models get a ‘Road’ and ‘Sport’ setting whereas the Competition models get an additional ‘Track’ setting.

Under the bonnet, the new BMW M8 is powered by a beefy 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine. The standard spec M8 coupe and convertible models have theirs tuned to develop 608PS of power and 750Nm of torque, which propels the coupe from 0-100kmph in 3.3 seconds while the heavier convertible takes a tenth more time for the same. The Competition models get a boost in power with 633PS, though the torque remains the same. The Competition coupe does 0-100kmph in 3.2 seconds, while the convertible does the same a tenth behind. The engine is mated to an 8-speed M Steptronic transmission coupled with BMW’s M xDrive all-wheel-drive system.

The M xDrive AWD system also features three settings for the driver to choose from. 4WD mode lets the system decide how power is distributed, 4WD Sport prioritises a rear-wheel bias while the 2WD mode direct all of its power to the rear axle and even deactivate Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) for that tail-happy, purist experience.

The new M8 features a rigid suspension setup along with adaptive electronic dampers, while the Competition models get an even stiffer suspension and hardened components underneath. All M8 models come with standard 15.5-inch front brakes, while powerful 15.75-inch carbon ceramic front brakes are offered as an option. Braking feel can also be changed, with two brake settings available to the driver.

The M8 will have its public debut later in June this year at BMW’s #NextGen event in Munich. Production is slated to begin around mid-July 2019. The M8 Coupe will be top dog on the M range of cars. Prices in the US start at $133,000 (~Rs 92.26 lakh) for the standard coupe and go up to $155,500 (~Rs 1.07 crore) for the Competition convertible. There’s no official word from BMW India on when the M8 will be launched in India, but expect it to reach our shores only around early-2020.

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