Munich’s reborn flagship coupe is in line for an unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, before sales begin in 2018. We will, however, get a good look at it before then with the reveal of a concept version at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on May 26th.
It should be quite a looker, too, if BMW’s teaser image shown here is any guide. Almost Aston Martin-like, the new car promises to cut a sportily imposing figure through the ranks of the luxury super coupes, with No1 target likely to be the Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupe.
There’s no confirmation yet of the range or prices but BMW certainly has the 600bhp V12 firepower available to keep the top Merc-AMG coupe honest in the £150,000 area of the two-door market.
That the new BMW 8-Series is well on its way into the showrooms can be seen from this video clip from the Nordschleife where a disguised prototype has been undergoing performance testing.
For BMW chief Harald Krüger the new Eight will “add a genuine dream car to our line-up… a true luxury sports coupe that will underpin our claim to leadership in the luxury segment.” The BMW AG chairman confirmed the long-awaited and much-rumoured new car’s existence at the company’s annual meeting on May 11th.
Like the 1989-launched 8-Series – itself a bit of a technology leader – the new version is sure to make the most of the hi-tech electronics and construction of the latest 7-Series. Carbon-core construction should help what was one of the previous 8-Series’ less than impressive strengths, its high weight.
The new Eight will still be a big beast with passenger room and large boot – a big step up on the 6-Series in every way, just as the original model aimed to be. Judging from the teaser image, there’s a good chance the all-round fully retracting windows and pillarless design that distinguished the original will make it to the new version.
What will the badge on the back say? 860 has to be a contender, mirroring the latest V12-powered 760 saloon flagship. As with the first-gen Eight, which was produced between 1989-99, V8 engine options are also likely to be available, maybe with the 7-Series hybrid e drivetrain. Also on the cars has to be a cabriolet version. That, along with an M8, was considered for the original 8-Series but never made production.
Despite its advanced nature and big performance, the original Eight never cut it in its day as a driver’s favourite, and was too large and heavy for track work, ruling out the motorsport heritage that was part and parcel of the 6-Series coupe’s appeal. BMW’s answer for the new model is a car that embodies “uncompromising dynamics and contemporary luxury” and is the essence of a modern BMW coupe.
Never too late for Eight? We say bring it on…
14 claims to fame of the original 8-Series
- First road car to offer a V12 engine and manual six-speed gearbox
- Wedge body with long bonnet and retractable lights boasted impressive Cd of 0.29
- First car to feature multiplex wiring (now on all cars)
- Along with the BMW Z1, first BMW to get Z multilink rear axle
- Seat belts built into the seats
- First car with auto dipping rear mirror
- One of first cars with drive-by-wire accelerator
- One of the first coupes with windows that opened a little when you opened or closed a door
- Fastest CSi model got 5.6-litre V12 with 378bhp and peak torque of 406 lb ft
- 850i weighed in at 1790kg and did 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds
- 840 Ci in 1993 had 4.0-litre V8 with 284bhp
- Automatic Stability Control, speed-sensitive power steering and Electronic Damper Control were options from 1990
- 30,621 8-Series were produced up to 1999, more than two-thirds with 12-cylinder engines
One of the most famous 8-Series cars is the “transparent” BMW Art Car by David Hockney – complete with Hockney’s dachshund Stanley as passenger.
BMW
8-Series
