BMW has officially launched the all-new 8 Series in India. With prices starting at Rs 1.29 crore (ex-showroom), the Bavarian carmaker has introduced the 8 Series in the standard 8 Series Gran Coupe and M8 Coupe guise. Let us take a detailed look at the all-new BMW 8 Series.
Heritage:
The all-new 8 Series is a spiritual successor to the original E31 8 Series sold between 1990 and 1999. It was one of the earliest cars to make use of CAD (computer-aided design) and had a drag coefficient of just 0.29. Powering it was a range of V8 and V12 engine, including the iconic 850i CSi. BMW also participated in motorsport with the original 8. The G15 8 Series broke cover last year at Le Mans marking BMW’s return to 24 Hours Endurance.
Styling and body style:
Debuting a new design language, the new 8 has sleeker headlamps and taillamps complementing the bulging sheet metal work. The Coupe measures 4,851mm in length while the Gran Coupe is longer by almost 230mm longer sitting at 5,032mm. The rear track in the GC has been increased by 30mm to accommodate the full-size rear seats.
Meanwhile, the M8 Coupe gets the usual M treatment like aggressive bumpers, reduced ride height, flared wheel arches and sporty diffusers with quad exhausts. It also gets lightweight 20-inch alloy wheels and carbon-fibre reinforced roof. Apart from the Coupe and Gran Coupe, the 8 Series Cabriolet is also part of the line-up, which we expect to be introduced in India soon.
Interior and Features:
The cabin looks familiar in a typical BMW fashion. So you get all-digital instrument console, 10.25-inch infotainment system, heads-up-display, M-Sport seats, choice of leather upholstery, and the newly-designed glass gear-selector. Both the Coupe and GC come with 420 litres of boot space with 40:20:40 split rear seats.
Variant and powertrain:
The 8 Gran Coupe is available in two trim levels – 840i and 840i M Sport. It is powered by a 3.0-litre straight-six turbo-petrol making 340bhp and 500Nm, all of which is sent to an xDrive all-wheel-drive system through an eight-speed automatic. Other variants of the Gran Coupe which we expect to follow in India includes the 539bhp M850i and the 840d diesel making 320bhp/640Nm.
On the other hand, the M8 Coupe has a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 under the hood producing 592bhp and 750Nm. It can do 0-100kmph in just 3.3 seconds and the top speed is limited to 250kmph but can be increased with the optional M Driver’s package. Other hardware which comes with the M8 includes adaptive suspension, active differential, carbon-ceramic brakes, and aero upgrades.
Competition:
The BMW 8 Series comes as an alternative to the Porsche Panamera, AMG GT4-Door Coupe and Audi A7 Sportback. Meanwhile, the M8 lock horns against the likes of the Mercedes-AMG GT R, Aston Martin Vantage, and Bentley Continental GT in the ultra-expensive, sport grand tourer segment.
