BMW M8 and M8 Competition breaks cover

-   Powered by a 4.4-litre Twin-turbo V8 making 592bhp in standard guise while Competition makes 616bhp.

-    Eight-speed M Steptronic transmission sends power to the M-spec xDrive system.

Exactly a year ago, BMW gave us the gorgeous looking 8 Series Coupe in the iconic M850i guise which produces more than adequate 523bhp. Now, a fully-blown M8 is here, and as expected, it’s a monster. And unsurprisingly, BMW has revealed the even potent M8 Competition as well. What’s more, both the M models are available in both Coupe and Convertible body styles. 

Under the sculpted bonnet, there is the race-derived 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 which also powers the M8 GTE race car. But high-revving ‘Hot V Turbo’ engine gets tweaks like direct fuel injection and indirect charge air cooling. Plus, a direct fuel injection system has been coupled with cross-bank exhaust manifolds. So we are looking at power figures of 591bhp in the ‘standard’ guise, while the more-potent Competition version puts out 616bhp. 

The high-revving engine has been paired with an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic, and the engine’s power is channelled to the road via the M-spec xDrive all-wheel-drive system. The chassis hais been tweaked for both track and long distance touring, claim the engineers from the M-Division. Other hardware such as adaptive suspension, active differential and electromechanical steering are all part of the package. 

In terms of styling, it is everything we’d expect from an M version of the standard car. So there are large air-intakes, M-double bar kidney grille, flared wheel arches, black-chrome gills on the side, duck-lip spoiler, imposing rear diffuser with quad-exhaust, and the special double-bubble CRPF roof. And the M Carbon exterior package is offered as an option. Both the Coupe and Convertible sit on light-weight M-spec alloy wheels which look gorgeous in the multi-spoke design. 

On the inside, there’s a leather-wrapped steering wheel, all-digital instrument console, 10.25-inch infotainment system, heads-up-display, exclusive M-Sport seats and a newly designed gear selector. 

All four models – M8 Coupe, M8 Convertible, M8 Coupe Competition and M8 Convertible Competition – will hit the streets in October this year. It will stack up against the Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe, Aston Martin DB11, and Bentley Continental GT in the ultra-expensive, sport grand tourer segment.