The BMW M8 is the high performance version of the BMW 8 Series marketed under the BMW M sub-brand. Introduced in June 2019, the M8 was initially produced in the 2-door convertible and 2-door coupe body styles. A 4-door fastback sedan body style was added to the lineup in October 2019. The M8 is powered by the BMW S63 twin-turbocharged V8 engine shared with the BMW M5.
Development and launch
BMW revived the 8 Series nameplate by introducing the M8 GTE, which replaced the M6 GTLM at the end of the 2017 season of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, leading to speculation about a production equivalent to the racing car. At the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, BMW introduced the M8 Gran Coupé Concept, which previewed a high performance four-door variant of the Concept 8 Series introduced alongside the M8 GTE at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. The design of the concept was based on the M8 GTE and sported aggressive M performance visual parts. Prototypes of the M8 began testing in June 2017 when another Concept of the 8 Series was unveiled to the public. Development of the M8 continued into 2018 and more production ready prototypes were made available to the automotive press for review. The car was finally introduced online on 4 June 2019 in the high performance "Competition" variation in coupé and convertible bodystyles. Production began in August 2019.
Specifications
The M8 is based on the BMW CLAR platform, with MacPherson strut suspension at the front and multi-link suspension at the rear. Adaptive dampers are standard equipment. The all-wheel-drive system has the ability to decouple its front axle to make the car purely rear-wheel-drive, a feature first introduced on the M5. The M8 is powered by a version of the BMW S63 twin-turbocharged V8 engine which is shared with the M5, X5M and X6M models. This engine is rated at at 6,000 rpm and in the standard M8 model, with peak power increasing to at 6,000 rpm, while torque remains the same for the M8 Competition model. The sole transmission available for the M8 is an 8-speed torque converterZF 8HP76automatic transmission manufactured by ZF Friedrichshafen called the "M-Steptronic" by BMW and also shared with the F90 M5. The standard brakes consist of iron discs, with carbon ceramic brakes being optional. The level of power assist for the brakes can be set to either ‘comfort’ or ‘sport’ mode using the iDrive controller, a feature which has been criticised for resulting in inconsistent brake pedal feel. The "M8 Competition" is the upper model of the range, with changes including increased engine power, a modified induction system and more rigid engine mounts. The unladen kerb weight of 2019 M8 Competition model sold in the United Kingdom is for the coupé and for the convertible.
Performance
Performance figures include a 0– acceleration time of 3.3 seconds, 0– acceleration time of 10.8 seconds and a limited top speed of. The top speed can be raised to with the optional M Driver's package which also adds high speed rated tyres to the car.
