With the 8 Series now replacing the 6 Series in the BMW lineup, the German automotive producer has obviously gone for the upmarket path. Nevertheless, the structure of the family has been maintained. So while last year brought us the two-door Coupe and Convertible incarnations, we might just see the 8 Series debutin at the Detroit Auto Show, which kicks off today.
We've already showcased a half-naked 8 Series Gran Coupe test car back in December last year, with that prototype fully revealing its front end. However, the camouflaged example you can notice in the piece of spy footage below showcased the M Sport package, which brings a more emotional design, along with stiffer active suspension and beefier brakes.
For the two-door coup, BMW kicked off the hostilities with the help of the M850i, which is animated by a 530 hp 4.4-liter V8. Of course, we're also expecting am M850d model with a quad-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six delivering 400 horsepower.
M Performance models aside, buyers will get to choose between models like the 840d (320 hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter diesel) and the 840i (gasoline 3.0-liter straight-six). And, judging by nameplates BMW has trademarked, we can also expect four-cylinder models.
Of course, there will also be an M8, as highlighted by the M8 Gran Coupe concept the company released last year. This will borrow its tech side from the 2018 BMW M5, which means its engine compartment will be occupied by a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8.
However, the flagship M car status of the newcomer might mean that the engine will be tweaked to deliver a bit of extra power - on the M5, the unit delivers 600 hp in "standard" trim and an extra 25 hp for the Competition model.
Mated to an eight-speed automatic that's capable of delivering lightning-quick changes, the engine should once again work with an all-paw system that includes a rear-only mode for drifting aficionados. So you might just want to prepare an extra set of tires.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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