If you’re in need of an analog breath of classic automotive air, then worry no more. BMW’s got you. Brought to you from the glorious past of car making, the only E31 M8 ever made will once again grace you with its presence. After all, you don’t celebrate half a century of existence every now and then. Right, BMW M?
There’s no hiding from it anymore. The Bavarian automaker is getting old. Proof of this is its performance-driven division that managed to stay relevant for 50 years. It might sound like it’s something that’s expected from a company like BMW but reaching half a century of active operations is not something that should ever be trifled with. It’s not easy to keep customers returning to you when your cars are pricier than their normal, everyday versions. To have a loyal fan base over such a long period of time is in itself a major milestone that should be celebrated separately.
That’s why we recommend you visit the Amelia Island Concours Week that begins today. Even if you’re not a BMW fan or customer, seeing the mythical creature that’s the E31 M8 is something that every petrolhead should do in their lifetime. Not only has it been featured as one of the top ten most outstanding BMW M cars of all time on autoevolution, but this car had gathered so much attention when it was presented as a prototype that maybe BMW got scared and never decided to actually make it.
The E31 M8 has a 6.1L V12 that is capable of 630 HP and can rev up to almost 8,000 rpm. It also used fiberglass for most major components, a decision that translated into a weight of under 3,200 lb (1,451 kg). BMW never made the E31 M8 as a series production car. There’s only one prototype that ever existed (as far as we know), and you can see it with your own eyes.
It took them a lot of years and the disappearance of the M6 to bring us the M8 in its current form, so you should witness what BMW was capable of even before performance cars started to become mainstream.
This also brings us to another important BMW presentation at Amelia: the 2023 M8 and the 2023 iX M60. Yes, it’s an EVSUV (or SAV, if you know BMW slang) that’s made its way in the line-up, but you shouldn’t be disappointed. After all, the future is electric, and there’s nothing we can do about it.
Don’t be upset, there’ll also be a 1980 BMW M1 restored by BMW Classic and the incredible 1999 BMW V12 LMR racing prototype at the event in Florida.
Feast your eyes on the glorious cars displayed as an attendee or just wait for our colleague’s coverage of the Amelia 2022.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News