When BMW came up with the original 8 Series in 1990, the Motorsport Division built an M8 prototype, but this never made it to production. Nowadays, the Bavarian automaker's thirst for niches and the company's decision to replace the 6 Series with the 8 Series mean we won't just get an M8, but a whole family of such models.
As it has been the case with the M6, the M8 will come in three forms: Coupe, Grand Coupe and Convertible.
All three incarnations of the automaker's sloping roofline flagship are currently completing their final development phase, with prototypes being pushed hard on the Nurburgring (of course).
In fact, you can check out all three M8 derivatives in the piece of footage at the bottom of the page. The clip is focused on the Coupe, but we can get a clear taste of the other two models.
And there's one question that pops: which derivative is the best? Of course, the answer depends on each buyers's needs and ambitions. However, if we stick to the objective arguments, it looks like the Gran Coupe is the pick of the range.
For one thing, if you're going to choose a machine that tips the scales around the two-ton point, this should be spacious. And while the GC badge means the rear passenger should receive respectable cabin space, we can't say the same about the two-door models.
As the M850i xDrive Coupe and Convertible have shown, the rear cabin space is below expectations, given the size and weight of these machines.
When it comes to the styling, the Gran Coupe appears to be even more aggressive than the two-door M8. At least that's what I see when checking out the prototypes in the clip below. The rear end is the main actor here, with that ducktail-style posterior of the GC stealing the show.
And if the M8 Gran Coupe concept car is any indication on the production look, we can expect quite the eye candy from the four-door showroom model.
Update:The front and rear fascias of the BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe were exposed over in South Africa. Alas, it looks like the GC lost just enough visual aggression while heading towards the showroom to split opinions among fans.
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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