Even though the original looked unlike anything else in the BMW lineup, the second generation of the 8 Series appears to be a larger 6 Series with the sticker price to match its status. Worse still, the M850i xDrive has two exhaust openings that hide four pipes.
Aside from the questionable design choices, the fact that BMW wrote “M Performance” on the plastic of the engine cover is another sign that the M850i xDrive is nothing more than the next best thing after the M8. And M8 Competition, which has been leaked in Frozen Dark Blue.
Doug DeMuro isn’t the type of guy to choose his words wisely when reviewing a car, but on this occasion, he didn’t use clichéd truisms such as “the most important SUV of the year” in the case of the Jaguar I-Pace. The verdict this time around is left to the viewer to decide whether it’s good or bad, describing the M850i xDrive as “a great flagship.”
Instead of defining great, let’s remind ourselves that BMW won’t shoehorn a V12 under the hood of the 8 Series. Not now or ever again. A rear-wheel-drive B57 turbo diesel, on the other hand, has been confirmed for 2019 in Europe as the entry-level model in the range.
Pricing? The coupe starts at $111,900 in the United States, promising 25 mpg and 3.6 seconds to 60 miles per hour thanks to intelligent all-wheel drive and the 4.4-liter N63 twin-turbo V8. The convertible in M850i xDrive flavor is $122,395 including destination and delivery, and that’s a lot of greenback considering the CLuster ARchitecture is shared with the 3 Series.
In addition to the car, Doug also borrowed some knowledge from Crevier BMW. More to the point, the dealership is “only getting the occasional 8 Series, meaning BMW knows this car probably won't have many buyers.”
On the other hand, the S 560 4Matic Coupe retails from $125,950 in the U.S., making the 8 Series an interesting choice if pricing were everything in the luxury grand tourer segment.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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