The BMW M850i is moving ever closer to its official reveal, and the Bavarian luxury sports coupe is being tested all over the world, with a select few lucky customers getting the privilege to take it for a spin.
BMW realised it had a gaping hole in its model range after seeing Mercedes-Benz's runaway success with the S65 AMG luxury coupe. So the company dreamed up a luxury sports coupe on its own and started earnest work on making it a reality. Come 2018, and the BMW M850i is nearly ready to show its form to the world, and rake in some moolah for the Bavarian maker of luxury automobiles.
Recently, BMW took the car out of its development facility and let it loose on the world, albeit selectively. A few lucky customers, whether existing or potential, were allowed to take the M850i for a spin to gauge their reactions to the car. The company also divulged a few details on what the big Beemer has to offer, and we have to say we're pretty impressed.
Powered by a 'completely redeveloped V8 engine', the BMW 850i makes a healthy 523 hp and 750 Nm. The power and torque are transmitted to all the wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox, sending the car rocketing to the ton in just four seconds. While the figures indicate that the M5 is still the fiercest vehicle in the BMW-M range, the M850i does pack more punch than the 650i, 67 extra horses to be more precise. However, BMW says that with the M850i, it's not all about the power.
The big super coupe boasts of sophisticated performance-oriented equipment that is part of the 8-series experience. The car gets adaptive M suspension with active roll stabilisation and an integral active steering system. BMW has also given the car a sports exhaust system. The list of goodies doesn't end here, as the car is also fitted with electronically controlled dampers and a dynamic stability control system that is "precisely oriented to the selected driving mode", according to BMW.
The BMW 8-series, M850i and rest of the derivatives of the platform will be unveiled by BMW on the 15th of June and will go on sale by the end of 2018. Pricing details will be revealed closer to the end of this year.
