While we all are head over heal about the recently unveiled 8-series, it seems like BMW too cannot keep up to its excitement. With roughly a month left for the official launch of the first iteration in the 8-series, BMW has already unveiled its upcoming drop-top version. We know that the company is also planning for an 8-Series Gran Coupe.
However, fresh spy-shots that were snapped by Motor Authority reveal that the company is now working on the performance geared M8. The M-badge is born by some of the sickest machines in the Bavarian manufacturer's line-up and we expect nothing less than the M8.
Reports suggest that the M8 is well off the sheds of the company and is undergoing the final evaluation at top racetracks. By far, we know that the mechanics on the M8 will be a derivative of what we saw on the M5. Hence, powering the car would be a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-8, eight-speed automatic, and rear-biased all-wheel-drive system with a driver-selectable rear-wheel drive with a peak output of over 600bhp.
Compared to the standard 8-series, including even the M850i M Performance model, the M8 will benefit from enhanced body rigidity. Apart from that, BMW has also put in serious efforts to tweak the chassis to weigh lighter and proportionate, a lesson that is directly extracted from the M8 race program. Engineers at the M-Division say that weight has been minimized though we doubt the car's curb weight will slip below the 4,000-pound mark.
The first of the model's prototype was showcased during the 2017 M Festival at Nurburgring. This was then followed by the reveal of an M8 Gran Coupe concept at this year's Geneva auto show. We expect the M8 to be a 2019 launch and hitting the markets by 2020. This would be in line with the M8 Gran Coupe that is set to arrive at the markets after that.
