BMW’s flagship 8 Series is set for launch in India on May 8. Internationally, the 8 Series went on sale in September 2019 and is available in three different body styles – Coupe, Convertible and Gran Coupe. However, in India, BMW will launch the Gran Coupe and the power-packed M8 Coupe only. It has been a while since the 8 series was listed on BMW India’s website and the launch will finally take place digitally on May 8, considering the restrictions due to the lockdown.
The Gran Coupe is the stretched-out version of the two-door coupe. It’s 231mm longer than the regular two-door and the most obvious element of distinction is the addition of two rear doors neatly integrated into the coupe silhouette. Being the most luxurious 8 Series, the Gran Coupe will come loaded with all the bells and whistles one can hope for.
It remains to be seen which variants BMW will launch in India. Globally, there’s a total of three engines on offer in the 8 Series Gran Coupe: two petrol and one diesel. The 840i Gran Coupe gets a 3-litre straight-six petrol that makes 335bhp and 500Nm – and comes with the option of a rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive setup. There’s also a straight-six turbo-diesel in the 840d Gran Coupe – again a 3-litre unit that puts out 315bhp and 680Nm, and comes with all-wheel drive as standard. The most powerful is the M850i, that has a 4.3-litre V8 petrol engine that puts out 522bhp and 750Nm. Again, it only gets all-wheel drive and will accelerate to 100kmph in 3.9 seconds. It also looks far more aggressive as it gets the M body kit as standard.
Now this is the car that enthusiasts will be excited about. The M8 gets a range of blacked out elements to go with its sporty appeal, including the signature kidney grille, air intakes, ORVMs and 20-inch alloys among others. Everything on the inside shouts sporty too, with the leather wrapped steering with red M buttons (similar to X6 M that ed drove earlier this year), newly designed gear lever, and generous use of leather and Alcantara all over the cabin.
The 4.4-litre twin turbocharged V8 in the M8 develops 591bhp at 6000rpm and 750Nm between 1800 and 5600 rpm. The engine is mated to an 8-speed M Steptronic transmission that sends power to all four wheels via the xDrive all-wheel-drive system, making the M8 Coupe race to a 100kmph in just 3.3 seconds. The M8 Coupe can be driven in 4WD, 4WD Sport (with a rear biased drive) and 2WD for pure drifting joy. That said, the M8 Coupe gets what BMW calls integrated braking system, that allows the driver to select between Sport and Comfort settings for the brake pedal feel and precision.
The 8 Series Gran Coupe will primarily rival the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door, Audi RS7 and the Porsche Panamera while the M8 Coupe will lock horns with the Mercedes-AMG S 63 Coupe. The Gran Coupe is expected to cost north of Rs 1 crore while the M8 Coupe is likely to cost around Rs 2 crore.