The new BMW 8 Series Coupé opens a new chapter in BMW’s proud history of making iconic sports cars. With outstanding performance, striking design, state-of-the-art luxury and advanced equipment technology, the BMW 8 Series is one of the most exciting new models to emerge in recent years.
The primary development objective for the new BMW 8 Series was thrilling driving dynamics. Body, powertrain and suspension were consistently honed to achieve the best agility, precision and poise expected of a top-class sports car. In the process, remarkably powerful engines were combined with the BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system and BMW EfficientLightweight design measures. The car was developed alongside the BMW M8 GTE – a race car that has already proven its potential in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) long-distance races and in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) held in North America.
Exterior design: new design language gives sporting appeal a new face. The exterior design exudes sporting appeal, with a clear link to the BMW Concept 8 Series first unveiled at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2017. It shows a new styling language focusing on clarity, modernity and emotional engagement.
Its low-slung design has an elongated silhouette with a slim window graphic and a roofline flowing elegantly into the powerfully shaped rear with distinctive “double-bubble†contours. With exterior dimensions of 4,843mm in length, 1,902mm in width, 1,341mm in height and a wheelbase of 2,822mm, the two-door coupé has a powerful stance on the road.
Four-wheel-drive as standard
The BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system operates more efficiently than ever before. With its rapid, precise and fully variable distribution of torque between the front and rear wheels, it maximises traction and handling stability not just when driving in adverse road conditions, but in highly dynamic driving situations too. Power is split in accordance with demands at all times using an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch that is networked with the powertrain and chassis systems.
To increase efficiency, all of the torque is directed to the rear wheels in situations in which all-wheel drive is not needed. The rear-biased set-up, which is even notable in challenging driving situations, guarantees the sort of driving experience for which BMW sports cars are renowned. When taking corners at speed, for example, just the right amount of extra drive force is transferred to the rear wheels to help the car turn in to the bend with supreme accuracy.
Integral Active Steering as standard.
For a more focussed and sporty handling, Integral Active Steering is fitted as standard to reduce the turning circle when manoeuvring. This also increases agility at moderate speeds and optimises poise and assurance when changing lanes and cornering at high speeds. It becomes more direct as the speed builds but allows the driver to manoeuvre at low speeds with minimal steering wheel movement.
Optional active roll stabilisation further enhances the handling characteristics. Electric swivel motors on the front and rear axles ensure particularly fast and precise compensation of lateral forces.
Optimised weight thanks to an intelligent material mix.~
BMW’s EfficientLightweight strategy includes the use of an intelligent material mix to optimise weight and body/suspension rigidity. In addition to the supporting structures at the front and rear of the car, other components such as the roof, doors, bonnet and front bulkhead are made of aluminium. The bracing tube for the cockpit is made from magnesium and the centre tunnel of CFRP. The roof and other body components can also be specified in CFRP as an option. The front axle is made almost completely from aluminium. The rear axle features a combination of lightweight steel construction with wheel carriers and forged control arms in aluminium.
Tech for safety and driver enjoyment.
A wide variety of standard and optionally available driver assistance systems marks out the 8 Series Coupé as an extremely advanced car. They also enhance comfort and safety in urban traffic and on longer trips by providing targeted assistance in complex traffic.
The driver assistance systems process camera images as well as data gathered by ultrasonic and radar sensors to monitor the vehicle’s surroundings, to warn of potential hazards and to minimise the risk of an accident with corrective braking or steering inputs. These integral features of the BMW Personal Co-Pilot represent the latest advances on the road to automated driving.
The car is equipped as standard with Cruise Control with braking function as well as Collision and Pedestrian Warning with City Braking, the latest version of which also alerts the driver when a cyclist is detected. Depending on the situation, the system can bring the vehicle to a halt to either avoid a collision or minimise its consequences.
The BMW Head-Up Display comes as standard in the new BMW 8 Series Coupé and projects relevant driving information onto the windscreen in the form of graphics, is another key safety factor. The latest generation features a projection area enlarged by 16 per cent, optimised graphics and additional content.
Active Park Distance Control (PDC) with sensors at the front and rear is standard and provides visual and acoustic warnings to avoid colliding with obstacles. The standard Parking Assistant is able to automatically select suitable parallel parking spaces and manoeuvre into them. Once activated, the system takes care of the accelerator, brakes and steering as well as changing gear.
The 8 Series Coupé comes as standard with the BMW Live Cockpit Professional, which combines a new display and control concept and maximum connectivity into a superb all-round package. The latest-generation display and control concept consists of a high-resolution instrument cluster behind the steering wheel with a screen diagonal of 12.3 inches and a 10.25-inch Control Display.
The display and control concept’s most recent incarnation running the new BMW Operating System 7.0 has a cutting-edge, totally digital design. Further components of the BMW Live Cockpit Professional include an adaptive nav system, a hard-drive-based multimedia system with 20GB, two USB ports (type A and C), plus Bluetooth and WiFi interfaces.
Mobile office: Microsoft Office 365 with Skype for Business.
The integration of Microsoft Office 365 turns the BMW 8 Series Coupé into a mobile office. Users of a business essential or business premium account are able to safely access their email from their car and manage appointments and contacts, meaning there is no need for them to use their smartphone while driving.
The BMW 8 Series is on sale from December, with prices starting from £76,270 OTR.
The fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, power consumption and operating range figures were determined according to the European Regulation (EC) 715/2007 in the version applicable. The figures refer to a vehicle with basic configuration in Germany and the range shown considers the different sizes of the selected wheels/tyres and the selected items of optional equipment.
