BMW 8 Series Concept Breaks Cover In Italy; M8 Is On The Cards Too
The new BMW 8 Series Concept suddenly leaped on to the list of best-looking cars from the Bavarian manufacturer. And it’s got a 2018 launch in mind.
It has a body which reminds you of some of the recent models from Aston Martin. However, giving the impressions of being a love child between an Aston Martin (a Vantage or a DB11) and a Lexus LC 500 isn’t going against the BMW 8 Series in any way. It’s a BMW and an evolved one at that. The muscular bodywork has got the signature kidney-shaped front grille (a rather large one) to prove the point.
The carmaker had released a horde of promotional images way before the coupe made its official debut at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy. Fleshing out the design which was teased earlier in a barely-there sketch, the pics showed off the flamboyant styling of the two-door sports coupe the way it should be.
The 8 Series is a stunner from every angle and there’s a lot to like about how it looks. The long and large kidney grille flanked by those thin laser headlights, the large vents on the front fenders and our personal favorite – gold brake calipers. One shouldn’t be missing the sloping roofline which concludes its run in a neatly-integrated rear spoiler. And those dramatic taillights are in a league of their own. Guess we almost missed mentioning the front splitter and rear diffusers, both made of carbon-fiber.
Courtesy: BMW PressClub Global
Courtesy: BMW PressClub Global
Courtesy: BMW PressClub Global
Courtesy: BMW PressClub Global
The car displayed at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este came in a shade of Barcelona Grey Liquid and the shade did extremely well in accentuating the athletic stance of the BMW 8 Series, as the 2+2 coupe stood on 21-inch alloys.
The BMW 8 Series is back after 20 years and will be chewing into the pie that the Mercedes Benz S Class Coupe had been gorging on all this time.
Inside, the 8 Series gets Merino leather upholstery in dark brown and white, carbon-fiber inserts and a large infotainment display mounted on top of a great-looking center console.
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BMW is still tight-lipped on the mechanical underpinnings. But’s safe to assume that it’s built on the CLAR platform from the 7 Series. Since the manufacturer has already registered for trademarks for 825, 830, 835, 845 and 850, it won’t be long before we see this design study transforming into a full-fledged lineup. That means the prospect of having a proper M8 version too. Now that’s something to look forward to.
An Autocar report on the topic mentions that a turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six cylinder, a turbocharged 4.4-litre V8, a turbocharged 6.6-litre V12 and a hybrid powerplant may take their places under that long hood.
The production model is scheduled to make its debut in 2018 and with a range of engines to choose from to power the new 8 Series, this coupe could be giving Mercedes Benz S Class Coupe a massive migraine upon launch.
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Until more details surface on the upcoming coupe, here’s a video walkaround of the car to go through. And please BMW, try not to water down the styling when the 8-Series coupe makes it to production. We kind of like the sharper and more aggressive lines which are at play here.