BMW has taken the covers off the second generation of the 8 Series Coupe, 19 years after the first version was discontinued.
The premium fastback is the German brand’s new flagship and was unveiled at the Le Mans 24-hour race last weekend, where BMW made its return to the world-renowned endurance race with the M8 GTE.
Taking many of the design cues from the 2017 concept – such as the angled headlights and sleek roofline – the 8 Series comes with an aggressive stance that befits a top-end model.
It comes with the option of two twin-turbocharged powertrains – a 315bhp six-cylinder diesel in the 840d and the performance-angled M850i that uses a 522bhp petrol V8 – which are both paired to an eight-speed sports automatic transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive.
Both cars are limited to a top speed of 155mph, with the M850i capable of sprinting to 60mph from a standstill in 3.5 seconds and the 840d getting to 60mph in 4.7 seconds.
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To ensure the car can handle itself at higher speeds, BMW fits Integral Active Steering as standard, while active roll stabilisation is an optional extra.
The 8 Series also comes with a raft of safety systems, including cruise control with automatic braking and collision and pedestrian warning with city braking – which alerts the driver when it detects cyclists.
Inside, BMW has fitted a head-up display, active park distance control, a 12.3-inch instrument display cluster in the instrument binnacle and a 10.25-inch central touchscreen that comes with satellite navigation and a 20GB multimedia system, as well as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Prices for the 840d model start from £76,270, while the top-end M850i starts from £100,045. On sale now, deliveries will begin in November.
