2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer rubber hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a embarking price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer spandex hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a commencing price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer rubber hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a embarking price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer spandex hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a embarking price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer bondage mask than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a commencing price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer bondage mask than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a beginning price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer bondage mask than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a beginning price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer rubber hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a embarking price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer fetish mask than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a kicking off price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer bondage mask than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a embarking price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer fetish mask than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a beginning price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer rubber hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a kicking off price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer spandex hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a beginning price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer spandex hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a beginning price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer rubber hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a commencing price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer rubber hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a commencing price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer bondage mask than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a kicking off price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer spandex hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a kicking off price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer spandex hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a embarking price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer fetish mask than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a embarking price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer spandex hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a commencing price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer bondage mask than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a beginning price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer rubber hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a commencing price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer spandex hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a embarking price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer rubber hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a commencing price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even however the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer spandex hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrified combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a kicking off price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer spandex hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a beginning price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to comeback a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer rubber hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights show up to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a commencing price around $80,000.
2018 BMW 8-series Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver
2018 BMW 8-series Spied: A Big, Bold Luxury Two-Door
What It Is: BMW’s upcoming 7-series-based 8-series coupe, covered in camouflage and penned in among other BMW prototypes. Expected to be larger than today’s two-door 6-series (the six can also be had in four-door Gran Coupe form), the 8-series will serve as BMW’s flagship coupe, just as its eponymous forebear did before it was discontinued in 1999. An interesting history note: When the original 8-series debuted in 1990, the smaller, less expensive 6-series went out of production—only to come back a few years after the 8-series, which only survived for a single generation, faded from BMW showrooms. History will not repeat itself this time, however, as we anticipate BMW will add the 8-series to the lineup, keeping the smaller 6-series around to do battle with Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming E-class coupe.
Why It Matters: Mercedes-Benz is moving back into the mega-upscale, mega-expensive two-door space with its gorgeous S-class–based coupe and cabriolet, and BMW must think there’s room for two Germans at that table. We think that a successor to the original 8-series, if it is somewhat sporty in the BMW vein, would make for an interesting alternative to the cushy, unabashedly comfort-oriented full-size Mercedes two-door, not to mention Bentley’s Continental or the next-generation Maserati GranTurismo.
Platform: The 8-series will sit on a version of the latest 7-series sedan’s lightweight, semi-carbon-fiber architecture. This will place the eight above the 6-series in BMW’s hierarchy (as if its higher numerical name didn’t give that away), even tho’ the next-generation six is expected to use the smaller version of this same 7-derived platform that also will be collective with the two thousand seventeen 5-series sedan.
Now that we have our series in series, we should mention that the 8-series will wear more expressive styling than the 7, as our artist’s rendering (above) shows. Based on the rendering, as well as what we can see from our spy photographer’s shots, the eight likely will bear a close resemblance to BMW’s two thousand fourteen Vision Future Luxury concept, pinched headlights and all. The camouflaged prototype also shows off a significantly longer rubber hood than the 6-series and far more space inbetween the doors and the rear wheel opening. The rear seats may actually be habitable! More to the point, the 8-series clearly rails on a long wheelbase, albeit not one fairly as long as the 7’s, and looks to be fairly large. The roofline goes after a graceful arc from above the driver’s head all the way to a subtle lip spoiler at the end of the trunklid, and the taillights emerge to be inspired by those on the Vision Future Luxury concept. Albeit we only have spy photos of the 8-series coupe, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate a convertible version arriving in the future. BMW, after all, sells a softtop 6-series, and Mercedes-Benz offers the S-class cabriolet.
Powertrain: Any 7-series powertrain likely can fit in the 8-series’ engine bay, but we doubt BMW would include some of the 7’s more pedestrian offerings such as the 740e plug-in hybrid four-cylinder/electrical combo or Europe’s diesels and four-cylinder 730i. In keeping with the two-door 8’s sportier vibe, the 740i’s powerful twin-turbocharged inline-six and the 750i’s twin-turbocharged V-8 are almost a given, while the 7’s available twin-turbocharged V-12 would make for an excellent range topper (and a nice foil to Benz’s S65 AMG coupe and cabriolet). BMW’s original 8-series suggested a V-12 with a manual transmission, but the modern eight will be automatic only, with every iteration using a ZF eight-speed. Rear-wheel drive will be the standard configuration, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive setup will be optional or possibly standard on higher-output models.
Estimated Arrival and Price: The completeness of this 8-series prototype suggests that the coupe is close to reaching showrooms—or at least an official debut. It should go on sale next year as a two thousand eighteen model and likely will cost more than an equivalent 7-series, with a kicking off price around $80,000.
