New BMW M8 draws closer to 2019 launch

The new BMW M8 will arrive in 2019 with over 600bhp from its twin-turbo V8 and a price tag in the region of £140,000

BMW’s new flagship M8 sports car is preparing for its step off the development treadwheel and into series production with a release date in 2019 on the cards. The new BMW M8 will follow in the footsteps of the new 8 Series Coupe that we recently drove for the first time and the 8 Series Convertible revealed at the start of November. 

The M8 will head the new 8 Series range with the BMW M5’s 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 in the nose packing more than 600bhp to keep the all-wheel-drive chassis on its game. We’re told that xDrive 4×4 system will be heavily rear-biased as in the M5 and that a two-wheel-drive mode will also be included. In the fullness of time the M8 Coupe will be joined by an M8 Convertible and the 4-door M8 Gran Coupe as previewed by the M8 Gran Coupe concept at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. 

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BMW’s M division has announced that testing of the M8 prototypes is well under way at the Estoril circuit in Portugal and underlined its intention to take the dynamic abilities of the standard 8 Series to another level. Measures to increase the body and chassis rigidity, while shaving weight and moving the centre of gravity lower, are a given, while wider tracks plus revised steering and suspension set-ups will also feature. 

Although it’s keeping a tight lid on the 0-62mph and top speed performance figures of the M8, BMW has announced that the car’s combined fuel economy will be in the region of 26mpg with CO2 emissions pegged between 246 and 243g/km. It’s unlikely that’s going to deter many prospective M8 buyers.

BMW M8 GTE concept

BMW gave its first hint at the form the new M8 would take back in 2017 when its 2018 M8 GTE Le Mans racer appeared at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The car gave us a good look at the shape of the M8 adorned with motorsport enhancements, and the latest images of the disguised prototype car indicate that the Mercedes-AMG S 63 Coupe rival will indeed follow those themes.   

“The conception and development of the standard BMW 8 Series and the M model run in parallel,” said Frank van Meel, President BMW M Division. “The future BMW M8 will build on the genes of the 8 Series and augment its DNA with added track ability and generous extra portions of dynamic sharpness, precision and agility. It all flows into a driving experience that bears the familiar BMW M hallmarks and satisfies our customers’ most exacting requirements.” 

Are you looking forward to seeing the BMW M8 in full? Let us know below…

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