THE luxury car segment just got a new challenger as BMW M in Germany announces a quartet of new high-performance cars at the pinnacle of its model range; the new BMW M8 coupe, M8 Competition coupe, M8 convertible and M8 Competition convertible.
The new models draw the energy for their exceptional performance exploits from the most powerful engine ever developed for a BMW M car. The high-revving V8 unit with M TwinPower Turbo technology develops 441kW in the M8 coupe and convertible.
Think that’s good? Step up the the Competition variants and that number jumps to 460kW. The engine in all variants is teamed with an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic.
All that power is channeled to the road via the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system. It translates into a 0-100km/h sprint for the M8 variants of 3.4 seconds, a 3.2 second run for the M8 Competition coupe, and 3.3 seconds for the M8 Competition convertible.
The exclusive aura of the new 2020 BMW M8 models is further enhanced by model-specific features geared to the functional requirements of high-performance sports cars, including large air intakes and lavishly flared front wheel arches.
There’s also M gills in the front side panels, aerodynamically optimised exterior mirrors, and a rear spoiler and a rear apron with diffuser elements in a contrasting colour. An M Carbon exterior package is offered as an option.
Inside, an M-specific cockpit design includes model-specific leather upholstery options, the BMW display key, HUD with M-specific content, driving and parking assistant, and the BMW live cockpit professional system, with SatNav.
Additional driver assistance systems are available as options to provide a further boost to comfort and safety. More exciting though is the new Setup button, which enables direct access to the settings for the engine, dampers, steering, M xDrive and braking system.
An all-new M Mode system allows the driver to activate ROAD and SPORT settings, while the Competition models also come with a TRACK setting designed exclusively for use on race circuits.
Changing the mode alters the information presented to the driver on the screens, while the safety-enhancing interventions by the driver assistance systems – such as active braking or steering inputs – are reduced to a bare minimum or deactivated altogether.
The new range-topping 2020 models from BMW M will celebrate their world premieres as part of the BMW Group #NextGen event taking place at BMW Welt in Munich on 25 – 27 June 2019.
