Yahoo Autos The 2020 BMW M8 Is the 617-HP High-Performance 8-Series We've Been Waiting For
The M8 is the M version of BMW's 8-series coupe and convertible, and it offers a lot more power than the M850i version that's currently on sale.
A twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 engine makes 600 hp in standard configuration and 617 hp in M8 Competition spec.
The M8 goes on sale later this summer starting at $133,995 for the M8 coupe and ranging up to $156,495 for the M8 Competition convertible.
There's a new top dog in BMW's M lineup: the M8. This hotted-up version of the 8-series offers up to 617 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged V-8 engine and comes in both coupe and convertible forms (a four-door M8 Gran Coupe is still to come). All-wheel drive is standard across the board, as are a wide array of driving modes and configurable settings for things the suspension, the transmission, and even the brake-pedal feel.
Like the closely related BMW M5 sedan, it's the Competition version of the M8 that boasts the most impressive numbers. The standard M8 makes do with 600 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque from its twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 engine, while the Competition adds 17 hp to that total (given what an M5 Competition achieved on the dyno in our testing, the M8's real output may be even higher). Competition cars also get an M Sport exhaust, firmer suspension tuning, a "Track" setting for the driving modes, and different wheels. Carbon-ceramic brakes are a standalone performance option.
The M8's all-wheel-drive system is also shared with the M5, and offers the same rear-biased "2WD" mode for tail-out antics. An eight-speed automatic is the only transmission choice; it offers manual control through paddle shifters and various settings to change the shift speed and character for increasing levels of performance. BMW claims a top speed of 189 mph when the car is equipped with the M Driver's package, and its zero-to-60-mph claim of 3.0 seconds for the M8 Competition coupe seems more than plausible given that we hit that same mark in 2.8 seconds in a standard M5 sedan and 3.0 seconds in an M5 Competition.
Appropriately, the M8 looks meaner than the standard 8-series, with extra vents to increase cooling, a black finish for the grilles and other trim pieces, and a carbon-fiber roof (for coupe models, at least). 20-inch wheels are standard and are wrapped in non-run-flat performance tires measuring 275-width in front and 285-width in rear. Inside, it has buttons on the steering wheel for the various driving modes, a different gear shifter with red accents, M Sport seats, and carbon-fiber trim.
Compared to the M850i model that we get in the U.S., the M8 will command a significant price premium, with the coupe starting nearly $20,000 higher, at $133,995. The M8 convertible starts at $143,495, and the Competition models each cost $13,000 more. BMW says that production starts up in July 2019, so expect to see them reach U.S. dealerships shortly after that.
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