The new BMW M8 and M8 Competition was BMW’s worst held secret, but now it is official. From today, you can walk into your local BMW dealer, and order one of the most anticipated cars of the year not only in coupé form but as a convertible too.
Let’s kick off with the headline figures. Both the M8 and M8 Competition are powered by a 4.4-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine. The standard M8 will be producing 600 Bavarian horses (447 kW) and 750 Nm of torque, while the Competition has 25 more horses under the bonnet at 625 HP (466 kW) with the torque figure remaining the same. Having said that, the Competition can hold its maximum torque for 200 rpm more than the M8 at up to 5 800 rpm.
0 to 100 km/h? This is dealt with in a very swift 3.3 seconds in the M8 and 3.2 seconds in the Competition. The convertible versions of both cars are only 0.1 seconds slower than their respective hard-top siblings. The top speed is limited at 250 km/h, but if you opt for the M Driver’s Package, you’ll accelerate all the way to 305 km/h.
The M8 isn’t the lightest of cars, coming in at just under 2 tonnes weighing 1955 kilograms. The convertible weighs almost 130 kg’s more at 2080 kilograms. As a result of this, the M8 offers some serious braking power to match the weight and power of the beast. The M8 and Competition have an adaptable break-by-system which gives the driver the option to choose what type of braking they desire through two different modes: comfort and sport mode. Of course, carbon-ceramic brakes are an option for those who don’t want standard compound brakes.
The engineers at BMW have also been hard at work at making the M8 and M8 Competition as dynamic as possible. Electronically controlled dampers and electromechanical M Servotronic steering are all part of the M-specific adaptive suspension which allows the car to be as planted as possible in any situation. Stiffer anti-roll bars, a more rigid front end, stiffer engine mounts and some more negative camber at the front axle all aid in making the M8 and M8 Competition as dynamic as possible.
Exterior wise, you can expect larger air intakes, more aerodynamic tweaks, a rear spoiler and a rear diffuser painted in a contrasting colour to the body. The M8 Competition will receive Competition badges (obviously), larger wheels, unique exhaust pipes with the M Sport exhaust system being standard on the Competition too. For the coupés, you will also see a carbon-fibre roof.
The new BMW M8 Coupe and BMW M8 Competition Coupe, as well as the new BMW M8 Convertible and BMW M8 Competition Convertible, will be available in South Africa in the fourth quarter of 2019.
