The BMW 8 Series is a super-luxury coupé designed to provide multiple seemingly contradictory attributes, making it a properly ambitious flagship for the Bavarian company. The BMW 8 Series is an excellent pre-owned luxury sports automobile. It has a beautiful, driver-focused cabin as well as athletic performance. A used BMW 8 Series is additionally more pragmatic compared to many of its smaller competitors, with an adult-friendly back row in four-door Gran Coupe variants and a large trunk for the sector. The coupe and convertible variants feature cramped back rows, but the 8 Series otherwise has very few significant problems.
Major Changes Over The Years
The most significant changes to the BMW 8 Series since its inception:
2019: a completely new model
2020: The 840i is designated as the base grade; a six-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive are now standard. Introduced Gran Coupe body design and high-performance M8 variants
2021: lane departure warning is now standard; M8 coupe and convertible variants are no longer available. Night vision with pedestrian detection is no longer available.
Engine
The BMW 8 Series offers a variety of engine options that vary from pleasant to exhilarating. The base engine is a turbocharged six-cylinder that can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds. When you step on the throttle, you take off with ease, thanks to an eight-speed automatic transmission that performs with grace and refinement.
The other option is a twin-turbocharged V8, which transforms the 8 Series into a different beast. The exhaust noise is harsher, and acceleration is more powerful. In the M850i model, this engine produces 523 horsepower. The engine in the high-performance M8 has been re-tuned to produce 600 or 617 horsepower.
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BMW 8 Series Powertrain/Performance Options:
Base engine: 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder with 335 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque; starts at $85,000 (standard in 840i and 840i xDrive)
Available engines:
4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque; starts at $108,900 (standard in M850i xDrive)
4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with 600 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque; starts at $130,000 (standard in M8)
4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with 617 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque; starts at $143,000 (standard in M8 with Competition package)
Drivetrain: standard rear-wheel drive; available all-wheel drive
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
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Ride and Handling
The 8 Series strikes a good balance between handling competence and cruising comfort. Because of the lack of feedback from the steering, it isn’t the most sporty car in this class. Nonetheless, it can be pushed into corners with gusto and come out the other side with nary a hair out of place.
You can dial in the amount of chassis rigidity or forgiving flexibility that you want with many adjustable suspension setups. You may also switch between Eco Pro, Comfort, and Sport driving modes.
Despite its lengthy appearance, this BMW is quite agile in tight quarters. The steering involves little effort, and you can even choose all-wheel steering. All-wheel steering allows the rear wheels to turn slightly, which improves mobility at low speeds and handling and stability at high speeds.
The 8-series delivers on its grand-touring promises with a supremely quiet ride and startling athleticism. It provides an immediate and linear steering feel while filtering out road irregularities and front-tire sensations. Although its adjustable dampers provide more flexibility depending on the drive mode selected, they also keep the 8 astonishingly stable during cornering even in their stiffest setting. The car’s robust braking system and hard pedal feel add to the sense of absolute confidence on the open road.
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Interior
The interior of this BMW is superb. All the materials are of good quality, and the construction is solid. The interior design is elegant and dynamic, but not as sumptuous as some other high-end vehicles. The four-door BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe seats five passengers, while the two-door coupe and convertible seat four. Front seats are good regardless of body type. There is plenty of support, comfortable padding and upholstery, and a plethora of power adjustability. Some models include multi-contour or sports seats that hug the driver and passenger even further.
The Gran Coupe has more than three feet of rear legroom. Even taller passengers should have enough room to stretch out. The headroom is restricted because of the sloping roofline.
It can even be customized with BMW Individual options, such as a luxurious white-and-brown color scheme. Although it has a pair of relic rear seats, they are uncomfortable for adults to sit in. The low roofline of the 8 also limits headroom in the front seat and outward view, but that’s the price of fashion. Its interior cubby storage includes a coverable tray in front of the center console, a helpful central bin, and ample door pockets.
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Infotainment
The 8 Series is integrated with BMW’s iDrive infotainment system. There is a little learning curve to understanding it, but operating it is simple after that. In addition to a touch screen, you may manage the system with an ergonomic rotary knob on the center console. The center stack contains two narrow rows of buttons for adjusting the climate and volume. Shortcut buttons surround the control knob, allowing you to switch between infotainment functions.
- Standard infotainment features: a 10.25-inch touch screen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a Harman Kardon surround-sound stereo, HD Radio, satellite radio, navigation, Bluetooth, two USB ports, wireless device charging, and a Wi-Fi hot spot
- Available infotainment features: two rear USB ports and a 12- or 16-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium surround-sound stereo
- Additional standard features: proximity keyless entry, remote start, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and ambient interior lighting
- Other available features: a panoramic moonroof, quad-zone automatic climate control, and a glass shift knob and console controls
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Fuel Economy
The 2021 8 Series coupe achieves an EPA-estimated 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway with its base engine and rear-wheel drive. Those figures are good for the luxury sports vehicle segment and especially impressive when compared to other six-cylinder competitors.
When outfitted as described above, the Gran Coupe and convertible yield an estimated 22 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. All body types achieve 20/27 mpg city/highway with the base engine and all-wheel drive.
The BMW M850i xDrive versions get 17/24 mpg city/highway, while the M8 gets a pitiful 15/21 mpg.
Safety Features
Key safety features include:
- Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
- Available adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology
- Available lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist
Verdict
While not the Ultimate Driving Machine, the BMW 8-series takes its position as a large, comfortable cruiser very seriously. The 8-series, available in hardtop coupe and ragtop convertible body styles, offers a comfortable cabin, a quiet ride, and enough style to warrant its hefty price tag. Buyers can select between a silky-smooth twin-turbocharged inline-six in the 840i and a powerful twin-turbo V-8 with 523 horsepower in the M850i. Cornering performance isn’t up to the standards of BMW’s smaller and more concentrated sports coupes and sedans, but it holds its own against comparably luxurious rivals like the Lexus LC and Mercedes-Benz S-class coupes and convertibles.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a BMW 8 Series worth?
The 2021 BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe starts at $85,000. Coupe models start at $88,000, and a convertible model retails for $97,400.
Is the BMW 8 Series reliable?
The projected reliability rating for the BMW 8-Series is 85 out of 100. A predicted reliability score of 91-100 is considered the best, 81-90 is considered great, 70-80 is considered average, and 0-69 is rated fair and below average.
Does BMW still make the 8 Series?
According to rumors, the 8 Series Gran Coupe will be the last car standing in both lineups. However, it will no longer be an 8 Series because it will be integrated into the 7 Series lineup.
Where is the BMW 8 Series built?
The BMW 8 Series is made in Dingolfing, Germany.
