Munich - The new BMW 8 Series Coupe is getting a launch mascot in the form of the M850i xDrive First Edition, of which only 400 will be built, with eight of them heading to South Africa during the second quarter of this year.
The limited edition is set apart by a number of BMW Individual exterior and interior appointments, the highlight being a new paint finish called Frozen Barcelona Blue metallic, which has never been used on a BMW before.
This hue is combined with the High Gloss Shadow Line package which gives a black finish to the grille, side window surrounds and tailpipe covers. The final garnish is a set of Jet Black 20-inch M alloy wheels with a Y-spoke design.
Inside, the seats are upholstered in a combination of Ivory white and Night Blue, the latter colour also used on the M steering wheel and Alacantara roof liner, while the interior trim strips get a Piano Black finish. The final garnish is commemorative lettering ‘1/400’ on the centre console.
The mechanicals are as per the regular M850i xDrive, with power coming from a new 4.4-litre V8 turbopetrol engine that produces 390kW and 750Nm for a claimed 3.7 second 0-100km/h acceleration run.
Drive goes to all four wheels through an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission and a rear-biased xDrive all-wheel-drive system, featuring an electronically controlled differential lock. The M850i also comes with BMW’s Adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled dampers, as well as Integral Active Steering.
BMW South Africa has not put a price tag on the Launch Edition as yet, but expect to pay a premium over the ‘stock’ M850i xDrive’s price of R1.88 million.