Lake Como, Italy – BMW has taken the wraps off its shapely new Concept 8 Series at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy. It is
essentially a taster for the new 8 Series Coupé that’s set to hit showrooms in 2018, and according to BMW, the showcar reveals “much of what is to come.”
BMW boldly claims that the resurrected 8 Series will “raise the benchmark” for coupés in its segment, BMW’s design Vice President Adrian van Hooydonk describing it as a “luxurious sports car which embodies both unadulterated dynamics and modern luxury like arguably no other.”
Thus expect BMW to pitch the 8 Series as a sportier alternative to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupé.
BMW remains tight-lipped about what’s under the bonnet of its forthcoming 8 Series but word on the street is that it’ll largely mimic the 7 Series with which it shares a platform, the line-up likely topped by BMW’s 448kW 6.6-litre turbo-charged V12. The 240kW 3-litre six-cylinder and 330kW 4.4-litre V8 turbopetrols will almost certainly feature lower down the range, perhaps with a hybrid or two thrown in to keep with the times.
Since BMW is positioning this as a luxury two-door, air suspension is also a very likely fixture.
Although the concept’s design will no doubt be toned down in its transition to showroom sensibility, there are many clues here as BMW readily admits.
Riding on 21-inch alloys, the Concept 8 Series has that characteristic long bonnet and rear-ward flowing roofline, as well as broad and muscular shoulders, pierced by long L-shaped taillights. The front end flaunts slim laser headlights and a particularly large interpretation of BMW’s ‘Kidney grille’.
BMW says it aimed for a sportscar-like ambience in the cabin, with a compartmental design and carbon-fibre shell seats, but designers also added some classy touches such as the iDrive controller made from Swarovski glass and enough high-quality leather to start its own cattle farm.
More details on the production coupé will emerge in 2018, and a convertible version is also well within the realm of possibility for further down the line.