BMW’s big M coupe, the M8, is dead and gone. In a statement to TopSpeed, BMW confirmed that dealers will not take any orders for the M8 Coupe going forward. The lineup is now limited to the BMW M8 Convertible and Gran Coupe (BMW-speak for slope-y four-door). Notably, Alpina, BMW’s luxury-performance-oriented tuning counterpart, also offers an Alpina B8, which is basically a four-door M8 with even more sauce on top.
BMW’s Bruiser Says Its Goodbyes
BMW’s M8 coupe (and by extension the rest of the lineup) was and is all about excess. $140,000 is a ton of money for any car, but that figure lending itself to a 4.4-liter 617 horsepower V8 helps soften the big price tag. BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system is a highlight of the M8, and its automatic transmission never really felt like it was in the way of the 553 pound-feet of torque the V8 sought to deliver to all four wheels. Most of that power and torque went behind you, which helped the M8 Coupe feel a lot more nimble than its 4,251-pound curb weight would lead you to believe.
Of course, lots of tech and luxury festooned the interior of the coupe, just as it does in other M8 models. The leather and trim in the M8 feels truly special, especially the optional Merino leather. It’s so soft and decadent, you feel a little bad sitting in the seats. BMW’s latest infotainment didn’t make it to the coupe, and the relatively tame screens actually helped remove a lot of distractions from the experience. On top of that, the coupe was still practical, and one could easily stuff luggage for four in the trunk.
The Two-Door 8 Series Goes Down As An Icon
BMW’s 8 Series lineup is one of the more tumultuous stories in the brand’s history. The original 8 Series never really got an M model, but production versions with both a V8 and a V12 managed to hit showrooms before BMW canned the lineup. However, an M8 prototype was made, and it was a high-powered coupe even by today’s standards. Making use of the 850csi’s V12, the uprated 6.0-liter engine made a claimed 640 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque sans turbos. Unlike today’s M8, it drove the rear wheels via the fastest available transmission of the day- a six-speed manual.
TopSpeed’s Take
The M8 lineup does live on thanks to the convertible and the Gran Coupe, but it’s a bummer to see the coupe go. This iteration was by far the best looking, and it was still plenty usable thanks to a huge trunk. We’ll miss it.
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