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Munich enters new territory to go Bentley hunting with this flagship M car

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The BMW M division claims not to have played, until now, in what it calls the ‘performance luxury’ segment.

Allowing for the existence of cars such as the old M6 Coupé and M6 Convertible, of course, and for several generations of the BMW X5 M performance SUV, the truth of the matter is a bit less clear cut than that statement would suggest – but you can see why they’d make it.

I appreciate what BMW is trying to do with the M8, but its constantly alert, overtly aggressive disposition doesn’t really work for me in the context of a fast GT. It could do with being a bit more laid-back

Until now, it has clearly suited BMW M’s purposes to define itself in opposition to rivals Mercedes-AMG, Porsche and Audi Sport predominantly as a maker of more credible hardcore super-saloons and sports coupés than of bigger, more expensive and more lavish six-figure ‘luxury express’ machines. And perhaps, because there has never been an M7 or X7 M, some believe that more development attention has been poured into BMW every M2, BMW M3, BMW M4 and BMW M5.

The launch, with this new second generation of the BMW 8 Series, of a full-fat M version – the M8 – is a bit of a landmark, then. Available initially in both two-door coupé and two-door convertible bodystyles, and with a four-door Gran Coupé coming later in 2020, the M8 becomes arguably BMW’s first proper modern super-GT. And, with prices from just over £123,000, you might even think of it as the first car that BMW would offer up on level terms as an alternative to the blue-blooded Bentleys, Aston Martins, high-end Maseratis and low-end Ferraris of the automotive landscape.

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With the discontinuation of production of the i8 recently confirmed, this becomes BMW’s out-and-out performance flagship. But does it offer a technical make-up and driving experience sufficiently different from those of its various M-car relations to bring anything genuinely new to the Motorsport division product range?

The M8 line-up at a glance

Although BMW has made a standard variant of the M8, the only version of BMW’s new super-GT available in the UK is the considerably more hardcore M8 Competition.

Like its non-UK sibling, the M8 Competition is available in coupé, convertible and four-door Gran Coupé bodystyles, with the four-door model representing the entry point to the range in terms of price.

Price £130,435 Power 617bhp Torque 553lb ft 0-60mph 3.3sec 30-70mph in fourth 4.1sec Fuel economy 19.0mpg CO2 emissions 246g/km 70-0mph 44.0m

What Car? New car buyer marketplace - BMW M8

DESIGN & STYLING

BMW M8 Competition convertible 2020 road test review - hero side

Don’t for a second think that BMW M’s first foray into the world of the luxurious super-GT means that it has suddenly come over all soft. On first acquaintance, the M8 Competition’s sharp creases, chiselled edges and gaping intakes lend it a look that’s as aggressive as any other M car you care to name – even when its shorn of its roof.

BMW hasn’t pulled any punches in terms of its technical specification, either. The 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8 that lies behind the M8’s large, high-gloss black kidney grille is the same heavy-hitting unit that powers the M5 Competition, here developing 617bhp at 6000rpm and 553lb ft at 1800-5800rpm.

Each of the M8’s quad tailpipes measures 100mm in diameter, making them notably more cannon-like than those fitted to the M5. An M Sport exhaust system is standard.

This considerable firepower is deployed to the road via an eight-speed gearbox, BMW’s active M differential and a fully configurable, rear-axle-biased xDrive four-wheel drive system – and, just as in the M5, the xDrive system can send all of that power and torque rearwards, all of the time, if you want it to.

Meanwhile, a greater level of torsional rigidity, courtesy of an even stiffer M-specific CLAR platform, should help lift the M8’s appetite for quick direction changes over and above that of the standard 8 Series. Competition models also benefit from stiffer engine mounts and a greater wheel camber at the front axle than is found on the standard M8 to sharpen handling responses even further; and while the story is different in other markets, BMW UK will offer the M8 for sale in Competition guise only.

That’s not to say the chassis doesn’t have its work cut out for it, though. BMW claims a kerb weight of 1885kg for the coupé (5kg more than a four-door M5) and 2010kg for the droptop, with its folding fabric roof. On Millbrook’s test scales, our test car came in at 2020kg, with that mass being split 53:47 front to rear.

Such heft understandably requires suitably heavy-duty brakes, so M Compound brakes come fitted as standard, with carbon-ceramics optionally available and fitted to our test car. The M8 Competition is the first BMW to feature a new by-wire braking system, the response and behaviour of which can – just as with the adaptive dampers, electromechanical steering, four-wheel drive, gearbox and throttle mapping – be tweaked and customised to suit the driver’s preferences at the press of a button. In theory, the new electromechanical brake booster should make for a more consistent rate of pedal response as temperature builds into the system on track. We’ll see whether this proves to be true.

Suspension, meanwhile, is by way of steel coils all round, with a mix of wishbones and multiple links lying underneath. So unlike many fast GT cars of a similar ilk, the M8 Competition goes without air springs.

INTERIOR

BMW M8 Competition convertible 2020 road test review - cabin

BMW’s effort to lift the material and visual appeal of the M8 Competition’s cabin over and above that of the standard 8 Series can be considered a qualified success. The quilted Merino leather that comes as standard is soft to the touch, kind on the eyes and generously applied. Elsewhere, sections of carbonfibre sit tastefully alongside the brushed metal and gloss black trim pieces to provide a telling reminder of the car’s underlying performance intent.

The cabin architecture, meanwhile, is BMW to a tee and the seating position is suitably fast but not so recumbent as to deprive you of any visibility. Adjustability is generous, allowing you to sit low in the cabin, enveloped by the tall window lines, considerable transmission tunnel and driver-focused dashboard fascia. There was a very slight right-hand offset in the steering column of our test car but not one nearly significant enough as to become a source of complaint. For the most part, the driving position and general ergonomics are excellent – just as you’d expect them to be.

Whoever designed the speaker covers for the Bowers & Wilkins stereo must have watched Signs. We like the way they look a lot, particularly when lit up at night.

The result is that those familiar with BMW’s contemporary model offering will no doubt feel right at home in this new performance flagship. But therein lies the rub: next to more effortlessly opulent, visually appealing and materially rich rivals from Mercedes-AMG, Bentley or Aston Martin, the BMW’s overriding familiarity and BMW-typical sense of understatement do conspire to dampen its sense of occasion somewhat. Anyone stepping out of the more lavishly appointed confines of an S63 Coupé, Continental GT or Aston Martin DB11 might be a shade underwhelmed by the BMW’s comparative lack of exotic visual and tangible wow factor.

On practicality grounds, the M8 Competition Convertible claws back some points. There are numerous storage cubbies dotted around the cabin and the rear seats will accommodate small children or a pair of weekend bags, but only smaller adults with much comfort. But as the boot effectively doubles as storage space for the folding fabric roof, luggage capacity isn’t as great as it would otherwise be. Where the Coupé offers 420 litres of storage space, the Convertible has just 350.

BMW M8 Competition infotainment and sat nav

The M8 Competition comes as standard with BMW’s latest 10.25in Live Cockpit Professional infotainment suite. It’s a system we’re very fond of and the slickness of its graphics and general ease of use are as welcome in the M8 as in BMW’s humbler model offerings.

The standard specification is unsurprisingly strong, with DAB radio, satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay and a wi-fi hotspot all included right out of the box.

The hexagonal digital instrument binnacles that BMW seems intent on fitting to all of its new models are typically clear and easy enough to read, but our testers still agree that their design remains a touch awkward in appearance.

The Bowers & Wilkins Diamond surround sound system that comes as part of the £20,000 Ultimate pack provides truly excellent sound quality, even when the roof is down.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

BMW M8 Competition convertible 2020 road test review - engine

The process of engaging the M8 Competition’s launch control system is a relatively convoluted undertaking, but the pay-off – provided you’re in a suitable environment – is worth witnessing at least once.

Even on a relatively dry track, the M8’s getaway isn’t particularly clean, but once up and running, the rate at which it accrues pace is quite something. Initially, there’s a discernible shuffling off the line as the car attempts to deploy its massive power and torque reserves to the road without breaking traction, but almost immediately afterwards it squats down dramatically on its haunches and rockets away. Upshifts relay a faintly aggressive shunt to the base of your spine, with the transmission allowing the engine to spin close to its 7200rpm redline before swiftly snatching the next gear.

Ultimate pack (£20,000) fitted to our test car included a rather opulent carbonfibre engine cover. As a stand-alone option, it costs £1025, which seems like quite a lot of money for something you’ll rarely see.

The accompanying soundtrack isn’t quite as raucous or characterful as the best AMG V8s, but the numbers vouch for the effectiveness of BMW M’s most powerful production engine. With the fabric roof firmly in place, our timing gear clocked the M8 Competition’s 0-60mph run at 3.3sec, with 100mph arriving in just 7.4sec. That’s notably quicker than 12-cylinder versions of both the Continental GT (3.6sec and 8.1sec respectively) and Aston Martin DB11 (4.0sec, 8.4sec) and very nearly quick enough to land the M8 Competition in bona fide supercar territory. In-gear performance is no less impressive, with the BMW accelerating from 30mph to 70mph while locked in fourth gear in just 4.1sec.

For all of the M8 Competition’s effectiveness in a straight line, though, its powertrain isn’t without fault. Even in calmer environments, there remains an underlying aggression that mars its effectiveness as a more laid-back, relaxing GT car. The transmission can at times be overeager to engage, making for a step-off that can feel unnecessarily urgent and hurried.

The M8’s carbon brakes provide suitably immense stopping power, bringing the drop-top BMW to a halt from 70mph over a distance of just 44.0m. However, the new by-wire braking system isn’t quite as intuitive as we’d hoped. In Comfort mode, there’s quite a sudden bite at the top of the pedal, which is then amplified in Sport mode to such an extent that you often find yourself braking too early and too suddenly for a corner, while close control over stopping power never feels truly effortless.

Our testers agreed that they’d be willing to swap some of the BMW’s stopping power for a more intuitive pedal progression.

RIDE & HANDLING

BMW M8 Competition convertible 2020 road test review - on the road nose

If you thought this M8 Competition might feel, to drive, like an BMW M5 with two fewer doors and quite a lot less roof, you may be more surprised by how differently the car rides and handles from its saloon sibling than by its rapacious pace. Although an M5 is already a fairly firm-riding, agile-feeling saloon car, the M8 seems unmistakably lower and a little wider set on the road and it feels slightly more firmly sprung still.

It also steers quite a bit more directly, its off-centre handling response in particular exhibiting a keenness you don’t often find in cars this size. The more comfort-oriented driving modes take the edge off this initially quite alarming appetite for an apex, as does familiarity, so that, over time and in one way or another, you get used to the way the car darts around roundabouts and junctions. But for a big GT car, the M8 certainly pushes the boundaries of what constitutes entirely natural- and intuitive-feeling handling.

It feels surprisingly eager to dart towards the apex, given the car’s heft, but there’s fine composure once you learn to trust it and, when desired, tail-out entertainment

For that reason, it takes a little while to be able to place the car on the road exactly as you’d like. The confidence needed to explore the car’s handling at speed also takes its time to build. A steering set-up about which there is just a hint of elasticity of feel, and that doesn’t telegraph building cornering load as clearly as you might like, doesn’t speed the process up much. However, there is bountiful handling stability and dynamic composure to discover once you feel comfortable enough to discover it.

Just like the M5, the M8 offers ‘4WD’, ‘4WD Sport’ and ‘2WD’ driveline configurations, each of which allows progressively more in the way of throttle-on cornering balance and rear-driven handling adjustability; but even in the first of them, the chassis develops neutral handling manners and resists power-on understeer very robustly.

The car’s blend of grip, handling composure and incisiveness is certainly compelling, then. It’s quite a bit more convincing on smooth, widely marked roads than it is on more uneven ones, though, and on the latter, when it has bigger vertical inputs to deal with, it can struggle to harness its mass with that ideal meeting of supple compliance and progressive control that the very best fast GTs strike.

With all of its various systems set to their firmest, angriest Sport and Sport+ settings, the M8 Competition has quite remarkable levels of grip and agility. Lateral body control is very tightly checked; handling response builds very quickly off centre; balance is more neutral than is the norm for a big GT; and the steering is quite lightly weighted. For all of those reasons, you end up hitting apexes a lot more easily and quickly than you might expect to.

BMW’s 4WD Sport driveline setting and its M Dynamic stability control mode allow you to animate the chassis under bigger helpings of throttle, and with a reassuring ultimate safety net in place. But it’s a safety blanket you’re quite welcome of because the M8’s quietly feisty demeanour doesn’t make it the most benign of cars when it – sometimes quite suddenly – begins to slide.

Comfort and Isolation

This section remains a pretty big hurdle for any big, heavy, luxury cabriolet to negotiate, even in 2020. The M8 Competition is a car with respectable touring manners that, with its roof down and its windows and wind deflector up, shields its occupants from the elements as well as any soft-top you might compare it with; not so well, however, that you’ll be inclined to drive it too far at fast motorway speeds in that configuration, even on the warmest and stillest of days.

With the roof up, it filters out wind noise quite well and doesn’t let too much of the hum and roar of nearby traffic penetrate into the cabin, although a good folding hardtop option would do better, and by a margin big enough to notice it.

Considering the other compromises a folding metal roof might have imposed, though, you’d be very happy to take the cloth-top execution, warts and all. And roof-up cabin refinement is anything but objectionable: we recorded 67dB at a 70mph cruise, which is probably only a decibel or two higher than coupé noise level.

The car’s body structure appears to have laudable integrity, declining to shake its A-pillars at all over rougher terrain, although the firmish ride does leave the chassis given to the odd thump and the slightest shudder over sharper edges and craggy potholes. Ride isolation is, overall, a shade below what is typical of a big sporting GT.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

BMW M8 Competition convertible 2020 road test review - hero front

Make no mistake: we’ve seen circa- £130k BMWs before. But whereas the likes of the M760Li represent the pinnacle of what Munich can achieve with a luxury limousine, the M8’s GT car aspirations land it in territory occupied by an even more exclusive class of vehicle.

Next to the likes of the Continental GTC V8 or DB11 Volante, the droptop M8 Competition’s comparatively affordable £130,435 asking price might see it win favour with those who aren’t quite willing to make the jump up to those properly blue-blooded alternatives. But for those who can, that saving might not be quite enough to make up for the comparable lack of prestige attached to the BMW’s propeller roundel – regardless of how many options you then attach to the car.

The BMW’s value decreases at a similar rate to the Aston Martin DB11’s. By comparison, the Mercedes S63’s value drops like a stone.

Speaking of which, our test car was equipped with the £20,000 Ultimate pack, which adds practically every option you’d care to include. Extensive carbonfibre exterior details, carbon brake, ventilated seats, an uprated stereo system and far more besides are all added to the M8 Competition’s already generous level of standard equipment.

What Car? New car buyer marketplace - BMW M8

VERDICT

BMW M8 Competition convertible 2020 road test review - static

If we accept BMW’s argument that this is the M division’s first proper swing at a fast, modern, performance GT car, we’d have to admit that it’s a pretty good swing. The M8 Competition doesn’t want for outright pace or handling dynamism, or for capacity to thrill. Even if you bought one as an alternative to a big-hitting, purpose-built sports car, you’d be unlikely to feel short-changed in so many ways.

But the brief of a great luxury performance GT car must be broader than such a mission statement, of course; and it’s with the delivery of GT-appropriate richness of experience – in the material feel of its interior and in the refinement, tactile sophistication and subjective appeal of its drive – that the M8 Competition falls a little short.

It has attitude to spare, but isn’t the complete super-GT

BMW will have known that it had it all to do to present a viable rival for Bentleys, Aston Martins and upper-end Mercedes-AMGs here on desirability, and that the rest of the M8’s package would need to be word perfect to make the car’s wider case clear; which it isn’t – although it’s not without strengths. As big, fast GT cars go, this will be a polarising one open to both criticism and praise in equally serious terms.

What Car? New car buyer marketplace - BMW M8

BMW M8 Convertible First drives