Introduction
It may come as some surprise to hear BMW say that its new models, the M8 Competition coupé and convertible, are its first foray into the luxury performance car market.
Having driven the extremely rapid M850i recently, that left me scratching my head, but when you are talking about power units that deliver supercar performance, small increments make a difference.
Highlights
- Excellent fun to drive
- Powerful engines
- Striking looks
- Luxury feel
Engines and Performance
Both bodystyles feature a brutally powerful 4.4-litre V8 engine with twin turbos and the now familiar BMW M Steptronic 8-speed transmission, delivering an almighty 626bhp and 553lb ft of torque.
This in turn delivers neck-wrenching performance, with the car hitting 62mph in just 3.2 seconds and 3.3 seconds respectively.
For those who care about the incremental performance, the well over half a second to 3.9 seconds difference between that and the M850i may seem to make the latter almost pedestrian by comparison.
The Competition model also offers a track driving mode, where rear-wheel drive can be selected and up to 189mph can be hit where permitted.
Power is delivered by two turbochargers, cross-bank exhaust manifolds, direct injection with increased pressure, plus cooling and oil supply systems designed for maximum track performance.
All this power need to be transferred to the wheels in an efficient and safe manner, and the four-wheel drive with the model specific adaptive suspension and chassis improvements means it is rarely troubled when you turn on the power.
This became apparent with a full day's drive up and down the twisting roads and passes of the mountains of southern Spain near Malaga.
Difficult roads to test the performance and handling of any vehicle were dismissed by this luxury thoroughbred.
Bill McCarthy
Choose full auto or switch to the paddles and the car is a delight, clinging limpet like on horseshoe bends with the big slabs of rubber on the 20-inch wheels and blasting away on the rare stretches of straight road. The convertible was driven first and on a sunny day the roof was straight down.
Driving it is a real experience, floor the throttle and the exhaust acoustics change depending which mode is selected via the M Sound Control button on the centre console. By selecting SPORT PLUS the engine sounds more like a racing car as the roar of the V8 kicks in.
Two variants of this M setup can be stored permanently with the driver’s preferred settings for the engine sound, gear shift characteristics and driving stability control on either of those two red M buttons on the steering wheel.
On the road, the huge amount of torque means power delivery is instantaneous, even allowing for comfort on twisting roads. The AWD Sport mode diverts a larger slice of engine power to the rear wheels. Deactivating the Dynamic Stability Control system (DSC) transfers power exclusively to the rear wheels for a more engaging drive.
The handling is peerless with the slip differential, adaptive suspension and active chassis keeping the car firmly planted while the beautifully weighted steering is direct and responsive, especially when you need to instantly avoid a herd of sheep crossing a mountain road.
But it is not just about the madcap performance. Slowing down through mountain villages, the car settles into a docile mode, but on the other side, feathering the throttle unleashes all the power again.
Is it also a superb motorway cruiser and happy to sit at 70mph, but where allowed, again a blip of the throttle means that huge torque delivers brilliant overtaking speed.
Design and Practicality
The car does look good, predatory, almost feline in profile in both coupé and convertible guise, and features a hexagonal theme with upgraded black kidney grille carbon-fibre and large apron underneath.
The coupé features a double bubble carbon fibre roof, while the convertible offers a fabric top which folds away in 15 seconds at speeds of up to 31mph. When not required, it can be folded to half its size and stowed in the boot.
The interior is the last word in luxury, functionality, and comfort with powered front seats, featuring with warm air collars in the headrests in the convertible for when it gets chilly.
Trim is of the highest quality with Merino leather, anthracite headliner, top quality soft touch finish and a riot of carbon fibre, leather, thick carpets, and the familiar M branding throughout on seats, sills, and doors.
These include red accents on the M leather steering wheel's M buttons and the start/stop button on the centre console. The newly designed transmission selector lever with Drivelogic switch is leather-surfaced with an embedded M logo and stitching.
Equipment and Technology
The latest iDrive infotainment system dominates with the so-called Live Cockpit Professional 12.3-inch display which controls, navigation, infotainment, and a raft of connectivity services and apps with at last Android Auto being included from next year in addition to Apple CarPlay.
In addition, the BMW Connected Package Professional adds remote services and real time traffic information. There are also M8-specific dials which can be selected by the driver on the digital display and the couple of drive selector red buttons on the steering wheel.
For safety, the M compound brakes are standard while larger carbon-ceramic brakes are an option as the car provides a full complement of safety kit. It also features cameras which can record and store the previous 20.0 seconds of the car's activity on the hard drive, plus a full complement of airbags, stability, and traction control and assisted braking.
Rollover protection system is standard on the convertible, which also includes a wind deflector, which can be set up in the rear-seat area to prevent unwanted air turbulence when driving with the roof down.
Summary
BMW have made it clear that they have thrown down the gauntlet to its challengers yet again with the M8 Competition. This supremely capable performance car is a true supercar and a delight to drive, thanks to its powerful engines and superb handling.
