Advertisement

The New BMW 8-Series Is Officially On Its Way, Sans Pop-up Headlights

Photo credit: BMW
Photo credit: BMW

From Road & Track

We've heard various rumors and seen spy footage, but now, BMW is making it official. The 8-Series is coming back, first with a concept set to debut at this month's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Italy, and with a production car next year.

Reuters (via Automotive News) reports that the 8-Series coupe will be based on the same platform as the 7-Series sedan and will start at around €150,000 ($165,000 USD). It sounds like BMW will launch the 8-Series as a V8-powered coupe late next year, with V12 power and a convertible version arriving sometime afterwards. Apparently, BMW is also considering putting an M8 into production.

ADVERTISEMENT

Relaunching the 8-Series is part of BMW's strategy of moving further upmarket to better compete with Mercedes-Benz and generate bigger profit margins.

"We are refreshing our entire product portfolio and strengthening the performance side. Our strategy will focus on the luxury segment, where there are margins to be earned," BMW CEO Harold Kruger told Reuters at a shareholder's meeting Thursday.

News of a new 8-Series comes just after we reported that BMW quietly ended production on the old 6-Series coupe, with no direct replacement on its way. BMW is apparently planning on using the 6-Series name for the successor to the outgoing 5-Series GT hatchback.

BMW launched the first 8-Series coupe in 1989 with production ending in 1999. At the time, it represented a significant move upmarket for the company, but was never a big sales success.

The original 8er, however, feature excellent pop-up headlights that won't be making a return appearance for the new model. Hopefully the new one can live up in other ways.

You Might Also Like