How We'd Spec It: BMW's 8-Series Gran Coupe in Three Flavors

BMW has peddled the idea of the "Gran Coupe" for years, and it doesn't really make much sense. But the newest member of the GC family is the 8-series Gran Coupe, and it looks so good that its name doesn't really matter. Available in both inline-six 840i and V-8 M850i forms, there are plenty of choices in the 8-series GC lineup, so we poked around BMW's build-your-own tool for this new four-door version of the 8er and came up with several enticing ways to configure it.

Joey Capparella: BMW inline-six engines are unmatched in autodom in terms of silky power delivery, so I chose the base rear-wheel-drive 840i Gran Coupe with its 335-hp, turbocharged 3.0-liter six. The no-cost, turquoise-ish Blue Ridge Metallic paint intrigued me, as did the big, 20-inch wheels for $2600. In my eyes, the Gran Coupe's sleek design shines without many visual adornments, so I passed on visual enhancements such as the M Sport package and blackout trim pieces.

Inside, I selected one of the gorgeous two-tone options, the $3500 Irovy White and Tartufo full leather interior. A light-colored interior may not be the most practical choice, but it contrasts so nicely with the brown leather that i threw caution to the wind. I went fairly light on options, selecting only the two Driver Assistance packages that total to $2200, and the $1000 faux-suede headliner and the $750 multi-adjustable seats that are necessitated with the interior upholstery package. My 840i totals $95,945, which is the least expensive of the three specs presented here but certainly not cheap in the scheme of things.

Drew Dorian: I’ll have the 840i xDrive with the M Sport package please. I like the M Sport package’s aero kit and wheels so I think it’s worth the $4850 asking price. As far as exterior options, though, that’s as far as I’d be willing to go. I can’t believe BMW offers a $5000 paint color for this thing! Too rich for my blood. I’ll stick with Sonic Speed Blue for $0 so I can spend more money kitting out the cabin.

Inside, I love the Tartufo and black two-tone theme and I’d pair it with the Fineline Copper wood trim and the black faux-suede headliner. I want all the driver assistance stuff, including the Extended Traffic Jam Assistant, and I would order the $1900 Comfort Seating package so I can have the multi-function seats with ventilation. I’ll skip the Night Vision feature, but I’m going to pay $650 for the glass shift knob and center console switches because I’m fancy like that. Mine rings up at $99,145, so it’s still just a fantasy.

Alexander Stoklosa: There seems to me little point to this sedan-that's-less-useful-than-a-normal-sedan if not for some meaningful performance benefit over, say, a regular 5-series. Hence why I've gone with the M850i version. It has a 523-hp twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 that's just epic—as experienced in the two-door M850i—a sport exhaust, xDrive all-wheel drive, an adaptive sport suspension, and an M Sport differential. With this gear, you should be able to reach your destination quicker—helpful for any poor saps stuck in this thing's headroom-challenged rear seat for the trip.

As you probably noticed, I chose BMW's spicy $1950 Aventurin Red metallic paint for the exterior, along with the $4100 exterior carbon-fiber trim package. You can't stand out enough with this car, anyway, so why not go big on the flashiness? Because sportiness or the BMW M connection or whatever, black-painted wheels seemed like a must-have; at $1950, they also force the addition of the $1850 Cooling and High Performance Tire package.

The interior is set up to be similarly loud, with Fiona Red and Black Merino leather ($2000), Fineline Copper wood trim, and $650 glass center-console buttons. My M850i Gran Coupe also is literally loud, thanks to the $3400 Bowers & Wilkins audio system; for when this all gets too hot, don't fret—I also grabbed the $850 cooled seats. Somehow, $124,695 for all of this doesn't strike me as heinous. —Alexander Stoklosa