BMW enthusiasts all over the world rejoice as the company has just revealed the longest awaited car in their lineup. It’s called the M8 Competition and it’s here to set new standards in the sports luxury coupé segment. The German luxury car manufacturer gave us the first appearance of their new flagship in a promotional video which you can see at the end.
The new BMW M8 Competition is here take on the likes of the Mercedes AMG S63 coupé, Aston Martin DB11, and the Bentley Continental GT. How do the specs of the new fastest and the most powerful BMW stack up against the competition? Let’s find out.
Exterior
I know that beauty is subjective and that it’s entirely possible for two people to have completely opposite opinions. That being said, I think that the new M8 Competition is the best looking new BMW. The front end is just the right amount of aggressive. You get sleek BMW Laser-powered headlights that have a range of 600 meters. The kidney grille, thankfully, isn’t abysmal like the one in the new 7-series and actually looks good.
The front bumper is what differentiates the Competition variant from the regular M8 and the M850i. It has larger vents with carbon-fiber parts sticking out of it. The carbon front splitter isn’t that low to the ground so you won’t have to worry about scraping it on steep ramps. The hood is surprisingly subtle. It doesn’t have any vents, doesn’t bulge out and has fewer lines on it than we had expected.
Coming to the side, the overall silhouette of the car resembles a luxury grand tourer. This is because of the fact that the 8-series is, at the end of the day, a grand tourer. The top-of-the-line Competition trim just adds the performance into the mix. You also have the choice of either a fixed carbon roof coupé or a cloth roof convertible. The latter of which looks absolutely stunning from the side with the roof down.
Since this is a front-engined car, the hood goes on for a while before inclining into the windshield. In the coupé, you get a fastback style roofline that slowly straightens itself into the trunk. However, in the convertible, you get a slightly flatter rear to accommodate the folding mechanism.
At the rear, you get the same aggressive styling as the front. You can tell that especially by looking at the sleek LED taillights that happen to be the best looking among any new BMW model. Up top, you get a carbon-fiber decklid spoiler for that extra downforce. Between the taillights, you get a rather simple BMW logo with the M8 Competition badge on the right.
Just like the front, the rear bumper also looks like it has been jacked up for the Competition variant. You get sharp, angular lines around the reflectors on both sides. Lastly, you get a carbon-fiber diffuser that houses the huge 100 mm quad tailpipes. These tailpipes play a great role in making the car sound absolutely glorious.
Interior
The interior of the M8 Competition is truly a place to be. The materials are of the finest quality and the fit and finish of is sublime. Everything you touch is either Aluminum, Carbon-fiber, Leather or Alcantara®. Up front, you get a 12″ digital gauge cluster display. It is completely configurable and can also change based on your driving mode.
In the center, you get a 10″ infotainment system with BMW Cockpit. It is one of the best in the business and can be operated via voice and gestures. The gear shifter is still electronic but now has a better shape and ergonomics. The steering wheel, as you’d expect, is leather wrapped and it comes standard on the Competition trim with the M-sport color stitching.
Also standard on the competition trim, are the electronically adjustable leather seats. They provide ample cushioning for a comfortable drive while holding you in place with thick adjustable bolsters when you want to corner at high speeds. They are also heated and cooled for that extra level of luxury you expect at this price point.
Performance
The heart of the M8 Competition is a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter cross-plane V8, same as the one used in the M5 Competition. Except that here, it now produces 617 bhp and 553 lb-ft of torque, making this the most powerful production BMW. All that power is sent to all four wheels via BMW’s xDrive system and an 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission.
The result of this is a 0-60 mph of 3.2 seconds in the coupé and 3.3 seconds in the convertible. The M8 Competition will max out at an unrestricted top speed of 189 mph if you choose to get the optional M Driver’s Package.
In case you’re disappointed about this car not being offered with RWD, I’ve got good news for you. If you turn off the car’s Dynamic Stability Control, the power is then sent to the rear wheels only, making it RWD. However, the best idea would be to put it into Sport Mode. This makes tunes the drivetrain to be a rear-biased AWD, allowing you to have fun without crashing.
The stopping power of the M8 comes courtesy of 395mm steel rotors with 6-piston calipers in the front and 380mm with single piston floating calipers in the rear. The wiser option would be to go for the carbon-ceramics with 400mm front and 380mm rear rotors. This, however, will cost a lot more but is necessary considering the car’s performance figures and the fact that it weighs just under 2 tonnes.
Price & Verdict
The M8 Competition starts at $146,000 for the coupé and $155,500 for the convertible. For a car with this level of performance, it is really a bargain. Its main rival, the Mercedes AMG S63 starts at $167,700. Other rivals like the Aston Martin DB11 and the Bentley Continental GT start at $201,000 and $225,000 respectively. This makes the BMW M8 Competition the best value for money among the competition considering that it offers the best performance for the least amount of money.