Patent Drawings Reveal BMW 8-Series Gran Coupe And Convertible

BMW recently took the wraps off the all-new 8-Series Coupe and that caused a handful of artists to conjure up renderings of the upcoming Convertible and Gran Coupe variants.

Unfortunately, their work appears to be in vain as design registrations for the cars have been filed with the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property.

First noticed by Motor1, the images reveal the convertible will look virtually identical to the coupe but it will adopt a retractable soft top and a modified rear end. While the picture only shows the front of the car, previous spy photos have shown the model will echo the 6-Series Convertible and feature a two-piece rear deck which houses a trunk and another section to hold the roof when it is lowered. The third brake light will also be integrated into the car’s rear spoiler.

The picture of the 8-Series Gran Coupe is more interesting as we haven’t even seen prototypes of the model yet. The car was previewed by the M8 Gran Coupe concept and the image suggests the production model will have a modestly revised front fascia with horizontal elements in the air intakes. Of course, the biggest changes occur aft of the A-pillar as the Gran Coupe features an extended wheelbase and two rear doors.

A lot of the sporty styling seems to get lost in translation but the model will have a sloping roofline and a relatively compact greenhouse. However, the overall shape appears to remain pretty faithful to the original concept.

Engines should be shared with the 8-Series Coupe so we can expect a handful of petrol and diesel options. Choices should include a 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder diesel with 315 hp (235 kW / 320 PS) and 580 lb-ft (680 Nm) of torque. There should also be a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 petrol pumping out 523 hp (390 PS / 530 PS) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque.