Update 1/30/2019: After spotting the base 8 Series near BMW‘s headquarters in Munich, we’ve photographed the twin-turbocharged V8 M850i xDrive in Scandinavia. As with the regular coupe, the GC version of the M850i is distinguished on the outside by model-specific elements like the beefier bumpers, bigger wheels and darker chrome trim.
The current-generation BMW 8 Series will have more members than ever – and we’re not talking about engine variants only, but about bodystyles too.
Besides the already-unveiled coupe (G14) and convertible (G15) models, the 8 Series will also spawn a Gran Coupe body style (G16). To top it all off, the 8 Series Coupe and 8 Series Gran Coupe will also be available with the range-topping M8 treatment. Now, we’ve already seen spy photos of the four-door coupe but this latest set is the most revealing yet.
Whereas in previous sightings the car was almost completely camouflaged, it has now shed the disguise from the A-pillars all the way to the nose. The spy photos here show both the base and the higher-performance M850i xDrive, with the latter spotted during cold weather testing in Scandinavia.
In fairness, we didn’t expect the 8 Series Gran Coupe would feature a different snout than its two-door siblings and the photos prove we weren’t wrong. The headlights and kidney grille are identical but the bumper does feature a different design with a much longer lower grille.
The rest of the car remains camouflaged but the contours of the bodywork are visible. The muscular rear haunches and the sculpted trunk lid are the most obvious. As for the interior, expect it to offer more passenger space thanks to the added cabin length and hopefully more headroom than the two-door coupe.
Targeting the Porsche Panamera and Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door, among other models, the 2020 BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe will share the same powertrains with the rest of the lineup. Expect it to launch in M850i xDrive and 840d xDrive guises with a 523hp (530PS) 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 and 315hp (320PS) 3.0-liter turbo diesel straight-six, respectively.
Later on, the top-dog M8 will arrive with an uprated twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine making more than 592 hp (600 PS), hooked to an eight-speed automatic transmission and the M xDrive AWD system with a 2WD mode. The BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe will debut sometime next year as a 2020 model.
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