The new BMW M8 Competition is the most expensive and more powerful M car available today but it’s apparently also a quite tricky car to pin down; on the one hand poses as a luxury GT and on the other employs pretty much all the latest tricks BMW M has to offer.
Carfection’s Henry Catchpole had a go at the new BMW M flagship model, in both Coupe and Convertible bodystyles, to find out if the first production M8 in the history of the brand was worth the wait.
Related: BMW Says The M8 Means There’s No Need For Dedicated Supercar
Power is provided by a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine, essentially the same unit found in the M5, producing 616 HP (625 PS) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque. It’s bolted to an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission, as well as the M xDrive all-wheel drive system.
This kind of firepower makes the new BMW M8 Competition a rather breathtaking car off the line, with 0-62 mph (100 km/h) coming in 3.2 seconds and 0-124 mph (200 km/h) completed in 10.6 seconds. Pick the M Driver’s Package from the options and the top speed will be raised to 189 mph (304 km/h), from the standard 155 mph (250 km/h).
As it turns out, the new BMW M8 isn’t the angriest car in the family, adopting instead a softer-edged character that goes with the whole luxury theme here; that doesn’t mean that the latest Bavarian coupe isn’t devastatingly quick across the ground but those looking for a spine-tingling driving experience should be more happy with one of BMW M’s smaller models.