2020 BMW M8 Competition Caught Undisguised! Gets At Least 617 HP

BMW has been teasing the 2020 M8 for more than a year and the first undisguised pictures of the M8 Competition have surfaced on the GermanCarForum.

Taken in a workshop, the purported pictures reveal the M8 Competition will have an aggressive front bumper that features three large air intakes with honeycomb mesh inserts. The model has also been equipped with a gloss black grille, carbon fiber air ducts and a modest front spoiler.

Moving further back, we can see ventilated front fenders which feature carbon fiber trim and M8 badging. The coupe also sports 20-inch lightweight wheels that are backed up by a high-performance braking system with gold calipers. Other notable styling features include a carbon fiber double bubble roof and aerodynamic mirrors which appear to have a gloss black finish.

Continuing to the rear, the M8 Competition has a slightly revised bumper and a small carbon fiber spoiler. The biggest change from the M850i is a unique carbon fiber diffuser and a four-tailpipe sports exhaust system with round tips.

Interior changes appear limited as the photos suggest the model will have a lightly revised steering wheel with red M buttons. We can also see carbon fiber trim, an M8-branded shifter and two-tone seats with M8 badging on the front headrests.

While it’s unusual that the M8 Competition would surface before the standard M8, the car is expected to have a powertrain that mimics the M5 Competition. That particular model has a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 that produces 617 hp (460 kW / 625 PS) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque. It is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission and a rear-biased all-wheel drive system which enables the sedan to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.3 seconds before hitting a top speed of up to 189 mph (304 km/h).

Of course, the M8 Competition could be even more powerful than the M5 Competition as BMW M boss Frank van Meel has previously suggested the M8 will be more powerful than the M5. As he explained last year, “[The M8] will sit at the very top of our model range and, for now, we have no confirmed plans for any series production model above it, so we understand it must have a specification suiting its position in our hierarchy.”