On paper, the BMW M8 Competition is one hell of a machine.
Driving the German coupe is a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that churns out 616 hp and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm), making the M8 Competition the most powerful production vehicle to ever wear a BMW badge. Those horsepower and torque figures translate into exceptional performance, as Matt Farah recently discovered.
Coupled to the engine is an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission and the carmaker’s xDrive all-wheel drive system that results in a 0-60 mph (96 km/h) time of just 3 seconds, depending on the conditions. However, it is not simply straight-line performance that the M8 Competition is about.
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As Farah discovered, this is not a supercar, despite what the statistics might say. The M8 Competition sits in an interesting place in the market, somewhat combining the performance characteristics of a supercar with the comfort, luxury and everyday driveability of a Bentley Continental GT.
However, it is not cheap. In the U.S., for example, prices start at $146,000 and that’s before you tick any of the options. And, like many other high-end BMWs, there are a lot of optional extras that most buyers will be willing to pay for, so much so that it’s not hard to spec one out to over $170,000. At that price point, legitimate supercars like the McLaren 570S become a compelling proposition.
So, what does Farah think of the M8 Competition? We won’t ruin it for you and suggest watching the review in full, filmed through the beautiful canyon roads just outside of Los Angeles.