A line of grand tourer coupes and convertibles made by BMW is known as the 8 Series.
The E31 model number was used for the introduction of the 8 Series, which was exclusively offered as a two-door coupe. Several naturally aspirated V8 and V12 gasoline engines are used to power it. Although it was launched into production at the same time as the E24 6 Series, the E31 is not regarded as a straight replacement. Due to low sales, the E31 was discontinued in 1999.
Later, the second generation, G15 8 Series, which debuted in 2018, relaunched the model lineup. As the replacement for the F06/F12/F13 6 Series series, it debuted in coupe (G15), convertible (G14), and four-door Gran Coupe (G16) body styles. The G15 8 Series debuts an inline-six-diesel engine; later, the portfolio was expanded to include the high-performance BMW M8 trim and the luxury-inspired Alpina B8.
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8 Series BMW (G15)
The BMW G14 (convertible version), BMW G15 (two-door coupe version), and BMW G16 (four-door “Gran Coupe” sedan version) are the three models that make up the second generation of the BMW 8 Series. The G15 generation, also known as the G14/G15/G16 generation, has been in production since 2018.
It represents the BMW 8 Series nameplate’s comeback after almost two decades and is the range’s successor to the BMW 6 Series.
Engine options for the G15 include turbocharged six-cylinder gasoline, six-cylinder diesel, and V8 gasoline engines. All variants came standard with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission, but later, a two-wheel-drive variant of the base 840i was offered.
The twin-turbocharged BMW S63 V8 petrol engine powers the M8 vehicles (marked F91/F92/F93), which were revealed in 2019.
Overview
The 2023 BMW 8-series portfolio, which consists of attractively designed coupe and convertible versions, blends big proportions with opulent interiors. Both of the two-door body variants are excellent boulevard cruisers, while not being as striking physically or practically as the four-door 8-series Gran Coupe version (reviewed separately). The 8 coupe and convertible have the giddy-up to match their elegance thanks to a pair of smooth engine options, especially the powerful 523-hp twin-turbo V-8. The M8 variants, which were individually reviewed, are ideal if extreme performance is a priority. The interior of the 2023 8-series is stunning and incredibly quiet, with the exception of poor outside visibility and a cramped back seat. Although the Lexus LC will garner more attention, the Bimmers provide a more enjoyable ride and handling balance, as well as an indisputably upmarket experience.
SERPRESULT
Retail price for the 2023 BMW 8 Series is $85,000, placing it squarely in the middle of the pack among premium sports vehicles.
The 8 Series may evoke memories of the past, but it’s actually one of the best contemporary grand touring vehicles available today.
Is the 8 Series being phased out by BMW?
Frank Weber, the chief technical officer at BMW, was extensively interviewed by Australia’s Which Car magazine. Nearly every topic of interest to BMW devotees, both new and old, was covered in the article, including the automaker’s design philosophy, halo cars, and how to keep cars modern when technology advances so quickly relative to vehicle generation cycles. However, out of the piece’s almost 1,700 words, about 47 words in one paragraph that have nothing to do with Weber have become the story: According to rumors, the 4 and 8 Series will be combined into a new 6 Series line by BMW product planners in 2026. According to the speculation, the 8 Series Gran Coupe will be the final vehicle from both lineups to survive. But because it will be incorporated into the 7 Series lineup, it won’t be an 8 Series anymore.
If this were to happen, it would be “simply little parts of history repeating,” as Shirley Bassey once sang. The first 6 Series model debuted in 1976 and remained a shark-nosed icon of stunning badassery until 1989. The first stunning but underwhelming 8 Series debuted in 1990 and persisted until persistent underwhelming sales led BMW to discontinue it in 1999. The 6 Series made a comeback in 2004, not quite as crisp as the first, but still able to captivate a very particular and committed audience. BMW would give the 6 a second generation before finally burying it in 2018 save for the lone 6 Series GT, which was essentially a renamed 5 Series GT. The 8 Series was later brought back to life by the Munich carmaker in 2018, but sales were much slower than before. So, if the rumor about a third act for the 6 Series is true, it will only be the most recent installment in a long-running story.
According to BMW Blog, it obtained this information from its own sources. On the other hand, the demise of the 4 Series could be justified as a result of coupe and convertible sales continuing their downward trends. On the one hand, as the BMW Blog notes, there will be significant technological and electrical advancements over the next four years that may change consumer preferences. However, 2026 is only four years away, which means BMW is definitely quite close to making a choice about the 4er.
Weber’s statement that the next New Class (NKL) platform, which will eventually support every BMW, may easily pave the way for “a highly-emotional car” may interest enthusiasts as well. This might be either an i8 rebirth or a production version of the Vision M Next, the unicorn hybrid or electric halo car that whisperers can’t stop talking about.
But don’t be hesitant to visit Which Car and read the entire interview; there’s a ton more there.
Replaces the BMW 6 Series with the BMW 8 Series?
Although it’s too soon to speculate, you can almost certainly count on a large grille on the rumored new 6 Series. An early design sketch for the modern 4 Series may be seen here.
Across borders – One of the many effects of the SUV’s unrelenting rise is a persistent decline in the market share of conventional cars. This is never more evident than in the two-door coupe and cabriolet market.
However, German automakers are streamlining their two-door ranges rather than abandoning this oh-so-beautiful automotive type. The C-Class and E-Class coupe and cabriolet models are reportedly being replaced by a new Mercedes-Benz line called the CLE, and now it seems that BMW has the same idea.
The BMW 6 Series is scheduled to be relaunched as a two-door line-up around 2026, replacing both the 4 Series and 8 Series, according to Australian website WhichCar’s sources in Munich. The source does suggest that the 8 Series Gran Coupe is expected to remain, although as a branch of the upcoming 7 Series family; however, it is unclear whether a 6 Series Gran Coupe with four doors will be produced.
The BMW 6 Series was initially unveiled in 1976 as a flagship coupe, and it was manufactured until the late 1980s. BMW didn’t release a second generation model until 2003, and in 2011 it evolved into a third generation that also gave rise to a four-door Gran Coupe.
The current 8 Series effectively supplanted the previous model series, but the 6 Series moniker is still used on a Gran Turismo vehicle that was influenced by MPVs and took the place of the 5 Series GT. However, the most recent 6 GT has been withdrawn from sale in a number of significant areas, but it is still available in Germany. We find it difficult to believe it will last much longer.
Given the substantial sums of money the business is investing in an electric future, BMW’s present internal combustion models must be rationalized. BMW is one of the few businesses that doesn’t seem to be abandoning ICE cars any time soon, either.
According to a 2020 report by Klaus Froehlich, head of R&D at BMW, the company intends to keep making petrol engines for at least another 30 years.
According to more recent rumors, BMW has invested in a new generation of petrol and diesel engines with six and eight cylinders that are projected to dramatically lower CO2 emissions. But the V12 is already in the waiting area, and BMW plans to build its final 12-cylinder vehicle in the middle of this year.
New generations of classic models like the 3 Series are anticipated to continue the line, but in addition to that, Autocar revealed last year that BMW plans to introduce an all-electric 3 Series in 2025 that will be constructed on a brand-new EV platform.
The ‘Neue Klasse EV’ architecture will give rise to a variety of new-generation goods, including SUVs.
What is the price of the BMW 8 Series?
The base 840i Coupe model of the 2022 BMW 8 Series has a starting MSRP of $85,000. From $94,400, the 840i convertible is available. The xDrive AWD system is a $2,900 option for both models. Starting at $99,900 for the V8-powered M850i xDrive Coupe and $109,400 for the convertible model.
Why did BMW discontinue the i8?
On Thursday, the final i8 to be produced rolled out of the Leipzig BMW facility. Actually, the PHEV’s manufacturing was scheduled to stop in the middle of April. However, because of the factory’s closure due to the coronavirus outbreak, manufacturing was delayed until June.
Since manufacturing on the i8 began six years ago, exactly 20,448 vehicles have been sent from the factory. According to a press release from BMW, the final vehicle was an i8 Roadster in “Portimao Blue” and it was sold to a buyer in Germany.
The i8 was the first plug-in hybrid vehicle in the whole BMW Group when it made its debut in 2014. The hybrid sports car was never successful outside of its specialized market due to its intricate carbon body and six-figure base price. The i8 “embodies the departure into electric mobility like no other car,” according to Hans-Peter Kemser, head of the BMW plant in Leipzig. The model served as the inspiration for the current variety of plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Currently, one shift of production for the Leipzig-based BMW i3 produces 116 units per day. Hans-Peter Kemser, the plant manager, claims that if demand for e-cars in Germany increases, production of the i3 might be expanded to two shifts and thus boosted to 250 units per day.
There won’t be a straight replacement for the i8. In the interim, there have been rumors that the 2019 Vision M Next concept car may be produced in large quantities. The BMW board of directors reportedly decided against the 441 kW sports car, also against the backdrop of the Corona crisis, primarily due to “costs and the volume,” according to media reports. However, the hybrid sports car (this time with a four-cylinder petrol engine instead of the three-cylinder in the i8) did not get beyond the planning stage.