It was only yesterday that we reported on images of BMW's new 8 Series Convertible leaking on Belgian site Autotijd. Twenty-four hours later and, yep, that was definitely it. The photos were, in fact, taken directly from the press shots which BMW itself sent us not long after, so we don't even have any different colours to show you; just the same car as before in some slightly different locations - and with no watermark.
But no matter, because judging from the comments on yesterday's story, you lot found this new convertible to be a much better resolved piece of design than the previously-launched coupe. We've driven the hardtop already, in M850i format, and found that while good, it didn't exactly blow us away. Could a little wind in our hair mean the convertible proves as good to drive as it is to look at?
Well, as with the coupe, the soft-top will launch with a choice of either the 530hp petrol V8 found in that M850i, or a 320hp six-cylinder diesel. Those powertrains will see their respective models from 0-62 in 3.9 and 5.2 seconds, making the convertible two to three tenths slower its sibling, though certainly no slouch. It's quick in the roof department, too, the cloth lid opening and closing in just 15 seconds whilst the car is travelling at up to 31mph.
Thanks to what BMW calls the "exceptional body rigidity" of the 8 Series' underpinnings, it claims that only a small number of stiffening measures were necessary when it came to the creation of the open top, keeping any weight increases to a minimum. Exactly how much more it weighs than the coupe remains unclear, however.
Despite a twelve-page release from BMW implying otherwise, aside from that it's very much as you were for the new model. With the exception of an "exclusive Black" for the Merino interior, the wind deflector and seat-integrated neck warmers, the cabin is largely carried over from the coupe unchanged. The 20-inch M light-alloy wheels use the same brakes and tyres, and most of the same options are available. All of which was to be expected, really.
Sales of the 8-Series convertible are set to commence in April 2019, giving the coupe, which launches this month, a slight head start. Prices begin at £83,270, around £8,000 more than the entry-level hard top.
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