For more than 30 years now, AC Schnitzer has been fine tuning and fettling BMWs. In fact, it now covers a variety of manufacturers, but is still best known for its work on Bayerische Motoren Werke products, stretching back to the original ACS7 E32 7 Series of 1987. It'll come as little surprise that the genesis car looks pretty modest nowadays, but never more so than when compared to the latest Schnitzer creation, the ACS8 Sport, based on the M8 Gran Coupe.
It's bold and perhaps a bit brash, with new forged wheels, carbon exhaust tips, a two-piece rear spoiler and Schnitzer graphics. However, in true AC Schnitzer tradition - this is the company that made a 570hp 2 Series, don't forget - there's a lot more to the ACS8 than meets the eye.
Power and torque are up significantly from standard, AC Schnitzer's performance package bringing 720hp and 627lb ft - up from 625hp and 553lb ft as standard. Appropriately enough, "increased driving pleasure" is promised from the engine upgrade. It is complemented by a sports suspension kit; the standard adaptive dampers are retained, with Nurburgring-tested springs dropping the ride height and promising both "improved driving dynamics" as well as "good driving comfort". Given the M8's fairly unforgiving nature as standard, it would be interesting to know what kind of car has been created here. Might it be best suited to smooth German tarmac?
With various wheel, exterior and interior tweaks also available, there will be no mistaking an AC Schnitzer M8 for anything else. Certainly any fans of the standard Gran Coupe's more reserved look won't find much to like here, but for those after an "exceptional sporting experience" - beyond that already offered by BMW M - then they'll know exactly where to look.
1 / 4
![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 4 3"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1 1"%3E%3C/svg%3E)