I can unequivocally speak for everyone at PH (I can't) by saying that we were all besotted with BMW's M6 Gran Coupe. Its combination of power, poise and perfect proportions made it, for our money, the most appealing super saloon out there by an Autobahn mile. We weren't quite so enamoured with the German marque's new 8 Series, however, finding it rather underwhelming in all but M850i spec - and even that top of the line model seemed to have much more left to give.
Thankfully, BMW has announced a follow up to the variant we so loved in the form of the 8 Series Gran Coupe. Available in four guises - from the 320hp 840d XDrive, through both rear and all-wheel drive versions of the petrol 840i with 340hp apiece, to the currently range-topping M850i with its 530hp V8 - it promises both "smile-inducing performance" and "significantly increased spaciousness". Jolly good.
To achieve those goals the 8 Series Gran Coupe adds 201mm to the wheel wheelbase, 231mm to its overall length, 30mm to its width and 61mm to its height. Up to the A-pillars it remains identical to the coupe, but from there the steeper windscreen, higher roofline and wider shoulders required to find that extra cabin space are obvious. Inside, BMW says that, "the driving experience in both the front and rear is defined by a flawless symbiosis of dynamism and luxury." So that's all you need to know about that.
BMW describes the car as a 4+1 seater, with the middle rear seat "nestled" between two more substantial ones for use on shorter journeys. Those seats can also be folded down to increase luggage capacity, although the spacious boot should prove sufficient for most; the press release choosing to demonstrate its volume using the new official unit of golf bags, of which it can carry three.
In M850i spec the Gran Coupe will be able to shift all that cargo from 0-62mph in just 3.9 seconds thanks not just to its 553lb ft of torque but also to its weight-saving construction. The doors, roof, bonnet, engine subframe and several other components are all made from aluminium, while a plastic boot lid, magnesium cockpit support and carbon fibre-reinforced plastic centre tunnel also feature. All of which means that the Gran Coupe gains just 70kg over the standard Coupe, a figure which can presumably be reduced with the addition of an optional carbon-fibre roof - or else increased by speccing the full-length panoramic glass alternative.
The 8 Series Gran Coupe is set for its global launch in September, when we hope to find that the relaxed gait of the Coupe feels more at home in a four-door package. And with an M8 already confirmed, we likely won't have too long to wait until the inevitable M8 Gran Coupe arrives as well. Gargantuan grilles aside, it seems there's still plenty to look forward to from BMW in what's left of 2019.
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