BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe revealed

The BMW 8 Series range is now complete with the addition of the new Gran Coupé. The new four-door 8 Series model will go on sale in the international market September, after a debut at the Frankfurt motor show.

The Gran Coupé joins the 8 Series Coupé and convertible with a line-up that will comprise six-cylinder and V8 models, including the rapid new 523hp M850i xDrive Gran Coupé. The 8 Series Gran Coupé replaces the discontinued 6 Series Gran Coupé in a growing market segment that will place it against high-end versions of the Audi A7 and Mercedes-Benz CLS, as well as the Porsche Panamera.

In terms of sheer dimensions, the Gran Coupe is larger than its siblings in every aspect as it stands at 5,082mm long, 1,932mm wide and 1,407mm tall, which makes it 239mm longer, 30mm wider and 66mm taller that its coupé sibling. This added length is partly the result of a 201mm-longer wheelbase than that of the 8 Series Coupé and Convertible, at 3,023mm. It allows for two extra frameless doors and rear seat space that’s at par with that of its predecessor.

The engine choices for the 8 Series Gran Coupé mirror those of its siblings. The entry point to the new line-up is the 840i turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder petrol unit, which develops 340hp and 500Nm of torque. It can be had in rear- or four-wheel drive, for which the 0-100kph times are 5.2sec and 4.9sec respectively.

Also available is the diesel 840d, with a 3.0-litre in-line-six making 320hp and 680Nm of torque. The 0-100kph sprint is dispatched in 5.1sec.

Crowning the initial 8 Series Gran Coupé range is the M850i xDrive, which has a 530hp, 4.4-litre turbocharged V8. With a kerb weight of 1,995kg, it is claimed to hit 100kph from rest in 3.9sec.

All engines are mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox, with the 840i and M850i xDrive both featuring an M Sport rear differential. Rear-wheel steering is standard on four-wheel-drive cars and optional on rear-wheel-drive models.

Later this year, BMW’s M division will launch even more powerful M8 and M8 Competition variants of the new four-door, featuring a twin-turbo 4.4-litre petrol V8 with outputs of 600hp for the M8 and 625hp for the M8 Competition.