BMW is in a bit of a tricky spot with the 8 Series. It’s not selling well, at all, so the Bavarians really have one of two options — refresh it to make it more intriguing for customers, or leave it alone and let it die out after this generation. It seems as if BMW is going with a mix of both options, however, as it’s giving the 8 Series a refresh but barely. These new spy photos show off the 8 Series Convertible LCI and it’s hardly been updated, versus the current pre-LCI car. (We don’t own the spy photos but they can be seen here)

In the photos, the 8 Series Convertible LCI sports some camo at the front end but it really doesn’t need it, as the changes or so minimal, if they exist at all, that it looks exactly the same. There’s some camo out back, too but, again, it really doesn’t seem as if it needs any because this doesn’t look any different from the current car.

Inside, there’s one noticeable change, though — a new iDrive screen. BMW just showed off its latest iDrive system and it’s likely the new 8 Series gets it, which is why it has a new, larger, more squared-off screen than before. That’s good, as most customers prioritize technology above all else, but it’s not really enough to get customers into 8 Series’. Especially when the rest of the interior looks the same.

This second-generation BMW 8 Series has to be one of the brand’s biggest disappointments. It’s actually a great GT car but its combination of relatively unexciting exterior styling, ho-hum interior, and high price tag completely removed it from relevance in the segment. After speaking to a few BMW dealers, we were told that customer flat-out don’t want 8 Series models because there are more exciting, more luxurious, and more interesting models from other brands — namely Porsche — for the same money or even less.

It’s hard to see the 8 Series fail as it is, because it’s a car that’s easy to like. It looks good, for the most part, has an interior that might be boring to look at but is lovely to sit in, is one of the best overall GT cars on the road, and is available with frankly absurd levels of performance. It’s just far too expensive for what it is, as it’s not special enough to justify its price tag. Which is what makes its minimal LCI changes even more disappointing.

[Source: Car Scoops]