It was hard for the second-generation BMW 8 Series to fill the shoes of its predecessor since the E31 blossomed into a veritable legend. The German luxury brand tried to spice up the G14 coupe with a G15 convertible and this G16 sedan, although it’s technically the F93 since it’s an M8. On top of that, all three body styles have received the full-on M treatment, which wasn’t the case with the classic 8er since the original M8 was only a prototype.
As much as BMW attempted to make the 8er live up to the prestige of the first-generation model, it failed to recapture the magic of the E31. That being said, the newer car is still highly desirable all things considered, and this high-end version exhibited at the BMW Welt is living proof. It’s an M8 Gran Coupe with matte paint from the Individual catalog. Frozen Tampa Bay is undoubtedly a daring choice, combined with lots of carbon fiber for the roof, mirrors, and other body parts.
BMW’s design language has significantly changed in recent years, but the 8 Series / M8 retains the less controversial styling. When the Life Cycle Impulse was introduced in early 2022, the changes were so subtle that only hardcore fans could notice the tweaks. The 8er has a sensibly sized pair of kidneys, and the old iDrive combined with a decent amount of buttons, a vivid contrast to newer cars with obnoxious grilles and supersized screens.
The 8 Series is aging gracefully and it will be a sad day when BMW will pull the plug on the whole family. We’re hearing all three body styles are going to be deleted from the lineup in the coming years but the more practical Gran Coupe could return near the end of the decade. Expected to become an electric-only model, the sedan is believed to stick to the CLAR underpinnings instead of switching to Neue Klasse. However, it’s too early to know for sure since the next-gen model is not due until 2029, so a lot could change until then.
[Photos: @chrism2f87]
