Earlier this month at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, BMW M boss Frank van Meel announced that a special-edition 8 Series would debut later this year. As it turns out, we won’t have to wait much longer. The world premiere is scheduled for August at Pebble Beach during Monterey Car Week.
That’s all BMW is willing to share for now about what it describes as a “special, limited-edition car.” Now comes the speculation. Logic suggests it won’t be based on the M8 Coupe. Why? The F92 was discontinued in the U.S. a few months ago.
BMW refers to it as an 8 Series rather than an M8, which might lead some to believe it’s a standard G14, G15, or G16 model. However, the fact that Frank van Meel mentioned the car strongly implies some M-ness baked in. We’ll have to wait and see whether the mayor of M Town was hinting at an M850i. If not, he likely meant the M8 Convertible or M8 Gran Coupe. Both the F91 and F93 are still available in the U.S.
The press release also includes a brief recap of the second-generation 8 Series in North America. It launched in the summer of 2018 as the V8-powered M850i, followed by the entry-level six-cylinder 840i models and the M8 for the 2020 model year. With BMW revisiting the history of the 8er, we can’t help but wonder whether this special edition signals the end of the line.
That may well be the case. We’ve been reporting for years that the 8 Series is expected to bow out in 2026. Some versions could be discontinued before the end of this year. We’ll find out on August 14 whether the limited-run model will serve as the 8er’s swan song.
During Monterey Car Week, BMW will also host the U.S. debut of the G87-generation M2 CS. The local premiere is locked in for the Legends of the Autobahn. It’s a Concours d’Elegance-style event dedicated to German cars and organized by the official BMW, Mercedes, and Audi car clubs in North America.
Beyond these two debuts, BMW is bringing a strong motorsport presence to the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. The legendary M3 GTR (E46) will share the spotlight with the M3 GT ALMS (E92). Additionally, the 320i Turbo IMSA Group 5 (E21) will be on static display. The Art Car series will also be represented by Andy Warhol’s iconic M1 Group 4 and the latest addition, Julie Mehretu’s M Hybrid V8.
