ALONGSIDE the ongoing development of the standard 8 Series, the engineers at BMW M are also working flat out on the M model. A fully camouflaged, early prototype of the future BMW M8 will be unveiled in a driving presentation as part of the support program for the Nürburgring 24-hour race. Classical M features like larger air intakes, modified brakes and a sports exhaust with four tailpipes hint at the significantly boosted power and dynamic potential of the car and whet the appetite for a driving experience of intense emotional richness.
“The conception and development of the standard BMW 8 Series and the M model run in parallel,” explains Frank van Meel, President BMW M Division. “The future BMW M8 will build on the genes of the 8 Series and augment its DNA with added track ability and generous extra portions of dynamic sharpness, precision and agility. It all flows into a driving experience that bears the familiar BMW M hallmarks and satisfies our customers’ most exacting requirements.”
Development is also underway of a race-spec car – the BMW M8 GTE – to spearhead the return of BMW Motorsport to Le Mans: “The BMW M8 GTE development program for our Le Mans comeback is in full swing,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “Developing a new racing car is always exciting, and in the case of the BMW M8 GTE the anticipation is that much greater still. We can’t reveal any pictures yet, but I can promise you that the BMW M8 GTE will look spectacular. We are planning an initial roll-out for the first half of this year and are looking at giving the car its race debut in the Daytona 24 Hours in late January 2018.”
Compared to the BMW Concept 8 Series, the M8 sports larger air intakes, massive brakes, and an exhaust with four tailpipes instead of two refined and hexagonal ones.
“The future BMW M8 will build on the genes of the 8 Series and augment its DNA with added track ability and generous extra portions of dynamic sharpness, precision and agility,” said Frank van Meel, President BMW M Division. It all flows into a driving experience that bears the familiar BMW M hallmarks and satisfies our customers’ most exacting requirements.”
“We’ve gotten no specs as of yet, so we don’t know what sort of engine or power figures the M8 will have. We feel as if it could go in one of two directions. It could either get the same S63 4.4 liter twin-turbo V8 as the F90 BMW M5 or maybe the same 6.6 liter twin-turbocharged V12 as the BMW M760i. They both make around the same 600 hp, so either way it would be properly quick. The original BMW 850CSi, and prototype M8, had a V12 engine and it seems that as BMW’s flagship it should have its biggest engine.” — SG
