Used 2019 BMW 8 Series

After a 2-decade absence, the BMW 8 Series is back as the German luxury brand’s flagship 2-door/4-passenger grand touring car. As with its 1990s’ predecessor, the all-new 2019 BMW 8 Series takes the form of a coupe, plus a first-ever convertible variant. Both replace the former BMW 6 Series 2-door models, bringing striking design, opulent amenities, added technology, and a whole lot of power.

The BMW M850i xDrive packs a 523-horsepower twin-turbo V8, standard all-wheel drive, and the ability to sprint from 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds. Starting around $112,000, the new BMW 8 Series has a price tag befitting its pinnacle status. It’s hard to call that a value, but it’s still less than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe.

The new BMW 8 Series has a formidable blend of power and suppleness, with a priority on the former. It’s more potent, faster and more precise than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupe, but not a track toy like an Audi RS 5. Yet for a big, 2-door grand touring coupe that weighs nearly 4,500 pounds, the 8 Series is surprisingly nimble. Thank the sporty chassis, quick-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission, and one beast of an engine. The big Bimmer’s 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 roars, propelling the coupe from 0-60 mph in just 3.6 seconds or 3.8 seconds for the heavier 8 Series convertible. In our testing on a track, the 8 Series backed up those numbers and quickly shot us into the mid-100-mph territory.

Out of the straights and into the corners, the xDrive all-wheel drive and standard 4-wheel-steering system worked well to propel us through turns with ample speed and minimal roll. In one instance where we came in too hot, traction- and stability-control systems intervened even in Sport mode to prevent us from running off the tarmac and into a regrettable viral video. Of course, almost no one will drive an 8 Series in this manner, but the fact that it can be flogged hard and enjoyed in such extreme circumstances is testament that in everyday driving it can also be pushed and enjoyed more than you’d expect.

Both the 850i coupe and convertible feature a 4-passenger interior that is supple and sophisticated. As you might expect, the rear seats are small and lacking in legroom, especially compared with 2-door variants of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The front seats, however, are supple, supportive and can be tailored to a variety of body shapes and sizes thanks to their 20-way adjustability.

The soft Merino leather is available in a several colors, while you have a choice of wood or metal trim for other surfaces. In the center dash is a 10.25-inch infotainment display that relays navigation, audio and other info. That is joined by a fully digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster that can be configured to your liking. In a nod to practicality, the rear seats fold to expand the trunk’s generous 14.8 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

Whereas the first 8 Series was angular, wedge-like and brimming with 1990s’ coolness, this new version has its own muscular, contemporary design. It is defined by smooth curves, sculpted sides and BMW’s trademark twin-kidney grille, here with a progressive horizontal design. The coupe variant features a steeply raked rear roof.

The 8 Series convertible has a fabric roof, but with only two dark colors, its palette is more limited than that of the Mercedes-Benz cabriolet models that offer hues in blue, red, black and brown or beige, depending on model. As with the former 6 Series convertible, the 8 Series convertible is at its best with the top down. Both 8 Series models roll on big 20-inch wheels with run-flat performance tires.

POWERFUL PRESENCE
BMW’s new 8 Series had big shoes to fill, and it’s up to the task, literally. It has a hulking, strong yet elegant profile, especially in coupe form, and an engine and performance numbers to back up that powerful image.

STANDARD ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
With the ability to send power to all four wheels, the rear-biased xDrive system of the BMW 850i is able to put the V8’s strength to the ground, literally. In addition to the enhanced performance you get with all-wheel drive, the extra grip is a plus when driving on slick roads and in foul weather.

In addition to its powerful engine and inherent prestige factor, the 8 Series’ 6-figure price buys you heated, 20-way-adjustable front seats, leather interior, dual-zone climate control, power-assisted soft-close doors, universal garage remote, power-operated trunk, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

On the tech front, the 850i xDrive models include a 10.25-inch infotainment display that is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible, the latest iDrive 7.0 system, Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless phone charger, and a 16-speaker/600-watt Harman Kardon audio system. Standard safety features include lane-departure warning, frontal-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, and active blind-spot detection.

We recommend adding the Driving Assistance Professional Package ($1,700) that bundles semi-autonomous driving features like adaptive cruise control and an evasion aid. The Comfort Seating Package ($900) adds ventilation to the front seats and heat to the front-seat armrests and steering wheel. The 8 Series convertible offers a neck-warming feature similar to Mercedes’ Airscarf system that blows warm air from near the top of the seats.

Other options include high-performance tires and engine cooler, and the BMW Individual Composition Package that lets you select your own interior and exterior upholsteries, paint color and more. Individual options include glass interior controls, a carbon-fiber roof for the coupe, night-vision system, and a terrific-sounding Bowers & Wilkins audio system.

The 850i xDrive luxury coupe and luxury convertible use BMW’s 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that puts up some big numbers: 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. Those figures are enough to propel the new 8 Series from 0-60 mph in well under four seconds and on to a governed top speed of 155 mph.

If that’s not enough for you, we see an even more powerful BMW M8 variant in the not-too-distant future. The 850i coupe and convertible are all-wheel drive, and each uses an 8-speed automatic transmission. Ride characteristics can be tailored from Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes via the Driving Dynamics Control. In an effort to save drops of its required premium unleaded fuel, the 8 Series uses an engine start/stop system that cuts power at idle. If you’re not a fan of restarts, the system can be disabled with the press of a button.

4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8
523 horsepower @ 5,500-6,000 rpm
553 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-4,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/25 mpg (coupe), 17/26 mpg (convertible)