Back in 2019, BMW brought back the iconic 8 Series after nearly 20 years, and a year later they introduced three high-performance M variants, the M8 Coupe, M8 Convertible, and M8 Gran Coupe 4-door. I was fortunate enough to review the 2020 BMW M8 Competition Coupe, and it completely exceeded my expectations, delivering the perfect blend of luxury and supercar.
Sadly, a year later BMW announced that they wouldn’t be producing a 2021 BMW M8 Coupe or M8 Convertible due to the pandemic, with the M8 Gran Coupe soldering on alone for whatever reason. Thankfully, this was just a stop gap measure so that dealers could unload the leftover 2020 models they still sitting on their lots.
Today, BMW unveiled the new 2023 BMW 8 Series, and we were thrilled to see all three of the M8 variants being offered once again: 2023 BMW M8 Competition Coupe, 2023 BMW M8 Competition Convertible, and 2023 BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe. BMW has dropped the standard M8 models, now available exclusively as Competition models with 617HP.
For those needing a refresher, the 2023 M8 Competition is powered by a 4.4-liter V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology, delivering 617 HP and 553 lb-ft of torque. This power is routed to all four wheels via an 8-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic and the M xDrive all-wheel drive system. The M8 Competition accelerates from 0-60 in a ferocious 3.0 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 190 mph (when equipped with the M Driver’s Package).
Aside from design enhancements and an optimized user experience, not much has changed with the M8, and that’s fine by us, as it was pretty much perfect as-is. There are 5 new exterior colors (Skyscraper Grey metallic, Brooklyn Grey metallic, Isle of Man Green metallic, and Tanzanite Blue II metallic and Frozen Pure Grey metallic are BMW Individual colors), and the BMW Icon Adaptive LED Headlights with Laserlight now sport M Shadowline inserts.
The interior of the 2023 BMW M8 Competition models may now be outfitted with optional M Carbon bucket seats to create a track-ready feeling for the driver and passenger. With their lightweight design, visible carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) surfaces, pronounced back, shoulder, and thigh bolsters, and integrated headrests, they combine track functionality with long-distance comfort and premium workmanship. These heated and powered seats feature illuminated “M8” badges on the headrests and a memory function on the driver’s side.
BMW Live Cockpit Professional is standard in every BMW M8 Competition model, consisting of a 12.3-inch instrument panel and Head-up Display in front of the driver, and a central Control Display, which has increased in size from 10.25 to 12.3 inches. The larger on-board monitor allows fast, comfortable, and intuitive operation of numerous vehicle functions via the seventh generation of BMW iDrive, including navigation with BMW Maps, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.
Pricing for the 2023 BMW M8 is considerably less expensive than the outgoing model, with a starting price of $130,000 for the Coupe and Gran Coupe (a savings of $16,000 over the 2020 model), while the M8 Convertible starts at $139,500 (a savings of $13,000). It’s rare that you see prices go down, especially in this market, but we’re not complaining.
US production of the 2023 BMW M8 begins in March 2022.
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