2020 BMW M8 Brings 600+hp to the Table

I recently had a chance to drive a 2019 BMW 850i convertible, and thought it was a very impressive ride indeed. It offered plenty of creature comforts inside, including a fancy crystal shift knob. But what really impressed me was just how fast and powerful it was for such a substantial car. But for those of you who think that the 850i’s 523-horsepower engine isn’t enough, there’s the M8.

Available in either coupe or convertible form, the M8 ups the power from BMW’s twin-turbo V8 to bestow it with 600 horsepower and 553 lb-ft. of torque from 1800 to 5700 RPM, while the M8 Competition ups that to 617 hp, and the same amount of torque, but all the way up to 5860 RPM. The M8 Coupe can go from 0-to-60 mph in 3.1 seconds, while the Convertible does the same in 3.2. Shave another tenth of a second off both models if you go for the M8 Competition. All of the M8s get an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, a rear-biased all-wheel drive system, and an active differential to improve cornering response.

The M8 gets a performance cooling system which use a combination of electric and water cooling, and a track-optimized oil supply system that uses a suction pump to ensure proper lubrication while accelerating hard or pulling lateral Gs while cornering.

The M8 Competition also gets stiffer engine mounts, and an M Sport exhaust system for really cranking up the soundtrack. That said, the M850i I drove offered a substantial exhaust note in Sport mode, so I can’t imagine how this exhaust sounds.

Both models go into production this July, with the M8 Coupe starting at $133,000, and the M8 Convertible starting at $142,500.  The M8 Competition Coupe has a $142,000 base price, while the M8 Competition Convertible kicks off at $155,500.