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TPortgual's Autódromo do Estoril is still wet from the rain before. Jörg Weidinger, test driver for the M Division, racer, and all round good guy does not seem to have noticed. We're in a prototype of the coming 2020 BMW M8 and it is flyingWechinger wants to demonstrate the fun side of the M xDrive all-wheel drive system, hooked-up and driving hard to others to showcase the excellent traction it affords.
The sheer speed is impressive, but mostly I'm surprised by how much more aggressive and responsive it feels compared to the M5 Competition Package I was in just a few minutes earlier. The M8, which will be launched in the second quarter of 2019, might be a hard car for us to define. It's bigger, heavier, and more capacious than the Porsche 911 or AMG GT, but more overtly sporting than other big four-seat cuts like the S-Class Gold Cup Bentley Continental GT. But for the M Division, the ambition of the M8 is easier to grasp: It wanted to create a proper super sportscar.
Much of what's beneath the bodywork cut is similar to that of the latest M5. It shares the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 and 8-speed automatic gearbox combo, and the aforementioned M xDrive system with 4WD, 4WD Sport, and 2WD modes. M Differential Electronically-Controlled Limited-to-Full Differential It weighs almost as much in the form as the M5 (and will be convertible and four-door Gran Coupe versions to follow) and while BMW is not ready to release final performance figures, officials tell us that the engine produces "over 600 hp. "That comes as no surprise given the M5 Competition Pack is endowed with 616 horses. Chances are it will not be much faster than an M5 or, then.
But it feels different, at least from the passenger seat. "Yes … on paper it looks similar to the M5," begins Weidinger, "But the center of gravity is lower (24mm), it has a shorter wheelbase, the chassis is stiffer, and we've tuned the car to be much more of a sportscar. "This mule has the elements of the M8 Competition Package fitted (it will follow soon after the M8's launch) plus optional carbon-ceramic brakes, but it seems remarkably fast, composed, and adjustable around a slick Estoril. Of course, Weidinger is a hell of a driver and knows the inside out, but you can sense his excitement. We're told that the M8's is now M4 GTS, which is a 7 minute, 28 second lap back in 2015.
The M Division has done a thorough job in transforming the M850i xDrive into M8. It remains a double-wishbone front, five-link axle rear setup but the M8 benefits from a wider front axle and the rear axle is beefed up with bespoke toe links, stiffer rubber mounts, thicker anti-roll bars, and stiffer wishbones all designed to aid precision. In the engine bay there is also a strut tower-to-bulkhead brace, plus the front structure is built with a new shear panel that runs from the bottom to the bottom of the car.
As with the M5, the dampers can be configured in Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus, with gearbox, and steering effort. An Individual mode allows you to mix and match settings. Brakes are six-piston at the front with 15.5-inch discs, a single-caliper setup with 15.0-inch discs. Opt for ceramics and the diameter increases to 15.7 inches for the front axle. The brakes are not up to M5 but feature new hardware and should offer even better resistance to fade.
Final specs and prices for the M8 should emerge soon, but expect to pay more for the M5, so we are guessing around $ 130,000. Big money, but the M Division describes the M8 as a Mercedes AMG GT S and Aston Martin Vantage rival, so it's not shying away from strong competition. Previous M6s or even the 850 CS and they have struggled to find an audience. BMW has stayed true to the concept of a car that can fulfill GT and sportscar roles, but seems to have reached a higher level of comfort. The signs are certainly there that the new M8 might just hit a more compelling solution. Let's hope it can finally stand toe-to-toe with the likes of the Porsche 911 when we get to drive it.
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