Refreshing or Revolting: 2020 BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe
BMW recently revealed the 2020 8 Series Gran Coupe as a replacement to the 6 Series Gran Coupe. With its swoopy roofline, the 2020 BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe ditches the more conventional sedan look and gives you an extra dose of style without sacrificing practicality. Longer than the traditional 8 Series coupe, the 8 Series Gran Coupe also has a higher roofline and more rear seat space.
Compared to the 6 Series Gran Coupe, the 8 Series Gran Coupe’s shape is less rounded. When viewed from the side, the 8 Series might get mistaken for a liftback-style hatch even though it has a conventional trunk, thanks to its sweeping roofline and short deck. The wide grille, thin headlights, and large openings in the lower front fascia give the 8 Series Gran Coupe extra width. In comparison, the 6 Series Gran Coupe looks more subdued with its narrower grille, upright headlights, and narrow lower front fascia openings. Its side profile also looks more conservative with its prominent rear deck and upright yet very bubblelike greenhouse.
The emphasis on width continues at rear of the 2020 BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe thanks to its taillights, which are squared off and slender, contrasting with the 6 Series Gran Coupe’s rounded rear end, which is clearly an evolution of its predecessor’s controversial posterior (the Bangle butt). Inside, the cabin layout of the 8 Series Gran Coupe looks exactly like in its coupe and convertible siblings: minimalist but packed with all kinds of tech. It features a digital gauge cluster and a large touchscreen for the iDrive system, which has been tilted toward the driver. The 6 Series Gran Coupe also has a similar dash orientation, but the center stack is in the driver’s space because of design elements that create a clear separation from the front passenger. Both cars have belts for three in the rear; however, the center console extends all the way to the back, which limits the center position’s usability.
When it arrives this September, the 2020 BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe will come in M850i xDrive guise powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 rated at 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic is the only transmission available. Expect the M8 to also get the Gran Coupe. Regular and Competition flavors should be available for the M8 Gran Coupe powered by the same engine as the M850i xDrive but tuned to 600 hp and 617 hp, respectively. BMW M’s rear-biased all-wheel-drive system, which has a full rear-drive mode, should be standard on the M8 Gran Coupe.
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