The BMW 8 Series perfectly blends comfort and performance in its lineup of grand tourers. It is a luxurious car model that easily outperforms other cars on the road. First unveiled in 1990 with the flagship model coded E31, the 8 Series was produced for about ten years till production stopped in 1999 due to poor sales. The E31 came in a single body style only – that of a two-door coupe. The second generation of the 8 Series was built in three body styles, including a coupe, a four-door Gran Coupe and a convertible model.
Interior
The interior of the 8 Series had a modern look and feel. It featured a high level of craftsmanship complemented by high-quality materials. As expected, it came packed with various high-tech features, including a start-stop system, an infotainment system, and a head-up display. BMW produced the 8 Series under the CLA platform and used carbon core technology that fused carbon fibre into its system.
In the front, there is plenty of legroom and the seats are comfortable. The situation at the back is quite the opposite, with slightly cramped legroom and tight headroom owing to the boot taking up 420 litres of space.
Model Range
Unlike the previous series, the production run of the 8 Series involved only two generations. The production of the first generation ceased in 1999 due to poor sales, and there’s a gap of almost two decades before the second generation resumed production in 2018.
First Generation (E31)
The development of the E31 took place from 1984 to 1986, and it went into production from 1990 to 1999. While it was not the successor of the E24 6 Series, it was meant to surpass its sales and performance. It was the first car to use a V12 engine connected to a 6-speed manual transmission. Some of the engine types include:
- 4.0L V8 petrol engine (210kW, 400Nm)
- 4.4L V8 petrol engine (210kW, 420 Nm)
- 5.0L V12 petrol engine (221kW, 450Nm)
- 5.4L V12 petrol engine (240kW, 490Nm)
- 5.6L V12 petrol engine (280kW, 550Nm)
Second Generation (G14/G15/G16)
BMW introduced the G14 to the public on June 15, 2018, but the car was not sold until November. It features three body styles, including a coupe (G14), a convertible (G15), and a Gran Coupe model (G16). The engines included in the second generation of the BMW 8 series are:
- 3.0L turbocharged I6 petrol engine (250kW, 500Nm)
- 4.4L twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine (390kW, 750Nm)
- 4.4L twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine (441kW, 750Nm)
- 4.4L twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine (460 kW, 750Nm)
- 3.0L turbocharged I6 diesel engine (235kW, 680Nm)