2022 BMW M8 Coupe

The BMW M8 Coupe is back after a year-long absence and is better than ever before. At first glance, this elegant coupe might not look too different from the run-of-the-mill 8 Series, but every M8 now comes standard in Competition spec, which means you get a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 gas fuel engine that produces 617 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, a track-tuned chassis, and an all-wheel-drive system that favors the rear wheels. Despite its size, the 2022 M8 Coupe likes to be thrown into corners and treats its occupants to some seriously lavish levels of luxury. Going up against the big Eight are competitors such as the Porsche 911 and the Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe, meaning the M8 stacks up against both genuine sports cars and refined GTs in a best of all worlds battle royale.

The 8 Series model range is one of the more attractive on the BMW sales brochure, but we can't help but think that the headlining M8 looks a bit too similar to its siblings. Of course, the M8 comes with unique styling features, but as a whole, it doesn't scream M car to us. Standard features for 2022 include Icon Adaptive LED headlights with Laserlight technology, programmable LED DRLs, power-folding, heated side mirrors, extended Shadowline exterior trim with high-gloss black kidney grilles, a black rear apron and mirror caps, and an M8 Competition logo. Other aero parts include an M rear spoiler, carbon roof, and M grilles. Exhaust gasses are released through a quad-exit system. The M8's crowning piece is its 20-inch M Star-spoke bi-color wheels with performance non-run-flat tires.

The BMW is classified as a grand tourer, and its dimensions match the description: this is a big car. With a total length of 191.8 inches, the M8 is over 17 inches longer than the base Audi R8 but falls short of the yacht-like Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe, which measures 198.9 inches. The M8 is 53.6 inches tall and has a width of 75.1 inches. This sizable performance machine rolls on a 111.3-inch wheelbase. With a big engine in the front and a luxurious cabin behind it, the M8 is most certainly a heavyweight and tips the scale at a hefty 4,295 pounds.

BMW didn't go all-out when it styled the 2022 M8 Coupe; this German muscle car looks relatively sedate, but the right color choice can set things straight. BMW offers the M8 Coupe in 12 different colors. There's a ton of no-cost options on offer, starting with the ever-popular Alpine White and followed by metallic options such as Black Sapphire, Brands Hatch Grey, Marina Bay Blue, Donington Grey, Bluestone, Barcelona Blue, and Motegi Red. For an additional $1,950, new buyers can select from Dravit Grey Metallic, Aventurin Red Metallic, or Ametrin Metallic. Frozen Bluestone metallic will set you back $5,000. If we were buying, we'd go for Dravit Grey Metallic.

The M8 Coupe was never meant to be a razor-sharp track tool, but rather a grand tourer on steroids, and BMW has managed to build a car that offers the best of both worlds without showing any significant bias towards either pure athleticism or all-out comfort. However, one thing is for sure, this behemoth hauls. As of 2022, all M8 Coupes come with the coveted Competition label as standard, which means power outputs have increased by a fair margin. The M8 now kicks out 617 horses at 6,000 rpm and a chunky 553 lb-ft of torque from as low as 1,800 rpm. Power is sent to all four wheels via BMW's excellent eight-speed automatic transmission.

Despite the M8 Coupe's hefty curb weight of over 4,000 lbs, it manages to lay down its power with ruthless efficiency and will conquer the 0 to 60 mph sprint in only three seconds, but we suspect that it will be able to dip into the 2-second range under perfect conditions (and perhaps with a bit of ECU tuning). It doesn't matter how much you abuse the more expensive Porsche 911 Carrera GTS - it simply won't be able to outrun this BMW up to 60. Keep your foot in it, and the M8 should reach its top speed of 190 mph in a few blinks of the eye. However, this top speed does require the fitment of performance tires and an increased top speed limiter.

When BMW builds a performance-focused V8 engine, the rest of the car world sits up and pays attention. If anything wins you over on a test drive, it'll be this power plant. The S63 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 gas engine found under the hood of the 2022 M8 Coupe is an evolution of the unit featured in the M850i and is shared with the M5 Sedan. For 2022, the S63 gets the Competition treatment, which means a power increase from 600 hp to 617 hp, with the torque figure remaining the same. Power is channeled to all fours via a sharp ZF eight-speed automatic transmission.

The general experience of this powertrain is one of overwhelming torque and a seemingly endless power surge. Driving in the city, the M8 Coupe is entirely civilized, but step onto the highway, and this coupe will make you choke on your vape pen quicker than you can say, "your network is your net worth." We don't mind the lack of a traditional manual transmission; after all, this is more of a grand tourer, and the ZF automatic is razor-sharp.

The engineers and designers behind BMW's M cars know precisely what they're doing; each M car is designed to deliver a specific driving experience. The M4 loves to be thrown around, as does the M3, but the bigger the vehicle, the more balanced things become. The M5 still loves a naughty fling with a race track, but the M8 Coupe is definitely more of a straight-line highway bomber than a track tool. This is totally understandable when considering its curb weight and classification as a grand tourer. The Competition package does add nifty handling tricks such as increased front camber, lightweight forged aluminum wheels, and stiffened engine mounts, but all of these gadgets can't undo the laws of gravity: Throw the M8 Coupe into a tight corner, and it quickly becomes evident that it carries a ton of weight in the front. However, turn-in is sharp, and quick changes in direction are met with eagerness, despite a rather uncommunicative steering system. When cruising, the M8 shows its actual strong suit. The dynamic dampers do a great job of soaking up road imperfections, and long road trips turn into a total pleasure. The brakes on the 2022 M8 Coupe are large and effective, but the electrically-assisted brake booster can take some getting used to.

The EPA's official gas mileage figures for the 2022 BMW M8 Coupe work out to 15/21/17 mpg on the city/highway/city cycles. The Porsche 911 Turbo, the first 911 model that will out-pace the M8 to 60 mph, returns a nearly identical 15/20/17 mpg. With a 20.1-gallon fuel tank on board, the M8 Coupe should be able to travel up to 340 miles if you behave yourself.

The badge on the rear might scream rowdy, but the interior of the M8 Coupe whispers, "relax." BMW is generally good at crafting attractive interiors, and the build quality of the M8's cabin is world-class, but we can't help but feel that it looks the same as every other BMW out there. Sure, there are obvious hints at the M8's performance heritage, but the overall impression is that BMW has just made it reasonably comfy, reasonably sporty, and quite refined. Mercedes-AMG does a better job of creating a sense of occasion. Still, the space is inviting, and we like the choice of materials and the generous standard tech. A digital gauge cluster, Merino leather upholstery, heated/ventilated front seats, and soft-closing doors are all standard.

While there might be four seats in the 2022 M8 Coupe, the grand tourer should realistically be treated as a two-seater with some added storage behind the front seats. Your average-sized adult will have a seriously hard time getting comfortable in the back, especially since the sloping roofline drastically cuts off headroom, not to mention the fact that there is virtually no legroom. However, those in the front get ample space, and six-footers should find no trouble finding a comfy spot. The M8 Coupe comes standard with heated and ventilated power-adjustable front M sport seats, and visibility out the front is excellent, but that sloping body means that blind-spot assist and the rearview camera will become your new best friends.

As you can expect from any modern M car, the 2022 BMW M8 Coupe is a refined and luxurious machine that exudes quality from top to bottom, and nowhere else is that more evident than inside the cabin. BMW might have kept the styling on the reserved side, but the build quality and material choices are top-notch. The standard Merino leather seats can be upholstered in your choice of Silverstone or Black, or for an additional $3,500, you can go for a more exotic Alcantara cloth and full Merino leather interior in black with Midrand Beige contrast stitching. For the same price, other available full Merino leather upgrades are Silverstone, Sakhir Orange/Black, Midrand Beige, Taruma Brown, or Black. Ivory White and Night Blue, or Ivory White and Tartufo, are also offered but could extend the time you wait for your vehicle.

In terms of trim options, BMW offers Ash Grain Grey-Metallic wood, carbon fiber, Individual Piano Black ($1,080), and Ash Black Silver wood ($1,080). Other nice touches are a Nappa leather finish for the instrument panel and an Anthracite Alcantara headliner.

Considering the cramped rear seats, one might have expected an equally disappointing trunk but this isn't the case at all. This grand tourer has a total trunk capacity of 14.8 cubic feet, which should be enough for two sets of golf bags, and enough underwear and beer to keep you and your buddy happy for a weekend of lousy golf in the next town over. Inside the cabin, you get a shallow center armrest storage bin, a tiny glovebox, reasonable door card storage, and a set of cupholders in the front and back.

A grand car deserves a grand amount of features, and BMW hasn't disappointed in this regard. Every 2022 BMW M8 Coupe comes standard with basics such as a three-spoke power tilt/telescopic M Sport steering wheel, an engine start/stop button, remote engine start, heated and ventilated power front M sport seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and multi-color ambient lighting. On top of that, BMW adds luxuries such as soft-close doors, a 12.3-inch Live Cockpit Professional display, a head-up display, and driver-assistance features such as lane departure warning, frontal collision warning, a rearview camera, and automatic city collision mitigation and braking. A steering assistant and adaptive cruise control are available on a surprisingly short options list.

If the twin-turbo V8 under the hood of the M8 Coupe isn't entertaining enough, you can always look towards the infotainment system. The M8 features a 10.25-inch touchscreen display that works hand-in-hand with BMW's iDrive 7.0 infotainment software. The system can be controlled via steering wheel and center console buttons, a rotary controller, and voice recognition. We found that some of the menus were too far hidden and required us to shift attention away from driving, however. Standard features include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Wi-Fi connectivity, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system that sounds amazing when blasting Two of Hearts by Stacey Q.

The 2022 model has not been subject to recall in the US, but the M8 doesn't have a squeaky clean reliability rating. The 2019 model was recalled once for a rearview camera image malfunction, an issue that extended to 2020 models. Other recalls affecting the 2020 model pertained to a potential loss of braking assistance and ABS, problematic seat belt sensors, a transmission wiring harness that could short circuit, and another issue with the rearview camera.

BMW covers the 2022 M8 Coupe with a four-year/50,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty, a 12-year unlimited mileage rust perforation warranty, and a four-year unlimited mileage roadside assistance program. Complimentary scheduled maintenance is covered for the first three years or 36,000 miles, too.

There are no M8 safety reviews to speak of. Unfortunately, the 2022 BMW M8 has not had the privilege of undergoing an NHTSA review, and the IIHS has also neglected to smash this triple-figure car into a concrete wall. Potential owners need not worry: this is a high-performance BMW manufactured in 2022 and comes fitted with a slew of airbags and driver assistance systems.

With a top speed of 190 mph, you'd best believe that BMW has made sure that the M8 Coupe is as safe as houses. The M8 comes with a torrential downpour of airbags, including front driver and passenger, seat-mounted front side-impact, and curtain airbags. Traction and stability control are naturally present, as is a set of massive brakes with ABS.

Driver assistance features include automatic high beams, active guard with lane departure warning, frontal collision warning, automatic city collision mitigation and braking, a rearview camera, and BMW assist eCall with enhanced automatic collision notification. A fatigue and focus alert feature is useful when spending extended periods on the road. Upgrading to the Driving Assistance Professional Package adds adaptive cruise control, an extended traffic jam assistant, steering assistance, and more.

As soon as BMW slaps an M badge on any of its cars, people expect the moon and the stars, but that's not how life and vehicles work. Yes, the 2022 M8 Coupe is supercar fast and will blow most cars out of the water in a straight line sprint, but it's not as sharp or nimble as a Porsche 911. The M8 is an exciting combination of a sports car and grand tourer and can't claim to be one or the other. Its weight prevents it from being an engaging track toy, but its talents will also be wasted by simply bombing down the highway. The exterior doesn't shout M car and nor does the interior, but little details make it feel unique enough, and the overall feeling is one of absolute class and refinement. The M8 Coupe is comfortable enough to act as a daily driver and would be the perfect long-range tourer if its range was slightly longer. The M8's strongest competition comes from its own stable: the M850i is just as good at cruising, not much slower, and way more affordable.

Slap an M badge on the back of any BMW, and the asking price seems to skyrocket. The 2022 BMW M8 Coupe is, along with the M8 Gran Coupe, one of the most expensive vehicles in BMW's M lineup at an MSRP of $130,000. The price of the BMW M8 excludes tax, registration, a gas guzzler tax of $1,000, and a destination and handling fee of $995. The M850i xDrive starts at only $99,900 in the USA, making it an attractive option for those who won't miss all the M-car's go-faster gadgetry.

There's only one trim on offer for 2022. The BMW M8 Competition Coupe gets a single engine option: a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 producing 617 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. No other configurations are on offer. The exterior gets Icon Adaptive LED headlights with Laserlight technology, soft-close doors, a carbon-fiber roof, and 20-inch M Star-spoke bi-color wheels with performance non-run-flat tires.

Inside the cabin, the M8 gets standard heated and ventilated power bucket seats in front, dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting, a head-up display, a 12.3-inch digital driver display, a 10.25-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. Driver assistance features include forward collision warning, city collision mitigation and emergency braking, and lane departure warning.

The M8 Coupe is already a well-rounded machine, but BMW allows new buyers to take this car to the extreme. Optional packages include the Driving Assistance Professional Package (requires the $100 Driving Assistance Package), which, for $1,700, adds driver-assistance features such as the Active Driving Assistant Pro with camera/radar-based sensors and the extended traffic jam assistant. You can also make your M8 look cooler with the $5,400 M Carbon Exterior Package or improve stopping power with the $8,150 M Carbon Ceramic Brake Package. The $2,500 M Driver's Package raises the top speed and includes a day-long high-speed driving course at a BMW Performance Center.

If the M850i xDrive doesn't grab your attention, and you're willing to fork out an extra $30k on the M8, then we suggest going all out. We'd get one in Dravit Grey metallic with a carbon fiber interior and black leather seats. As far as options go, we'd get the Driving Assistance Professional package, the M Carbon Exterior package, and to wrap it off, we'd invest in the M Driver's Package for $2,500. The total cost? A cool $143,645, including handling fees and the destination charge. All that being said, you could go for the option-free base model and still emerge with one of the best-equipped coupes on the market.

The BMW M5 has traditionally been the big daddy of the M-car family, but it now shares that honor with the likes of the M8 due to the two sharing a powertrain. The M5 and M8 obviously serve two very different purposes. The M5 is an executive performance sedan with ample space for four people and their cargo; by comparison, the M8 is basically a two-seater grand tourer. Both cars produce the same levels of power and performance, and both share similar interiors and standard features. The biggest difference is practicality: the M5 offers more interior and cargo space. In terms of driving dynamics, the M5 is arguably the better driver's car but is equally as comfortable on the open road. At only $103,700, we'd have the M5 in a heartbeat.

These two cars share the same engine, the same base price, and a list of features that is pretty much identical. However, the Gran Coupe's extra pair of doors and greater interior space make it far more comfortable for rear-seat occupants. Surprisingly, though, the Gran Coupe has less trunk space. Besides that, we feel that the Gran Coupe is easily better-looking than the Coupe. Both will get to 60 mph in three seconds dead, and they share features like a Harman Kardon sound system and that 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. However, the M8 Gran Coupe does have a four-zone climate control system as well. With more space and the same phenomenal V8 engine, we'll choose the M8 Gran Coupe.