2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

The 2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe isn't the first 8 Series from the Bavarian outfit. It built the flagship for two generations. The first was a coupe from 1990 to 1999 and its claim to fame was that it was the first road car with a V12 mated to a six-speed manual transmission. It also featured side-view mirrors that tilted down when in reverse and pop-up headlights that seemed to last. It was a beast, and ahead of its time, but it can't hold a candle in performance or comfort to the new M8 Gran Coupe.

The new M8 Gran Coupe features a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, all-wheel drive and, an eight-speed automatic, with outputs of 617 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. This is a substantial increase over the basic M850i Gran Coupe, which makes 523 hp.

Like its competition, the Audi RS7 and the Porsche Panamera, the M8 Gran Coupe has loads of space, even for five people; it will fit you and your family and take you to 60 mph in three seconds, or cruise happily on the long road in sublime comfort. It's one of those cars that could be your only car, forever.

BMW hasn't made any changes to the exterior design of the M8 Gran Coupe and that's perfectly fine if you ask us. This is a stylish vehicle from any angle and it is probably the best-looking member of the 8 Series family. The elongated profile with the extra pair of doors balances the 8 Series design well, and those sleek headlights give the M8 plenty of presence as it sneaks up behind you and gradually fills your rearview mirror. Being the M8, this Gran Coupe rides on large 20-inch alloy wheels and the Shadowline trim darkens various trim elements outside like the kidney grilles and mirror caps. Adaptive LED headlights with Laserlight technology are standard, and the LED daytime running lights are programmable. An M carbon roof saves weight, and the rear-end is dominated by another M staple - rounded quad-exit tailpipes. By contrast with the rest of the design, the M rear spoiler is quite subtle.

The BMW M8 Gran Coupe is a sizable beast. It's longer than the already large Audi RS7, and about the same width as its rival from Ingolstadt. The BMW's dimensions include a length of 200.9 inches and a 119.2-inch wheelbase. It has a width of 76.5 inches excluding the exterior mirrors and measures 55.9 inches in height. As for the curb weight, that works out to 4,480 pounds.

11 metallics and one non-metallic color are available for the M8 Gran Coupe, starting with Alpine White. No-cost metallic choices are Black Sapphire, Brands Hatch Grey, Marina Bay Blue, Donington Grey, Bluestone, Barcelona Blue, and Motegi Red. For $1,950, three more colors are unlocked: Dravit Grey, Aventurin Red, and Ametrin. The most expensive option is Frozen Bluestone at $5,000.

You could make a case for several colors, as Alpine White contrasts best with the black trim and carbon roof. Black Sapphire is a menacing look, and Aventurin Red is one of the flashiest colors on offer. It speaks to the M8 Gran Coupe's stunning design that it looks good no matter what shade you select.

This year, the M8 Gran Coupe is only available in Competition guise, and it endows the GC with superb performance relative to its competitors. The 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 produces 617 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, and power is channeled to all four corners. As a result, the BMW will scorch its way from 0 to 60 mph in three seconds dead and reach a limited top speed of 156 mph. With performance tires and an increased top speed limiter, the fun won't stop until you reach 190 mph. On our test drive, it felt every bit as quick as those figures lead you to believe. The Audi RS7 is half a second slower to 60, which is a pretty big difference at this level. The similarly priced Porsche Panamera GTS takes 3.7 seconds to complete the benchmark sprint. Quite simply, the BMW delivers phenomenal power and acceleration from its V8, especially for a vehicle of this size. In the sportiest driving modes and with enough space to exploit its talents, you're left in little doubt that this is a proper M car, even if it lacks the finesse of its smaller, lighter siblings like the M2.

Remember when a bespoke BMW M engine could only be found in a single model? Those days are long gone. The 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged S63 engine in the M8 GC can also be found in the M5, X5 M, and X6 M. Then again, perhaps an engine this good deserves to cast its net wider and beyond just one model. In Competition guise, the V8 generates 617 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. It's paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission with manual and sport modes, along with paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

The M8 GC's powertrain is difficult to fault. The V8 is not only torque-filled low down but powerful at higher revs, holding max torque from 1,800-5,860 rpm. It manages just about any overtaking maneuver, regardless of the speed, gradient, or how many people are on board effortlessly. Yes, the V8 could do with a more visceral soundtrack, but its civilized growl actually suits the luxurious Gran Coupe to a tee.

The eight-speed automatic can be adjusted with the button on the shifter, for faster and sharper swaps, or softer ones. And these can be adjusted independently of drive mode. It's really just a mode button for the transmission. We've said this before, but we don't even miss the thought of a dual-clutch in this car because the eight-speed is slick when it needs to be (taking off and stopping), and angry when it doesn't.

You really have to decide what you want to use this car for. It starts with the rubber band tires with an aspect ratio of 35. That's the percentage of how much of the tire is sidewall and cushiony. That's a low number, so there isn't much cushion. We expect that out of an M car, but this is such a big, family-style M car we thought we'd get a little more waft. And any M8 absolutely requires winter tires if you live in the north. We were slipping all over the road in this German manatee. And it's made worse by the driver assistance systems taking over the wheel, sometimes it felt like it was losing traction, not keeping it.

The M8 Gran Coupe gets a double-wishbone front and five-link rear suspension with special bushings, swivel bearings, and strut tie bars. BMW says that forces moving through the control arms, wishbones, sub-frames, and to the body provide handling and agility without compromising comfort. We concur - it certainly handles well.

And in the Comfort driving mode, it is a little softer. The transmission and throttle relax, the adaptive suspension smooths out more bumps and the steering gets easier. We could still hear the ping of those tires crossing expansion joints on the highway. Sport mode turns everything up, and in fairer weather we would have left it in that setting the whole time, kidneys be damned.

The only other BMW that uses more fuel than the M8 Gran Coupe is the V12-powered M760i. That should tell you all you need to know. Then again, we doubt that the M8's gas mileage figures of 15/21/17 mpg city/highway/combined will put off prospective customers who can shell out $130k on a new car. The 20.1-gallon gas tank will permit a range of about 342 miles between visits to the pumps.

We burned more than a full tank in our week with the car, in a mix of city and highway driving - admittedly, we didn't hold back. We came to 14.5 mpg combined, which is lower than the 17 predicted by the EPA. But this car sounds awesome and moves like a fast defensive back footballer, so we had our foot planted much of the time.

The M8 Gran Coupe's interior lacks the imaginative design of the new iX, and that's a bit disappointing at this price point. When you're spending $130k, you want to get behind the wheel and feel moved by what you're seeing, but you may as well be seated in a well-specced 3 Series or 5 Series. On a positive note, it's a cabin of real substance. Solid switchgear and posh materials are used everywhere, and to be fair, it looks snazzy at night when the effect of the ambient lighting can be fully appreciated. Crucially, the rear seats are actually suitable for adults, as opposed to the cramped rear quarters of the M8 Coupe. Every conceivable convenience feature is standard, from the four-zone climate control system to heated/ventilated front seats, a digital gauge cluster, and soft-close doors.

The cabin of the M8 Gran Coupe feels huge, and it feels even bigger with the moonroof instead of the carbon fiber. The front seat will fit anyone from Fat Albert to Slim Jim with adjustments for bolsters on both the bottom and back. We have to mention the under-knee support too because that's what makes long journeys more relaxing. Visibility is great as long as you raise your seat to the proper height.

All of the brushed metal speakers and accents look great. We'd skip the piano black on the console and we'd like knobs for climate instead of buttons, but we'd jump in this car today and take it across the country without a second thought.

The rear seat feels spacious too, even with two car seats installed. The LATCH hooks are under a little panel that folds out, making them easy to access. It's a little harder getting the rear central strap as you have to feed it through the hole in the headrest. Otherwise back passengers get 36.6 inches of legroom and 37.1 inches of headroom, which makes it almost the same size as the Audi RS7. Back seat passengers also get two USB-c ports.

EMerino leather upholstery, an Anthracite Alcantara headliner, carbon fiber trim, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an instrument panel finished in smooth Nappa leather are all standard. It all feels appropriately expensive and classy. Black and Silverstone are the standard leather colors, but for another $3,500, there are several more options. This includes full Merino leather in Silverstone, Sakhir Orange/Black, Midrand Beige, Taruma Brown, and Black. Another nice option is Alcantara cloth and full Merino leather in a combination of Black and Midrand Beige. If you don't mind spending more time on interior upkeep, then the lighter Ivory White/Night Blue or Ivory White/Tartufo are two attractive options.

Ash grain grey-metallic wood can replace the default carbon fiber inlays, or $1,080 will get you either Individual Piano Black or Ash Black Silver wood.

At 11 cubic feet, the Gran Coupe's trunk isn't massive but it'll suffice for the majority of daily needs. A 40/20/40 split-folding rear seatback improves versatility for those rare occasions when you need to carry longer items, and the power trunk lid makes life easier. Depending on how much cargo space you need, the Audi RS7 may be a better choice as it offers a trunk that's over twice the size of the M8's one.

Interior storage space is sufficient. There are dual cupholders front and rear, and all four doors have bins. The center armrest doubles as another storage space, and there is a locking glovebox. Finally, front seatback storage is offered for the benefit of those seated at the back.

You'd need to have exceedingly high standards to be disappointed by the M8 Gran Coupe's array of standard features. Both front seats are power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated. They also have backlit M8 logos, while the driver gets a memory system and a power tilt/telescopic steering wheel. For especially cold days, the front armrests and steering wheel are also heated. Passengers at the back have not been forgotten as there is a four-zone climate control system and power rear window sunshade. Other features include remote start, an advanced memory key, keyless entry, soft-close doors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, multi-color ambient lighting, and a universal garage door opener.

The safety specification includes a rearview camera, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning, although BMW's more advanced radar driver-assist system will cost you extra. You can also specify a surround-view monitor and active blind-spot monitoring.

The M8 gets BMW's Live Cockpit Professional as standard equipment with the latest generation of iDrive. That includes the 12.3-inch digital cluster behind the steering wheel, which can be customized, as well as the 10.25-inch infotainment screen. Upgrades include new haptic controls, new visualizations, and a new touch interface. Like the Alpina B8 we drove a few weeks ago, we'll tell you to turn off the gesture control immediately.

You can still control the infotainment in a multitude of ways, but you won't accidentally skip a song or podcast or mute the radio right when the chorus is coming when moving your arms. We turned the voice control off too, but we're not as adamant about that one. We love the wireless Apple CarPlay, and everything else seemed to work perfectly through the rotary iDrive controller. Audio is channeled through a 16-speaker Harman Kardon surround sound system.

No recalls had been issued for the 2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe at the time of writing, but there were two for the 2021 model. These recalls were for a malfunctioning rearview camera with missing or reduced images, and a potential loss of braking assistance and ABS. The 2020 model had five recalls, including the two aforementioned ones, so it appears that reliability has improved over time.

BMW's inclusive limited warranty runs for four years or 50,000 miles, and four years of roadside assistance comes standard too. Complimentary scheduled maintenance runs for 36,000 miles or three years for customers in the USA.

Luxury vehicles at the M8 Gran Coupe's price point are rarely crash-tested, and that's the case here too. There is no safety review for the BMW M8 Gran Coupe from either authority in the . However, we have no reason to doubt that the M8 would attain a high rating if it were to be crash-tested.

Six airbags will protect occupants in the unfortunate event of a crash, including head airbags for all outboard occupants. Dynamic stability control, tire pressure monitoring, and brake fade compensation are all part of the package too.

Driver-assistance features include the prerequisite rearview camera, dynamic cruise control, as well as BMW's Active Guard, which includes lane departure warning, forward collision warning, post-crash braking, adaptive LED headlights with Laserlight, and automatic high beams. The Active Protection System can detect and prepare for an imminent crash, and includes a fatigue/focus alert function.

Customers can upgrade to the Driving Assistant Professional package which adds radar-based driver-assistance features. This includes a lane change assistant, an evasion aid, and an extended traffic jam assistant with partially automated steering. Oddly, BMW charges just $100 for the basic Driving Assistance package that adds a surround-view camera, active blind-spot detection, park distance control, a drive recorder, and parking assistance. At that price, it's a no-brainer.

This M8 Gran Coupe, like Audi RS7 and even the Porsche Panamera Turbo S, could easily be your only car. While it doesn't have loads of cargo space, it's enough to go on vacation with your significant other, it would be aces on road trips as long as you stay in Comfort mode, and if the need strikes, you can hit the track. Our tester had carbon ceramic brakes, which you'd need for any serious track work, as this car weighs in at almost 4,500 pounds and you'll definitely be pushing it to go faster.

However, when you switch to maximum attack mode - Sport Plus mode - it doesn't feel like "The Big M8" we hear so much about. This car is easy to handle in a parking lot, as it is at full speed on the freeway. It will shoot through surprisingly small gaps and take on anything off the line south of a full-on supercar. If you have the means, we highly recommend it.

The price of the BMW M8 Gran Coupe begins at an MSRP of $130,000 before options, making it one of the most expensive new BMWs on sale in the USA. This excludes destination and handling fees of $995. With every available extra, the bill will increase to over $162,000.

This year, the M8 Gran Coupe is only available in Competition guise. That means it gets the 617-hp version of the 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8. This is complemented by an eight-speed automatic gearbox and the xDrive all-wheel-drive system. An adaptive M suspension and an active M differential are standard too.

Outside, the BMW gets a carbon roof, 20-inch wheels, adaptive LED headlights with Laserlight, an M rear spoiler, and quad-exit tailpipes. The cabin is luxurious and trimmed in Merino leather as standard. Both front seats are heated, power-adjustable, and ventilated. Ahead of the driver is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen interface running iDrive 7 software. A 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system plays your favorite tunes, and whether you have an Apple or Android smartphone, it can be linked to the infotainment system.

An optional M Driver's package will raise the top speed to 190 mph.

Since the M8 is fully loaded from the start, there aren't too many packages available. The major one is the $1,700 Driving Assistance Professional package. This adds radar-based systems and enables features like a traffic jam assistant, an evasion aid, a lane keeping assistant, and partially automated steering. The Driving Assistance package costs only $100 yet adds many features like active blind-spot monitoring, a surround-view camera, and park distance control - it's not clear why this package isn't simply included by default. For $850, the Comfort Seat package adds heated rear seats and rear side window shades.

A new option this year are figure-hugging M carbon bucket seats in front for $3,800. These are also available on the latest M3, but they seem a bit out of place in the more luxurious M8 Gran Coupe. M carbon ceramic brakes will set you back $8,150 and the M Driver's package is $2,500. The latter includes a one-day advanced driving course at BMW and raises the top speed.

If we were choosing our dream M8 Competition Gran Coupe, first we'd give ourselves a high five for making so much money, then we'd get to checking boxes. It starts at $130,000, and to that we'd add a cheap paint color like Motegi Red Metallic. This beast looks equally gorgeous in the no-cost options. There are a couple of cool 20-inch wheel options that don't add anything to your total. We would splurge on upholstery options by adding the Sakhir Orange interior for $3,500. We'd stick with the Ash Grain Grey-Metallic Wood trim, too.

On the options list, we'd tick the boxes for the Comfort Seating Package for $850. We're in two minds about the Driver Assistance packages; on the one hand, we like the added safety, but on the other hand, it was jumping in too often on the slushy roads and became annoying. Luckily it can be turned off, so we'll add both for $1,800. We wouldn't be too bothered with the expensive carbon ceramic brakes, unless the plan was to track the GC. All in all that puts us out $136,150, not including the $995 in destination fees.

Both the M8 Gran Coupe and RS7 are interesting alternatives to more conventional sedans. They each have arresting styling, spacious cabins, and powerful turbocharged V8 engines. The 591-hp Audi will hit 60 mph in an impressive 3.5 seconds, while the 617-hp BMW shaves half a second off that time. The Audi's interior packs more of a visual punch and it also has a much bigger trunk, but its reliance on touchscreen controls makes it less user-friendly than the BMW's cabin. Both cars are fabulous to drive and have grip reserves that will not be challenged on most public roads. We'd say that the Audi is a little more comfortable and the BMW a little more exciting at the limit, but it's a close call. At $118,500, the Audi is cheaper than the $130,000 BMW, but the M8 makes up for that with its more powerful V8. Audi fans are unlikely to be swayed by the BMW and vice versa, but if you aren't loyal to either brand, you can't go wrong with either model in this comparison.

The M5 is a more conservative package but still packs a mighty V8 punch, as we've explained in our reviews of the M5 sedan. It also offers more configurations, including a Competition model and a hyper-focused CS. Its boxier lines conceal a more practical interior for five occupants and a larger trunk, but the M8 Gran Coupe is undeniably sexier. The base M5 makes 600 hp but is nearly as quick, taking 3.2 seconds to reach 60 relative to the M8's three seconds. Notably, the base M5 is almost $30,000 cheaper - that money could go towards one of the many options. Both are similar to drive, being comfortable on the highway and athletic in the corners, but we would have liked more feedback through the steering. If you prefer flying under the radar, the M5 is the obvious choice. But these are performance cars designed to excite, and for that reason, we find it hard to resist the appeal of the seductive M8 Gran Coupe.