A BMW M8 prototype has been teased with the vehicle set to be publicly revealed as a support vehicle at the Nürburgring 24-hour race…
BMW REVEALED its 8-Series concept earlier this week and has, overnight, teased a full-blooded M8 variant. BMW has admitted it will roll-out a race car version of the M8 with development already underway on the M8 GTE for BMW’s return to Le Mans and that it will get its race debut at the Daytona 24 Hours in late January 2018.
In a short statement, BMW said: “[it features] Classical M features like larger air intakes, modified brakes and a sports exhaust with four tailpipes hint at the significantly boosted power and dynamic potential of the car and whet the appetite for a driving experience of intense emotional richness”.
“The conception and development of the standard BMW 8 Series and the M model run in parallel,” explains Frank van Meel, President BMW M Division.
“The future BMW M8 will build on the genes of the 8 Series and augment its DNA with added track ability and generous extra portions of dynamic sharpness, precision and agility. It all flows into a driving experience that bears the familiar BMW M hallmarks and satisfies our customers’ most exacting requirements.”
The 8 Series Concept revealed last week at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este serves as a “taster of a forthcoming model,” BMW said. The new 8 Series Coupe is scheduled for launch in early 2018.
“The number 8 has always represented the pinnacle of sports performance and exclusivity at BMW,” explains Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG Harald Krüger. “The forthcoming BMW 8 Series Coupe will demonstrate that razor-sharp dynamics and modern luxury can go hand-in-hand. This will be the next model in the expansion of our luxury-car offering and will raise the benchmark for coupes in the segment. In the process, we will strengthen our claim to leadership in the luxury class.”
BMW realised there was no point charging $300K for the M6 when they could charge $400K for the M8. Nearly twice the M5 price and about 10% better.