RE: BMW 8 Series Concept for Villa d'Este

RE: BMW 8 Series Concept for Villa d'Este

Saturday 27th May 2017

BMW 8 Series Concept for Villa d'Este

The 8 Series is back, and how!



For many the E31 8 Series represents something of a highpoint in BMW design and engineering. It looked fabulous - still does, in fact - and, in the 850 CSi, BMW had a super GT the likes of which it had never offered before. Imagine the choice between one of those and a 928 GTS...


Anyway, enough reminiscing, because the 8 Series is back! After 20 years away, the 21st century 6 Series models and some more recent spy shots, the super luxury coupe will return to the BMW range. It's due next year actually, with this stunning concept the official preview.

Described by BMW as "the essence of a modern-day BMW coupe wrapped up in an enthralling design study", the Concept 8 Series is a two-door, four-seat, rear-wheel drive coupe. The production version will rival cars like the S-Class Coupe, Aston DB11 and Bentley Continental GT.

Now this being a concept, and a super luxurious yet sporty one at that, you'll have to bear with BMW's rather intense descriptions of this car's styling. From our view it looks great, modern and purposeful but with enough traditional cues to mark it out as a BMW. If you need more than that though, the dramatic rear end is said to feature "emotional surfacing", the front a "striking, sporty front-end graphic" and the flanks "draw attention to a new aspect of BMW's expertise in the execution of surfaces." Right. Whatever, from here it looks like a damn sexy reinterpretation of the 8 Series. And in case you're wondering, those wheels are 21s and the paint is 'Barcelona Grey Liquid'.


Inside, while there aren't yet any pictures, BMW is promising "an emotionally rich blend of dynamics and luxury". Sorry. Will stop now. The points of attention are said to be exquisite materials, a closely stacked centre console and a snug and sporty feel. Certainly it will need to be good to compete with cars like S-Class Coupe and DB11.

As part of this release, BMW has confirmed that the production 8 Series will be introduced next year. There is nothing known yet about powertrains, though you would have to assume that BMW's more powerful V8s and V12s will feature prominently. A hybrid seems likely too, and a diesel with the new M550d's quad-turbo engine could make quite a car. More should be known about BMW's "genuine dream car" soon, which sounds like very good news for BMW fans - welcome back 8 Series!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author
Discussion

Fetchez la vache

Original Poster:

5,568 posts

213 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
Looks great....
...from all but one angle.

ducnick

1,765 posts

242 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
The front is minging! Love the rest.


Please don't sell them with 3 litre Diesel engines. There really is no need for those kind of antics, leave that for the lower series.

Anglade

239 posts

119 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
The rear and side profile are very reminiscent of a watered-down Aston DB11.

As a result - BMW's best-looking design for years...

SirSquidalot

4,039 posts

164 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
That rear 3/4 view is pure porn...

MOBB

3,575 posts

126 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
ducnick said:
The front is minging! Love the rest.


Please don't sell them with 3 litre Diesel engines. There really is no need for those kind of antics, leave that for the lower series.
814
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828
835
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There's the range tongue out

great_kahn

83 posts

85 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
Sack the guy who did the grill, woof. Rest of it looks epic

hyphen

26,262 posts

89 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
No pop up lights frown and that grill looks hideous.

C7 JFW

1,205 posts

218 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
Nice to see a break from the mould that almost all other BMW products seem to be made from.

Looks smart, I expect this'll be a 200mph car. A good way to waft down to Waitrose.

p1stonhead

25,489 posts

166 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
Looks a bit like that unreleased Aston DB10.

M8 should be good biggrin

ZesPak

24,421 posts

195 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
Sorry, looks like an i8 that had too much to eat and then got beaten by a load of bullies with ugly sticks.

Not a patch on the 8-series, which is probably one of the, if not the, best looking BMW's of the past 50 years.

Digsy

104 posts

212 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
Yup, front is a bit OTT (the Americans should love it) but the rest looks great.

Is there going to be another 6 series or not? It seems that there will be a huge gap in the range between 4 and 8. Maybe the 6 could get sportier and more like the E24...

TaylotS2K

1,964 posts

206 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
Aston Martin meets Mustang meets Lexus.

jet_noise

5,630 posts

181 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
I love the front - I'm coming to EAT YOU, get out of my way.
Hate the rear 3/4 - rear and sides look like they're from separate cars

It's a good design - is generating discussion,

regards,
Jet

Andy665

3,599 posts

227 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
Nice looking concept but Lexus already have the LC on sale - BMW ,make a concept car, Lexus actually produce a more daring looking car - shows how cautious BMW have become


mackie1

8,153 posts

232 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
Like it. Interestingly the lines (apart from the massive scoops which probably won't be on the production car) are really very similar to the A5 sportback:




culpz

4,881 posts

111 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
Well done BMW, that's one gorgeous looking car.

sidesauce

2,456 posts

217 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
I never liked the old 8-series. Pop-up headlights look sooooo dated and I always found the cab section somewhat ungainly and awkward. The back of the car was also very 'slabby'.

Just when I thought I was going to leave the brand (current steed is a 6-series), they went and did this...

As others have said, I see strong hints of Aston Martin in its general proportions.

Looking at old pictures the 2010 6-series coupe concept I'm very encouraged as the production version of the 6 didn't stray too far from it.

If the production version of the 8-series looks like pretty much like this concept (I know, I know, it won't be exactly the same - mirrors, rear end/exhausts etc), then all I have to say to BMW is "Shut up and take my money!"

clonmult

10,529 posts

208 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
culpz said:
Well done BMW, that's one gorgeous looking car.
Apart from the front, which is truly gopping.

And the side view, which looks like an Aston, and the rear 3/4 view, which looks like an A5 ....

And this will come out with a 3 liter diesel. The market practically demands it.

culpz

4,881 posts

111 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
BMW really struggle to design the front-ends of alot of their (newer) cars. Not really sure why. It's not a deal-breaker and it definitely wouldn't put me off but it just doesn't match the rest of the car, which is beautifully proportioned, in my eyes.

jeremyc

23,335 posts

283 months

Friday 26th May 2017
quotequote all
But will they go as far as emulating the manual gearbox available on the original 8 Series? smile