Summarize

BMW M8 Competition Coupé

Flat out on track in BMW’s mad coupe

As if the X5M & X6M was not enough fun at yesterday’s X5 M and X6 M Competition launch, perhaps the highlight was the surprise chance to take the all-new M8 Competition Coupé for a quick spin around Zwartkops and we jumped at the opportunity.

I’d had a little tingle in my tummy when I noticed the big luxury two door sports car sitting discreetly to one side when I arrived in the morning - M8 really has some really great looking lines to it. From a distance the styling can be mistaken for recent M6, but a closer closer look quickly reveals that it is indeed M8 and it certainly is something new. It has that 'I want one’ feel about it!

And before I knew it, I was strapped in and ready to drive the Marina Bay Blue car — that’s a stunning matt blue hue, unique to M8, by the way. Driving position and feel is very neat and comfortable and the M8 is another example of the massive leap in infotainment in this segment. 

We set off to the feel of my guts being squished against my spine against that superb seat and a stunning turbo V8 growl — ride, while firm is comfortable and M8 felt beyond planted at all times. Unlike the superbly handling but comparatively lumbering SUVs, M8 is poised, perfect and super sharp on track thanks to a first for a production BMW, cornering is assisted by the trick rear wheel steering.

That provides stable balance in the big heavy car, while that 460kW 750Nm biturbo Twin Power V8 propels M8 with a sense of neck breaking urgency — it has a claimed 0-100 od just 3.3 seconds. Made me wonder how all that kept the design engineers on their toes trying to maintain all the physical issues they faced in developing this well-controlled and safe space.

My experience was all to brief, but enough to convince me that BMW has done a great job - Munich has once gone above and beyond — the M8  Competition Coupé is yet another quite sublime motorcar.