It's been only a few months since BMW revived the 8 Series, and we can finally have a look at the first M8 version ever built. No, BMW did not unveil the car yet, we just stumbled across a few photos of the real deal on Instagram. Here's the upcoming BMW M8 before you're supposed to see it!
Familiar and sporty
Not surprisingly, the M8 is just a tad sportier than the M850i model. Up front, changes include an all-black kidney grille, revised bumper intakes with black inserts, and a wider center vent. Both intakes feature honeycomb grilles, the modern trend on performance vehicles.
The grand tourer carries over mostly unchanged onto the sides. However, we can notice a revised grille on the front fender, reshaped mirror caps, and new multi-spoke wheels finished in black. The coupe appears to have a carbon-fiber roof, which may be a standard feature on the M8.
Rear fascia upgrades are far from surprising as well. BMW added a carbon spoiler on the deck lid and a carbon diffuser below the bumper. Although it retains the shape and size of the 8 Series' unit, it looks more aggressive and incorporates the BMW M traditional quad-exhaust layout with two pipes on each side. BMW also revised the rear bumper intakes and deleted the lower red lights.
Is the Interior Any Different?
There's just one photo to look at, and I can't notice major differences. The M8 doesn't even have a flat-bottom steering wheel, but the unit includes two additional buttons.
What's Under the Hood?
We already know that BMW will drop a version of its twin-turbo, 4.4-liter V-8 under the hood of the M8. The Germans also promised a power rating "north of 600 horsepower" and a fully variable M all-wheel-drive system.
When's it Coming Out?
Well, the 2019 Detroit Auto Show is a safe bet, but BMW may choose to roll out official photos and specs earlier due to this leak. We'll just have to wait and see.
Further reading
Read our speculative review on the 2019 BMW M8.
Read our full review on the 2019 BMW 8 Series.
Read our full review on the 2020 BMW 8 Series Convertible.
Read our full speculative review on the 2019 BMW M8 Convertible.