Leaked Photos Forced BMW to Showcase the 2019 8 Series Convertible

Following news that the BMW 8 Series Convertible would debut at the Los Angeles Auto show, and a very convenient leak of press images just the other day, BMW has decided to showcase the new 8 Series convertible in all its glory. In a nutshell, BMW did it right. It comes with a long list of standard equipment including adaptive LED headlights and a wind deflector that can even be stowed away when not needed. More importantly, that soft-top is electric and can be opened or closed in just 15 seconds and at speeds of up to 31 mph.

Is the 8 Series Convertible Different From the Coupe?

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At a glance, the 8 Series Convertible looks identical to the coupe, albeit, with a soft-top roof. Its dimensions are just a little different, though. Not by much, but the convertible is actually a bit shorter than the coupe, and its height falls some 7mm lower too – when you’re not enjoying that unlimited headroom, anyway.

2019 BMW 8 Series Convertible

2019 BMW 8 Series Coupe

Length	4843 mm	4851 mm
Width	1902 mm	1902 mm
Height	1339 mm	1346 mm
Wheelbase	2822 mm	2822 mm
Front Track	1619 mm	1627 mm
Rear Track	1642 mm	1642 mm

2019 BMW 8 Series Convertible Soft Top

It’s also designed to set with a slight taut to maintain a coupe-like appearance when closed. This is great and all, but having that retractable soft top does come at a cost – boot space. The Convertible has just 350 liters of usable cargo room, 70 liters less than the 8 Series Coupe.

The top comes finished standard in black because that always looks best, but you can opt for an Anthracite Silver finish if you’re willing to pay for it.

Keeping Warm in the 2019 8 Series Convertible

Obviously, you want to enjoy all that unlimited headroom, but you don’t want to freeze in the process, right? If you don’t want or need it, it can be removed, folded, and stowed away. The front seats, outside of being electronically adjustable, come with neck warmers as well to help keep things toasty. If you want the heated and ventilated seats or the heated steering wheel, you’ll have to mark them off on the options page and pay a little extra.

And, this probably falls into the safety category, but maybe it will make you a little warmer inside. The 8 Series convertible as a new rollover-protection system that includes two aluminum bars inside the front seat headrests. Should a rollover event be detected (by some mystical, electron-eating computer algorithm, of course), the bars will automatically shoot upward to help protect occupants from being crushed.

2019 BMW 8 Series Convertible Drivetrain and Performance

Like the 8 Series Coupe, the full lineup won’t be available when the convertible first rolls into dealer showrooms. Instead, you’ll have to choose between the 840d and the M850i trim levels. The 840 d has a 3.0-liter straight-six that’s good for 320 horsepower and around 516 pound-feet of torque. It’ll move you to 62.1 mph in 5.2 seconds, which isn’t bad when you think about it.That one is good for a 3.9-second sprint to 62.1 mph, and both models top out at an electronically limited 155 mph. Sorry, folks, but no manual transmission is scheduled to be available in the foreseeable future. For now, power is shunted through an eight-speed automatic before being distributed to all four wheels via the xDrive system.

2019 BMW 8 Series Convertible Specs and Pricing

Model	Power Output (hp	Peak Torque (lb-ft)	Acceleration (0-62 mph)	Top Speed	Fuel Consumption (mpg)	CO2 emissions (g/km)	OTR Starting Price
BMW 840d xDrive Convertible	320	516.29	5.2	155	45.6	161	£83,270
BMW M850i xDrive Convertible	530	553.17	3.9	155	28.5	225	£107,045

Final Thoughts

BMW will probably release other trim levels of the 8 Series Convertible, but it might not happen quite as soon as you think, with the lineup probably growing for the 2020 model year and hitting the market in mid-to-late 2019.So, if you really want an M8 convertible, you better start asking for one now.