Five Interesting Facts About the 2019 BMW 8 Series

The new BMW 8 Series is out in the open, and the nameplate's revival comes with quite a few impressive features. Not only is it sporting a unique design that's sportier than the competition, but the 8 Series is also equipped with state-of-the-art tech and a number of cool features. We've already covered some of them in our "6 Astonishing Tech Gizmos and Cool Features of the New BMW 8 Series," and now its time to have a look at some of the coupe's most interesting facts. Check them out below.

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Unique Hofmeister Kink

The Hofmeister kink, a counter-swing shape of the rear quarter window, has been one of BMW's trademark features for many decades. It's still being used on almost all BMWs, but it has remained unchanged for the most part. The 8 Series, however, has a new, very tightly-angled version of the Hofmeister kink. And it's been carried over from the concept car. It's a detail that you can easily miss on a brand-new car with plenty of spectacular design cues, but it's there and it may signal that BMW's smallest trademark feature will become more aggressive on all cars.

Double-Bubble Roof

Another detail that's not very visible unless you're looking for it is the central cut-out in the roof that gives the 8 Series a double-bubble design. This feature is also carried over from the concept car, and it's somewhat unusual to find it on a modern car, especially if it's a big grand tourer and not a lightweight sports car. Also available with the CFRP roof, this feature has an aerodynamic purpose, but it's also a nod to classic race cars. The really cool thing about having it is that only exclusive sports cars have one nowadays. The limited-edition Vanquish Zagato is among the very few that have a double-bubble roof. And needless to say, no BMWs from the past had one. Suck on that, Mercedes-Benz!

Glass Applications

All automakers struggle to find new ways to impress customers. With aluminum and carbon-fiber trim becoming a common feature in premium vehicles, some brands are turning to alternative materials. Volvo, for instance, commissioned famed glassworks firm Orrefors to create a crystal gear shifter for the S90. BMW did something similar for the 8 Series by offering glass applications for the gear selector, the iDrive controller, start/stop button, and the volume control for the audio system. Granted, these applications aren't made by a famous company, but the illuminated "8" that can be seen through the glass surface of the gear selector shows that attention to detail was a priority for BMW.

Intelligent networking is a term usually found in the IT industry, but BMW just introduced it to the world of automobiles as an efficiency-enhancing technology. How does it work? Well, the eight-speed Steptronic transmission is basically connected to the navigation system and works according to the planned route. More specifically, navigation data tells the transmission when the car is approaching an intersection, so the gearbox can downshift early and use engine braking to slow down. It also enables it to avoid unnecessary gear shifts between two corners.

The Auto Start Stop function also benefits from this technology, preventing inefficient engine shutdown at junctions. Finally, intelligent networking also boosts efficiency by improving the coasting function. When travelling at speeds between nine and 99 mph, the powertrain is decoupled as soon as the driver lifts off the accelerator, enabling the 8 Series coast along at idling speed and with minimized fuel consumption. This application works in ECO Pro mode and it's a good alternative to cylinder deactivation.

Quicker than Almost all Other M Models

The M850i is quite the performer. While it's not a full-fledged M model, an honor that will go to the upcoming M8, the M850i packs more muscle than any other, non-M, V-8 Bimmer out there. The thoroughly revised twin-turbo, 4.4-liter mill cranks out 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, an output that places it right below the outgoing M6 and the latest-generation M5.

But, while it falls almost 80 horsepower short of the M6 Competition Package, it's significantly quicker than the beefed-up coupe, needing only 3.6 seconds to hit 60 mph from a standing start. For reference, the M6 completes the benchmark in 3.9 seconds, which is similar to the less powerful, but lighter M3 and M4 models. The only M car that's quicker than the M850i is the M5, which takes 3.4 clicks to hit 60 mph from a standing start. For a car that doesn't have the output and upgrades of a full-fledged M car, that's mighty impressive!