BMW M8 Gran Coupe

BMW has made the Competition pack that previously an optional add-on as standard for the 2022 model year. This pack includes an M Sport exhaust system, more aggressive chassis tuning, a Track drive mode, and few other features. At an additional cost of $8,150, one can opt for the lighter M Carbon performance seats to reduce the weight of the car. BMW packs the M8 Gran Coupe with plenty of features and creature comforts as standard and has an extensively long list of optional features. 

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There are no trims to choose from, but there are plenty of options available. But the prices of these packages are quite high which hikes the overall price of the car considerably and hence needs to be considered accordingly. 

2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe Release Date

BMW has already started the booking for the 2022 M8 sedan with the test drives available at dealerships across the country. The deliveries are expected to begin as early as by the fall of this year. 

The colossal power and torque output from the twin-turbocharged V8 engine was never intended to be a part of a tree-hugging car and its fuel economy figures clearly reflect that. The EPA rated 17 mpg for combined city and highway driving conditions may sound a bit on the lower side, but is on par with the segment standards. The sizable 20-gallon fuel tank does a decent job of returning over 300 miles of driving range on the gas.

The M8, RS7, and the Panamera GTS, all three offer an almost identical fuel efficiency but with the Porsche packing in a much larger gas tank, the driving range of the Panamera is way more than others in this competition. The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 offers a slightly lower fuel consumption and a larger gas tank capacity than the M8 and hence offers a pretty good driving range as well. 

The cabin design of the 2022 BMW M8 is more sophisticated than striking and reminds you of other more affordable BMW sedans. Although the materials and build quality of each and every interior trim is upscale, the design could have been a bit more appealing. The cabin still feels very premium though and comes loaded with plenty of features and technology to make you feel the worth of this car.

The omission of massage function for the M8 seems odd at this price point though but M touches like the gear shift lever, the carbon fiber trim, and heating that extends to the front armrests do feel exquisite. There is plenty of space on offer at the front, but the large transmission tunnel limits legroom for the rear-seat middle passenger. The coupe roofline although limits a bit of headroom but it doesn’t feel cramped as such.

The trunk volume has been increased to 15.5 cu-ft for the M8 but it still falls short against the class-leading trunk space of the Audi RS7 Sportback. The Panamera GTS also has a larger boot while the AMG GT 63 has a shorter cabin with limited legroom and a much smaller trunk capacity. The headroom however is the best in the Mercedes. 

• 14-Way Power Sport Bucket Front Seats
• Heated & Ventilated Front Seats w/Armrests & Steering Wheel Heating
• 40-20-40 Folding Bucket Fold Forward Rear Seat
• Extended Merino Leather Upholstery and Full Alcantara Simulated Suede Headliner
• Power Tilt/Telescoping Steering Column and M Sport Leather Steering Wheel w/Auto Tilt-Away
• Dual Zone Front And Rear Automatic Air Conditioning w/Separate Rear Controls
• 12.3-inch Live Cockpit Pro Digital instrument cluster w/Navigation and Head-Up Display
• Memory Settings for Driver And Passenger Seats, Door Mirrors, and Steering Wheel

How intuitive is the 2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe’s infotainment unit?

The large iDrive infotainment system offers multiple ways of control which include a rotating knob, surprisingly intuitive gesture controls, and voice apart from the touchscreen panel itself. Although voice commands work really well with the “Hey BMW” command, it sometimes tends to get activated should you include the brand’s name in your conversation.

There is plenty of technology on offer and while the Harman/Kardon Surround system sounds just wonderful, one cannot get over the optional 1,400-watt Bowers & Wilkins premium audio setup. 

• 10.25-inch BMW's iDrive infotainment system
• 16-speaker Harman/Kardon Surround Sound System
• Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Compatibility
• Enhanced USB & Bluetooth Streaming Audio
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio w/1 Year All Access subscription
• WiFi Hotspot w/complimentary 3-month or 3GB trial
• BMW Assist eCall and BMW TeleServices
• ConnectedDrive Services w/Connected Package Pro and Tracker System

Unlike many modern-day Bimmers, the 2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe still hasn’t fallen trap for the oversized vertical grilles yet and we are very happy about that. It still looks sleek and aggressive and does not need flashy pastel color schemes to grab eyeballs. Since the Competition pack is now made of standard M rear spoiler, the carbon fiber-reinforced-plastic roof, and the M Sport quad-exit exhaust system all look particularly striking. 

Apart from the BMW's Laserlight technology at the front, the rear too gets adaptive LED brake lights. The trunk is power operated and the M8 also features soft-close doors. Sitting on 20-inch dual-color M alloy wheels, the car looks very sleek and appealing and the extended wheelbase of the car balances out the proportions so well that it might look more appealing in this guise to many as compared to the coupe or the convertible. 

Even with the large engine and sophistication all around the car, BMW has managed to keep the weight under check for the M8 as it is the lightest one here in spite of being one of the larger cars. The Audi RS7 on the other hand weighs about 500 lbs more and also has a much-lowered stance. Mercedes too has set the ride height a bit on the lower side while the Porsche Panamera offers the best ground clearance which is only marginally greater than the M8. 

• Automatic Projector Beam LED w/Laser Supplement Auto-Leveling Directionally Adaptive Auto High-Beam Daytime Running Lights Preference Setting Headlamps
• Cornering Lights and Perimeter/Approach Lights
• LED Brakelights
• Power Open And Close Trunk w/Lip Spoiler
• Rain Detecting Variable Intermittent Wipers w/Heated Jets
• Power Heated Side Mirrors w/Driver Auto Dimming, Power Folding, and Turn Signal Indicator
• Soft-close doors
• 20-inch Bi-color M Star-Spoke Alloy Wheels

Similar to other premium high-performance cars, the BMW M8 Gran Coupe has not been to a safety test at either the NHTSA or the IIHS and will probably never be in the future as well. That being said, safety is never a concern with such precise German engineering at play with the long list of available safety features along with it. One can also opt for Driving Assistance or the Driving Assistance Professional Package at $1,100 and $1,700 respectively, to add more sophistication to the list. A highlight of the available safety features has been mentioned below. 

• DSC Electronic Stability Control (ESC) And Driveline Traction Control
• Frontal Collision Warning w/City Collision Mitigation
• Lane Departure Warning
• Back-Up Camera
• Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Front and Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
• Curtain 1st And 2nd Row Airbags

2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe vs Audi RS7 Sportback

The most affordable German car of the segment, the Audi RS7 Sportback offers great value as compared to the M8. The M8 is only marginally quicker than the RS7 and also has identical fuel efficiency.

The cabin is similarly sized but the RS7 has a much larger trunk on offer. Also, Audi’s virtual cockpit is way more advanced and sophisticated than the iDrive system offered by BMW. Therefore, it would be a wise option to save money and opt for the Audi RS7.

2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe vs Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Coupé

The biggest rival to the BMW M8, the AMG GT 63 is slower off the line and yet costs a fortune more as compared to the Bimmer. The Mercedes-Benz, although has a slightly better fuel economy, the cabin is tight as compared to the M8 and the trunk on offer is also the smallest in the segment.

Although Mercedes’ cabin looks a lot more striking, it is not worth the additional money, and the 2022 M8 should be the preferred option. 

2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe vs Porsche Panamera GTS

Another premium offering from Germany, the Porsche Panamera GTS is priced very similar to the M8 Gran Coupe but lacks the power and hence is slower than the BMW by about half a second.

Fuel economy figures are identical but the larger gas tank in Porsche translates to a longer driving range. The cabin and trunk capacity is also pretty similar but the superior Volkswagen group state-of-the-art technology and the precise Porsche handling is what takes the cake away from the M8. 

Banking on the success of the BMW M6 Gran Coupe, the M8 Gran Coupe sedan is a sophisticated and luxurious way of enjoying the sportscar-like performance. It outshines all its competition in most aspects and yet manages to keep the prices in check. If you are on the lookout for a car that matches your family’s needs at both a racetrack and for a weekend tour, the 2022 BMW M8 might just be the perfect car for you.