BMW 8-Series (G15)

Model Years Produced: 2019 to Current

Summary

The 8-Series is BMW’s flagship car. A large, comfortable, and commanding grand-tourer, the G15 8-Series may not be quite as jaw-droppingly beautiful as its namesake from the 90s, but it’s still a gorgeous vehicle that rides the line perfectly between eye-catching and stealthy, especially in its more aggressive forms. When fitted with a V8 under the hood, it’s also tremendously fast despite its considerable heft.

The G15 is available in three different body styles: coupe, convertible, and an extended-wheelbase sedan called the Gran Coupé. In a very un-BMW-like fashion, the Gran Coupé and the standard coupe both have the same base price despite the former being larger with a much more usable back seat.

Not listed on this page is the 840i trim level. The 840i is the only one of the lineup not to have a V8, but rather a “B58” inline-six engine. Unfortunately, it’s an older version of the B58 than the one fitted in the G20 3-Series and G22 4-Series which makes 47 fewer horsepower than those cars in a vehicle that weighs two tons. For all intents and purposes, the 840i should be avoided – the G15 is best experienced with a V8.

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M850i xDrive

The M850i is the sweet spot of the G15 8-Series. It’s nearly as fast in a straight line as the M8 Competition, much more comfortable to drive on normal roads, and comes with rear-axle steering standard – something which is not available even as an option on the M8.

The M850i receives BMW’s corporate “N63” 4.4L twin-turbo V8 in its “T3” technical update, plus standard “xDrive” AWD.

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M8 Competition

In typical “M” fashion, the M8 Competition turns everything in the G15 8-Series up to 11. It receives the “S63” version of the N63 V8, pumped up to produce 617 horsepower, and it’s a couple hundred pounds lighter than the M850i. The adaptive suspension is “M”-tuned, which unfortunately makes it rather uncomfortably stiff even in its softest setting, but the M8 is an extremely fast car considering its sheer size.

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Alpina B8

The Alpina B8 is the ultimate version of BMW’s ultimate road car (which by extension makes it the ultimate-ultimate-ultimate driving machine).

Alpina is technically a third-party company whom BMW officially contracts to modify their vehicles, which BMW then sells directly through BMW dealerships with a full BMW warranty.

In the case of the B8, Alpina starts with an M850i and modifies the N63 engine to produce 612hp (just 5hp less than the S63 in the M8 Competition) and 590 lb-ft of torque, which is 37 more than the S63 in the M8. The transmission is beefed up, the brakes are larger, the interior is made more plush with hand-stitched leather, and the exterior receives unique Alpina wheels and an Alpina bodykit. Where the M8 is the “hardcore” performance version, the B8 is the Autobahn missile, specifically made for soaking up huge distances at high speeds over everyday roads in unrivaled comfort.

Unlike the rest of the G15 lineup, the Alpina B8 is only available in Gran Coupé form.

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