BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe - ABC Leasing

Car & Driving
The independent BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe video review
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    GRAN DESIGNS(some text hidden)

    By Jonathan Crouch


    Ten Second Review word count: 65

    BMW may not have invented the idea of a premium four-door executive coupe but it could certainly be argued that they perfected it with this car, the 8 Series Gran Coupe, here subtly updated. Elegant, beautifully finished and impressively efficient, it's a desirable choice if you need something dynamically luxurious with four seats but have out-grown a full-sized Executive saloon and don't want anything limo-like.


    Background word count: 186

    So you want a luxury saloon. The thing is though, you don't want a boring one. One day perhaps, the time might be right for you to get something like a BMW 7 Series, a Mercedes S-Class or an Audi A8. For now though, you'd like something just as smart and luxurious but more individual and dynamic. Something, perhaps, like this, BMW's 8 Series Gran Coupe. This Gran Coupe is a lengthened four-door version of BMW's more conventional two-door 8 Series Coupe and was first announced back in 2012 badged as a '6 Series Gran Coupe' to plug an important gap in the Munich maker's luxury line-up. Buyers who'd out-grown the brand's 5 Series Executive saloon and didn't want to go on into something limo-like were being lost to a new breed of more style-conscious Luxury segment models - cars like Mercedes' CLS-Class, Audi's A7 Sportback and Porsche's Panamera. Targeting these people was still the brief for this four-door 8 Series model when it first arrived in 2019, then was subtly updated early in 2022. How effectively has this car's brief been executed? Let's find out.


    Driving Experience word count: 248

    Three 8 Series Gran Coupe engines are now on offer, the range kicking off with the 340hp 840i petrol version, the only one featuring rear wheel drive. The other two 'M' variants both feature xDrive 4WD as standard. There's an M850i derivative, which uses a 530hp version of the 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8 you'll find in the brand's M5 super saloon. An M Sport exhaust delivers a snarly soundtrack, there's 750Nm of torque and 62mph from rest takes just 3.7s. If that's somehow not fast enough, you'll want to talk to your dealer about the even quicker M8 Competition model, which has the same 4.4-litre petrol V8 tuned up to 625hp, in which form it delivers 750Nm of torque. That flagship variant is capable of 62mph from rest in just 3.2s. The old 840d xDrive diesel variant is no longer offered. Across the range, there are the usual 'Driving Experience Control' modes - 'Eco', 'Comfort', 'Sport' and 'Sport+'. For a more focussed and sporty handling, Integral Active Steering is fitted as standard to reduce the turning circle when manoeuvring. This also increases agility at moderate speeds and optimises poise and assurance when changing lanes and cornering at high speeds. It becomes more direct as the speed builds but allows the driver to manoeuvre at low speeds with minimal steering wheel movement. Optional active roll stabilisation further enhances the handling characteristics. Electric swivel motors on the front and rear axles ensure particularly fast and precise compensation of lateral forces.


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    Scoring

    Category: Compact Car

    Performance
    80%
    Handling
    70%
    Comfort
    80%
    Space
    70%
    Styling
    80%
    Build
    80%
    Value
    50%
    Equipment
    70%
    Economy
    60%
    Depreciation
    60%
    Insurance
    50%
    Total
    68%
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