Based on other sightings and a look at the race-only M8 GTE, we believe the new BMW 8 Series family will be good-looking cars, especially once they take off their camouflage pajamas. Recently spotted at the Devil's Diner, probably taking a break from sessions on the Nürburgring, were a pair of new 8 Series—a G14 8 Series Convertible and a G15 8 Series Coupe. The only missing sibling was the G16 8 Series Gran Coupe.
There are so many things we can't divine through the sheet metal and camouflage panels, like which powerplants are hiding under the hood, and whether the fabric-looking convertible top is really a soft top or a folding hard top made to look like fabric just to throw us off. On the one hand, it's hard to believe that BMW's flagship sport convertible would be a simple ragtop, but on the other hand, if it were a folding hard top, wouldn't the roofline look more coupe-ish? Well, some of those body panels are still attached with sheet metal screws, so BMW is not quite ready to reveal all the new 8's secrets just yet.
At least with these and previous spy photos of the new 8 Series Convertible, we know that BMW will at least build one. The original E31 8 Series was coupe-only except for one prototype convertible.
We are expecting six-, eight-, and twelve-cylinder versions of the 8 Series. After all, it is destined to be the signature coupe for the company. A plug-in hybrid version with a smaller gasoline is probably a safe bet, but given the status this car will hold, we would hope that smaller means at least six cylinders and three liters. But probably not, given the 7 Series hybrid has a four-banger.
BMW has announced that the 8 Series will be produced at BMW Plant Dingolfing. We can probably expect a market launch later in 2018.—Scott Blazey
[Photos courtesy of autoevolution.]
