Big Shakeup at BMW

BMW revealed images of the 8-series concept ahead of

its debut at Italy's Ville d'Este concours on Lake Como.

BMW is making a major change to its lineup with the return of the 8-series coupe. The announcement came after BMW ceased production of the current 6-series coupe for North America, leaving only the convertible and the Gran Coupe for the remainder of 2017.

Surprisingly, we have heard a similar story before. BMW replaced the E24 6-series with the original 8-series in 1989 as it sought to move beyond the E24's market with increased performance and a higher price tag. The 8-series remained in production until 1999, by which time around 30,000 units had been sold globally. BMW fans were left without a large coupe until the E63 6-series appeared in 2003.

Now, the 2018 8-series will surpass the current 6-series with heightened levels of luxury and performance. It will be built using 7-series architecture, allowing it to compete confidently with the Mercedes-Benz S-class coupe, the Lexus LC, and perhaps a couple of models from Bentley and Aston Martin. BMW insiders have divulged that the 8-Series will share the 7-series' partial carbon fiber construction to reduce weight and improve handling.

Connectivity is just as important as driving dynamics nowadays, and the 8-series debuts BMW's next generation iDrive architecture. Information is grouped in distinct clusters which promise to be easy to navigate. In the concept, the iDrive rotary controller is made from Swarovski glass with a smoked quartz finish.

A turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six is expected to power base versions of the car. Above that, we can expect the twin turbo 4.4-liter V8 from the 750i. An eight speed automatic gearbox will be standard, and all wheel drive will be available as an option. A convertible and a four door Gran Coupe will appear later. Rounding out the new 8-series lineup will be a M8 and a M8 GTE to be raced at Le Mans. That car will debut at the 2018 Rolex 24 at Daytona. 

Meanwhile the 6-series badge will persist on the back of the replacement for the 5-series Gran Turismo. A prototype has been spotted testing on the streets of Germany and at the Nurburgring. The 5-series Gran Turismo was a Frankenstein-esque creation based on what market researchers determined people want in their perfect car. Apparently they wanted a car with the roominess of a 7-series, the headroom of a X5, the cargo carrying capacity of a station wagon, and the versatility of a MPV. The 5-series GT rode higher than the regular 5-series, but not as high as a X5 or a X6, and featured sliding rear seats. The trunk could be opened entirely, like a hatchback, or partially, like a sedan. Sales in the United States never took off, and the model's future was left uncertain following the redesign of the core 5-series family.

The new 6-series GT should be more aesthetically pleasing than the old one. Video footage of the car shows that the roofline has a more graceful curve and the rear appears less slab sided. Perhaps it will be like a Porsche Panamera that has been stretched heightwise. It will utilize the long wheelbase 5-series architecture currently only offered in China. The only model that has been confirmed so far for the US market is a 640xi with the turbocharged 3.0-liter six mentioned earlier and standard all wheel drive. It seems reasonable to expect a hybrid powertrain and a more powerful M Performance version to follow. The 640xi will go on sale in the US this September.