These spy shots are our first look at the facelifted BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe – the German brand’s updated rival for the Porsche Panamera and Mercedes CLS will be on sale with a new look next year.
Judging by the spy images, the 8 Series Gran Coupe is set to receive a new front bumper, revised headlamps and a tweaked rear diffuser. New tail lights are also expected, which carry the same U-shaped design signature as the 4 Series.
Inside, revisions should be limited to trim and upholstery finishes compared with the exterior refresh. It will stick with the same 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 10.25-inch infotainment system as the current car, though with an updated version of the iDrive software.
The current car’s engine line-up will also remain intact. At the entry-level, there’ll be a 250kW turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six in the 840i. Above that will be the 235kW 3.0-litre diesel in the 840d and, in the range-topping M850i, there’ll be 390kW 4.4-litre V8.
All three engines will come with an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard, with the most powerful unit featuring four-wheel-drive as standard.
There’s no word yet on whether the 8 Series Gran Coupe will be available with any form of hybrid drive. The addition would certainly make the car a more well-rounded rival for the Porsche Panamera, but the packaging constraints of the sloping coupe body may make it difficult to squeeze in the extra technology.
Either way, BMW’s CLAR architecture (on which the 8 Series is based) is compatible with the firm’s latest plug-in hybrid technology. The 3.0-litre powertrain used in the X5 xDrive45e could be a potential candidate and would give the 8 Series an output of 290kW and 600Nm.
Luke Wilkinson