If BMW insiders are to be believed, the 8 Series sadly doesn’t have a bright future. While the name is expected to survive for a third generation, it’ll apparently lose the two-door body styles and combustion engines. In other words, the coupe and convertible models available today will be discontinued and only the Gran Coupe will survive strictly as an EV.
The switch is unlikely to happen before the middle of the decade, so there’s still plenty of time to get the stylish grand tourer with only two doors and pick from inline-six or V8 engines. One expensive build is highlighted at the BMW Welt in Munich where an M850i xDrive Convertible is flaunting an Individual matte paint. Finished in Frozen Pure Grey, the posh cabrio has a light blue fabric roof and 20-inch wheels with a two-tone look.
It also happens to have the anniversary emblems introduced last year when BMW celebrated 50 years of M. They’re used at the front and rear as well as for the wheel centers, but the retro-flavored roundel is nowhere to be found on the inside. Speaking of which, this car’s cabin has been lavishly wrapped in full Merino leather in Ivory White with Night Blue.
As usual with models showcased at the BMW Welt, the M850i xDrive Convertible is generously equipped. It gets the Innovation Package bundling laser headlights with the Driving Assistant Professional and Parking Assistant Plus. The Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System has also been added to the build, along with the Open-Air Package bringing heated armrests and neck warmer with air vents built into the headrests.
Being a 2023MY vehicle, the luxurious cabrio wears the discreet facelift introduced a little over a year ago. You can tell by the enlarged 12.3-inch infotainment, although like the outgoing 5 Series, the 8 Series uses the old iDrive 7 rather than switching to the latest multimedia tech. With the Life Cycle Impulse, the M Performance version in all three body styles gained the M-specific mirror design and an updated kidney grille proudly carrying an M logo.
The 8 Series Convertible remains a handsome car but one that has to face some stiff competition coming from the all-new Mercedes SL, which has been developed by AMG as a more driver-focused car with a 2+2 layout.
Source: rsDrive / YouTube
