2023 BMW M8 Overview
The 2023 BMW M8 comes in three different flavors but offers the same great taste. A twin-turbo V8, all-wheel drive, and impeccably regal looks make it the flagship M car with few rivals. While a far cry from the original BMW 8 Series from the 1990s, it offers modern thrills and performance that is hard for any vehicle to match. A familiar and timeless BMW interior and modern infotainment technology round out the M8 Coupe, Convertible, and Gran Coupe as exceptionally adept for everything from daily driving tasks to scorching hot lap sessions.
BMW M8 Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The 2023 BMW M8 offers drivers impressively dynamic performance thanks to a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 under the hood. In addition, all 2023 BMW M8 models come standard with the Competition Package, which means 617 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque on tap with every squeeze of the gas pedal. A ZF eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters comes standard, and you get a limited-slip differential, too.
The 2023 BMW M8 accelerates from zero to 60 mph in as little as 2.5 seconds, but add a little more for convertible and Gran Coupe models. It will run 10s in the quarter mile and cross the line at around 129 mph. The 2023 BMW M8, then, is at least occasionally faster than cars like the Ferrari 488 Pista (2.7 seconds 0-60) and is within striking distance of a McLaren 720S (10.1 seconds in the quarter mile run). In case you didn’t know, those examples cost two to three times more than the 2023 BMW M8, which is already exclusive at $134,100 per. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the optional carbon bucket seats, apparently ripped right out of the M5 CS. They are well worth the $4,500 premium, if only for resale value.
Fuel Economy and MPG
The BMW M8 gets 15 city MPG and 22 highway MPG for a combined 17 MPG. Of course, its smiles-per-gallon ratio is much better. All versions of the 2023 M8 get a 20-gallon tank good for between 350 and 400 miles of range.
Interior and Cargo Space
Funny enough, the two-door 2023 BMW M8 Coupe offers the most trunk space, at 14.8 cubic feet. Lose three feet for the convertible version, and the four-door Gran Coupe drops that figure to 11 cubic feet. Front headroom is a generous 39 inches, and rear-seat space is optimized in the Gran Coupe. In the segment, it’s better than both the Audi RS7 and Cadillac CT5-V in the front and nearly the same in the back seats.
Like in the 2023 BMW 8 Series, adults won’t like the back seats in Coupe and Convertible variants. While children are free to suffer and small adults may be okay, anyone over 5’6″ will likely suffer. You have the information, do with it what you will.
2023 BMW M8 Technology and Connectivity
Unlike the rest of the BMW flagships, like the BMW 7 Series and the 2023 BMW X7, the 2023 BMW M8 is stuck with old, reliable, iDrive 7. While still allowing wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, it lacks some of the more tech-forward panache of iDrive 8 and the curved display. That said, it’s wonderfully efficient and does everything from voice commands to saved driver profiles, and it is still quite a pleasure to use.
Due to the driver-centric ethos behind the 2023 BMW M8, options are sparse. The only techy option is a Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System, which I recommend. M Driver’s Package cars get an increased top-speed limiter.
Safety and Driver Assistance Features
Driver assists abound on the 2023 BMW M8, with Lane Departure Warning, Frontal Collision Warning, and Automatic City Collision Mitigation coming standard. A $100 package adds Parking Assistant Plus, which includes a nifty 360-degree camera and self-parking. The package also adds blind-spot monitoring which is a no-brainer on a $135,000 car.
Driving Assistance Professional is also available for $1,700. You get Extended Traffic Jam Assistant for limited hands-free driving, but I’d probably avoid it. It’s an M car – drive it like one.
BMW M8 Pricing
The 2023 BMW M8 Coupe and Gran Coupe start at $134,100. Open-top convertible versions begin at $143,700. Competitors include the slower and similarly-priced Mercedes-AMG SL-Class, the Audi RS7 that costs less but performs worse in a straight line while handling like a tank on ketamine, and the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. I haven’t driven a Blackwing, but it appears to be a much more driver-focused car, with an available manual transmission and arguably a bit less luxurious features. A Car and Driver test time of 3.6 seconds puts it trailing the M8, no matter how you look at it.
2023 BMW M8 FAQ
According to Car and Driver, the 2023 BMW M8 Competition will achieve 0-60 in 2.5 seconds. The official BMW estimate is three seconds.
The 2023 BMW M8 compares favorably to the Acura NSX and Porsche products. It’s faster and less expensive than the Acura NSX and also boasts a much more impressive soundtrack thanks to the M-tuned V8 under the hood. A 911 Turbo S costs over $70,000 more than the BMW M8 but offers a slightly faster zero to 60 mph time and increased agility thanks to its lower weight and smaller footprint. Personally, I don’t believe it’s 60% more car, but I also don’t have $215,000 to spend – so that’s for you to decide.
The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, the Audi RS7, and the Mercedes-AMG E63. The Audi and Mercedes offer similar performance with a little more insulation in the cabin. The Cadillac does much of what the M8 does better and offers a manual transmission. It’s less expensive, too, but it provides less refinement inside. The M8 is also more accessible, commanding almost zero markups even when new.
The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, the Audi RS7, and the Mercedes-AMG E63. The Audi and Mercedes offer similar performance with a little more insulation in the cabin. The Cadillac does much of what the M8 does better and offers a manual transmission. It’s less expensive, too, but it provides less refinement inside. The M8 is also more accessible, commanding almost zero markups even when new.
