German for “Pony Car”
Part M5, part Ford Mustang, the M8 is all special.
Anyone looking for an M badge on a V-8-powered all-wheel-drive
8-series must feel a little spoiled. Not only has the existing M850i
been bettered by a range-topping M8 (including the option of a
pricier Competition pack), but with coupe, convertible, and four-door
Gran Coupe variants available, there are now nine choices.
The M8 leans on the same powertrain we experienced in the M5.
The regular car brings 600 horsepower; the Competition boosts that
to 617 and uses stiffer engine mounts, a front suspension featuring
more camber, and ball-jointed
toe-control links in the rear. Those
three chassis modifications prom-
ise improved turn-in and handling
over non-Comp models. Plus, the
hotted-up M8 gets that all-import-
ant Competition badge, so your
buddies will know you spent the
extra $13,000.
Not that the Competition lacks
refinement. It brings impressive
ride compliance and a chassis that
deals more in grip than slip. Trac-
tion is ample, and there’s little
sense of the all-wheel-drive sys-
tem’s claimed rearward torque
bias except under hard use or
deliberate provocation. The M8’s
steering also delivers far more natural feedback than the M850i’s.
The new electrohydraulic brake booster, though, felt slightly discon-
nected in humdrum traffic.
The regular M8 is about $22,000 more than the M850i, but we
struggle to see much of a reason to buy the cheaper car. The pure M
model gives away almost nothing in everyday usability and feels at
least 20 grand more special.2020 BMW M8 ~ BY MIKE DUFFthe numbers
Vehicle Type: front-motor, front-wheel-drive,
5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
Base/As Tested ............... $37,49 5 /$44, 130
Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC
Power: 200 hp @ 4750 rpm
Torque: 266 lb-ft @ 0 rpm
Battery: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 66.0 kWh
Transmission: single-speed direct-drive
Dimensions- Wheelbase ................................................ 102.4 in
- L/W/H .................................... 164.0/69.5/62.8 in
- Curb Weight ............................................. 3585 lb
test RESULTS
Rollout, 1 ft ................................................. 0.3 sec
60 mph ........................................................... 6.7 sec
90 mph ......................................................... 13.9 sec
Rolling Start, 5 –6 0 mph ........................ 6.7 sec
1 /4-Mile ................................... 15.2 sec @ 92 mph
Top Speed (gov ltd) ................................. 93 mph
Braking, 7 0 – 0 mph ....................................... 191 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad ................ 0.79 g
EPA Fuel Economy- Comb/City/Hwy .................. 118/127/108 MPGe
- Range .......................................................... 259 mi
the numbers
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/
all-wheel-drive, 4-passenger,
2-door coupe
Base ................. $ 1 34,99 5 –$ 1 47,99 5
Engines: twin-turbocharged and
intercooled DOHC 32-valve 4.4-liter
V-8, 600 or 617 hp, 553 lb-ft
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Dimensions- Wheelbase ............................ 111.3 in
- L/W/H ................. 191.8/75.1/53.6 in
- Curb Weight ....................... 4400 lb
Performance - 6 0 mph .......................... 2.8–2.9 sec
- 100 mph ......................... 7.4–7.5 sec
- 1 /4-Mile ...................... 10.8–11.0 sec
- Top Speed .................. 155–190 mph
EPA Fuel Economy - Comb/City/Hwy ..... 17/15/21 mpg
little like driving through a train set. It’s the
complete opposite of Death Valley, a sort of
desert upside-down world. Cooler tempera-
tures bring relief from the searing heat and
we relax for a moment. The Bolt has made
the 134-mile trek to the turnaround point
with 75 miles left on the range display.
Obviously, 75 is less than 134. But the
way back is mostly downhill, and our anx-
VRafSNQRNR[R_Tf½\dV[a\aURONaaR_f Thirty-nine miles are added to the range as we come down from Whitney Portal. The return trip over Towne Pass will either make or break this exercise (and our mental state). We start with a feel-good 101 miles remaining, but then the number ORTV[a\Q_]V[PYbZ]\S¼cR=R_UN]
it’s the heat or the range anxiety or that I’ve
ab_[RQ \ß aUR _NQV\ a\ P[R_cR ]_RPV\b
electrons, but I’ve begun talking to myself
in the third person. Dave isn’t scared. Dave
can make it back. Dave can do this. You know,
Dave is pretty sweet on you. You’re just
Dave’s type. When the going gets weird, the
weird turn professional.
We make it over the hump and the num-
bers make sense again. The fall from Towne
Pass invigorates the indicated range by 39
miles. No problem.
The drop into Death Valley happens
as the sun sets. A Martian glow covers the
land. We’ve made it. All 268 miles on a single
charge. We’ve exceeded the EPA - est i mated
range by nine miles and the Little Bolt That
Could still shows 33 miles left on the display.
But we can’t stop here. This is bat country.
79