Munich. 24 hours and a great moment: On the eve of
the legendary long-distance race at Le Mans, France, BMW will open a
new chapter in the brand’s fascinating sports car history. On 15 June
2018, the countdown to the 24-hour Le Mans race will provide the
perfect framework for the world premiere of the new BMW 8 Series
Coupe. The new luxury sports car was developed parallel to the BMW M8
GTE with which BMW Motorsport will again take to the Le Mans starting
grid the next day for the first time since 2011.
In the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC)
2018, BMW will be fielding two BMW M8 GTEs. These racing cars already
demonstrated their potential at the season opener in
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, and the US-American IMSA WeatherTech
SportsCar Championship. This will now be followed by the debut of the
production model, the drive and suspension technology of which
benefits tremendously from the experience gained from motor racing.
Profound motor sport expertise is concentrated in particular in the
new BMW M850i xDrive Coupe, which offers outstanding dynamic handling
characteristics thanks to a new V8 engine, intelligent four-wheel
drive, controlled rear axle differential lock, Integral Active
Steering, adaptive M suspension technology Professional featuring
Active Roll Stabilization and 20-inch light alloy wheels boasting
high-performance tyres.
“There isn’t be a better setting for the world premiere of the new
BMW 8 Series Coupe than the 24-hour race at Le Mans,” says Klaus
Fröhlich, board member of the BMW AG, Development. “The race is a pure
demonstration of passion, dynamics and long-distance capability. These
characteristics define our new sports car in a special way.”
The broad spectrum of the driving experience reflects the unique
character of the new BMW 8 Series Coupe within its competitive
environment. Spontaneous power delivery, captivating agility and the
highest degree of precision in extremely dynamic driving situations
underscore the sports car’s race-proven personality. The new BMW 8
Series Coupe is equally as convincing in the role of the sovereign
cruiser that pampers its passengers not only with ride comfort on long
stretches of motorway or on country roads, but also with its modern
luxury ambience and high-class equipment features.
Therefore, the world premiere of the BMW 8 Series Coupe in Le Mans is
also giving an especially emotional go-ahead for the brand’s current
model initiative in the luxury class. The increased presence in this
segment is one of the fields of action defined by the BMW Group in its
NUMBER ONE NEXT strategy. With the market launch of the new BMW 8
Series Coupe, which will begin during the course of 2018, the highest
standards at the top of the model range in terms of dynamics and
driving culture will be fulfilled.