A new BMW 8 Series is coming soon. The sleek 8 Series Concept debuted last May, giving us a brief taste of what the German automaker has planned for its flagship grand tourer. Since then, BMW has rolled out a number of teasers and given a few details on a new M8. The M8 GTE race car makes its debut this weekend in Florida at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Later this year that car will race at Le Mans. Until then, enjoy this new video of a road-going prototype getting a shakedown at a proving grounds in Aprilia, Italy.
Frankly put, the car sounds mean as the car races around the track. The driver is definitely putting the 8 Series through its paces, constantly sliding the rear out and pushing the car to the edge of the high-speed oval. The 250 km speed limit sign on the oval suggests the 8 Series will still have the 155 mph top speed of most other German performance cars (before the inevitable performance package removes that restriction).
Though there are no details on the powertrain, the car here is likely powered by a twin-turbocharged V8. Maybe even the 600 horsepower 4.4-liter V8 from the new M5. An M8 is coming, but don't expect it to be powered by a V12. There's too much weight over the nose for just a small boost in power. We can still cross our fingers for a more relaxed 860i to join the M8. An 8-speed automatic and all-wheel drive are likely bets, too.
The 8 Series is set to debut later this year. It's set to slot in at the top of BMW's lineup. Along with the upcoming Z4, the 8 Series will replace the aging 6 Series Coupe.
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