BMW’s greatest ‘coupes’ are those with 4 doorways.
Emme Hall/Roadshow
The new BMW 8 Series is simply over a 12 months outdated, and it nonetheless feels recent as a daisy. But no carmaker loves splitting its mannequin traces into myriad variants like BMW, and in simply this quick period of time, we now have the 840i, M850i, M8 and M8 Competition, all of which could be had as a two-door coupe, convertible or four-door Gran Coupe. That means there are 12 totally different variations of the 8 Series from which to decide on, and I consider this M850i Gran Coupe is definitely the choose of the litter.
LikeThe twin-turbo V8 has all the ability you will ever needFour-door kind makes this probably the most useful 8 SeriesWonderful driver-assistance techHas all of the creature comforts you’d ever need
Don’t LikeiDrive 7 has a steep studying curveAndroid Auto is not out there simply but
The Gran Coupe is so named for its bigger proportions over the two-door 8 Series coupe, with an extended wheelbase, a wider footprint and, most clearly, two extra doorways, permitting improved entry to the bigger rear seats. Managing Editor Steven Ewing put the bottom 840i Gran Coupe by means of its paces final 12 months, and mentioned the 3.0-liter turbo I6 engine supplied loads of grunt, however this M850i tester goes huge with a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, good for 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque.That’s greater than sufficient energy for this four-door, even with the added 300 kilos it carries over the two-door coupe. The chassis is extraordinarily nicely sorted — there’s hardly any physique roll and the Adaptive M suspension strikes steadiness between agency and soft. The degree of total stiffness and composure is definitely fairly stunning, given this car’s measurement.
The eight-speed automated transmission is a dream, a lot in order that I by no means discover it needed to make use of the paddle shifters. This transmission by no means has to hunt for the proper gear, it holds revs steadily in Sport and Sport Plus modes and eagerly downshifts below braking so there’s all the time rapid energy out there whereas exiting a nook.Cornering traits are made higher because of the elective rear-axle steering, which helps the M850i Gran Coupe rotate by means of tight curves. This identical tech, which may flip the rear wheels in or out by 2.5 levels relying on pace, makes lane-changes simpler on the freeway, too.
The M850i’s iDrive tech has a variety of performance, however it takes some time to grasp.
Emme Hall/Roadshow
This up-level Gran Coupe gives a lot of different M goodies, together with a sport rear differential, which retains torque shifting aspect to aspect between the again wheels as wanted. The M Sport brakes are nice, scrubbing off pace with ease, with out being laborious to modulate. I even just like the $4,100 M Carbon Exterior design package deal which, mixed with this automotive’s 20-inch wheels, give the massive four-door a extremely aggressive look.
Even if you aren’t blasting round, the M850i is properly sorted in its default Comfort mode, with a comfortable suspension that soaks up most pavement imperfections. Here, the transmission shifts so easily it is virtually imperceptible. If this automotive had massaging seats, my commute can be heaven.That mentioned, it isn’t just like the M850i is not chock-a-block with options. I’ve acquired heated and cooled seats, heated armrests and a heated steering wheel. The diamond-cut glass gear selector is a cool if flashy little bit of magnificence, and the $3,400 16-speaker, 1,400-watt Bowers & Wilkins sound system is completely divine.Go on, splurge for the glass controls.
Emme Hall/Roadshow
In addition to being comfortable, commuting within the M850i Gran Coupe is basically stress-free, because of all of the out there driver-assistance options. The solely dangerous information is that the majority of them are elective extras, which appears foolish on a automotive that begins at $109,895, together with $995 for vacation spot. I just like the Traffic Jam Assist, which mixes adaptive cruise management, steering help and lane-keeping help to assist freeway commuting. The system stays lively for 30 seconds when visitors involves a cease, too, so I haven’t got to maintain flicking the “resume” toggle so as to reactivate this tech.The M850i Gran Coupe additionally has parallel and perpendicular parking help, along with a back-up assistant that may keep in mind the final 165 ft of your drive and robotically hint the identical path in reverse. It’s tremendous useful in tight, crowded parking heaps. The 360-degree digital camera has a crisp, clear feed, and you may even view your automotive whereas parked from the BMW Connected app.Cabin tech is managed by BMW’s iDrive 7 software program, housed on a 12.3-inch central display screen, in addition to a 10.2-inch reconfigurable gauge cluster. iDrive has a fairly steep studying curve, with a variety of menus for menus’ sake, however a variety of different Roadshow staffers prefer it, and when you’re used to the system, it isn’t so dangerous. Apple CarPlay is now included, and free (lastly!). CarPlay can be wi-fi, which is superior. And whereas BMW would not but provide Android Auto, the tech is coming this July.
Emme Hall/Roadshow
All of this tech is similar as what you will discover in the remainder of the 8 Series Gran Coupe fashions, however the feather within the M850i’s cap is its total efficiency steadiness. The M850i gives a giant step up over the lesser 840i Gran Coupe, however is not as over-the-top as an M8. It’s a full second faster within the 0-to-60-mph run than the 840i, in a position to do the dash in 3.7 seconds. And at no level does 523 hp and 553 lb-ft ever really feel prefer it is not sufficient — the M850i’s V8 has loads of energy for almost each scenario. So a lot so, in reality, that I do not assume the added value to step as much as the M8 is absolutely needed.Even towards opponents, the M850i Gran Coupe gives a compelling package deal. The Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class is softer, and the Porsche Panamera is far more costly. In truth, the Gran Coupe is the least-expensive model of the BMW 8 Series — if you need a smaller two-door, you will need to pay extra money.The 2020 BMW M850i Gran Coupe gives the most effective bang to your buck in your entire 8 Series vary. The M850i Gran Coupe has greater than sufficient energy, however maintains a degree of composure that makes it appropriate for every day driving. It’s extra useful than the coupe or convertible, and actually, it appears to be like higher, too. Of all the brand new 8 Series fashions, that is positively the one to get.