2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

　　

2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe Review

byDan FrioReviews Editor

　　Dan spent many years covering the go-fast, look-good, get-loud corners of the automotive universe. First, he served as editor of enthusiast magazines AutoSound and Honda Tuning, then as executive editor at SEMA News, the publishing arm of the trade group that produces the annual SEMA Show (yes, that show). As a contributor to zzdcar, he now likes to keep the volume low and the speed limit legal, providing expert car-shopping advice to drivers looking for the perfect match.

　　, rating written byDan FrioDirector, Vehicle Testing

　　Jonathan Elfalan has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. As a director of vehicle testing at zzdcar, Jonathan has tested and reviewed thousands of cars and written thousands of car-related articles over the course of his career. Jonathan got his start testing cars for Road & Track magazine as a newly minted mechanical engineer grad from University of California, Irvine, and has also contributed to Motor Trend and the Associated Press. He likes to say he learned to drive a manual transmission in a rear-wheel-drive mid-engine vehicle but often omits it was his family's 1991 Toyota Previa minivan.

　　High-performance sedans styled like coupes are all about having cake and eating it too. The 2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe straddles this line and, depending on your view, it's either a more practical two-door M8 coupe or a more stylish BMW M5 sedan. Compared to the M8 coupe, the Gran Coupe is longer, wider, taller and has two more doors. The Gran Coupe offers more cabin space, especially in the back seat, and if you have child seats, it accommodates.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe Competition 4dr Sedan AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$267/mo  for M8 Gran Coupe Competition

　　M8 Gran Coupe Competition

　　Competition 4dr Sedan AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $130,000 MSRP

　　vs

　　$198/mo

　　Avg. Large Car

　　Whether you see it as a more stylish sedan or more practical coupe, one thing is certain: It's freakishly fast and capable. It's a big car, but its turbocharged V8 engine, grippy tires, sport suspension and big brakes make it surprisingly invigorating on a winding road. The M8 Gran Coupe is pretty quiet and comfortable on the highway too.

　　A handful of other rivals are vying for tops in this class, though. The Audi RS 7, Mercedes-Benz AMG GT 53 and Porsche Panamera Turbo S are all roughly the same size and deliver similar performance and features. Read our Expert Rating below to see if the M8 Gran Coupe best suits your needs in this group of overachievers.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Great

　　8.3

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

9.0/10

　　How does the M8 Gran Coupe drive? It's hard to talk about how the M8 drives without resorting to hyperbole. We recorded a freakishly fast run to 60 mph: 3.1 seconds. For context, this large five-passenger, four-door sedan is just as quick as an Audi R8 and Acura NSX. If all the M8 did was go fast, that would be enough for some people. But it manages to leverage that power to deliver smooth, instantly accessible acceleration for whenever you need it on your daily drive.

　　If you're someone who loves a curvy road, the M8 may surprise you with how adept it is tackling those as well. It will keep up with all but the quickest and lightest sports cars through those curves and be way more comfortable and quiet doing it. Powerful brakes and sticky tires help the cause, and the M8 registered 104 feet stopping from 60 mph, another incredible figure. Dump that "weekend car" — you won't need it here.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the M8 Gran Coupe? As such a bruiser on the track, we half-expected the M8 Gran Coupe to be unlivable on the street, but that's not the case. It's far from the plushest ride in the segment, but it's not terrible at taking the edges off bumps in the road. The front seats deliver the comfort you'd expect from a luxury sedan with a host of adjustments for you to dial in the perfect amount of support. We wish the rear seatbacks had just a little bit more rake, though, and found the padding by the tailbone a bit uncomfortable.

　　The M8 is also one of the quieter cars in the class (with the exception of that V8 bark at startup). Wind and tire noise is kept well at bay, and the cabin is free of squeaks and vibrations. The climate controls, like those in many BMWs, aren't the most intuitive to use, but they do a decent job of maintaining a target cabin temp. We had a hard time telling if the seat ventilation was working.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below