2023 BMW M8 Coupe

　　

2023 BMW M8 Review

byAlex NishimotoCorrespondent

　　Alex Nishimoto has worked in the automotive industry since 2007. He was a staff writer for MotorTrend for 10 years and since then has contributed to CNET, PRI, AutoWise and other publications.

　　, rating written byAlex NishimotoSenior Vehicle Test Editor

　　Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of zzdcar' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.

　　Standard 8 Series too pedestrian for you? The 2023 BMW M8 could be the solution. Positioned as BMW's flagship, the M8 takes all the things that make the regular 8 Series great and amplifies them to a new level of performance. It comes exclusively with a 617-horsepower turbocharged 4.4-liter V8. It's also fitted with an adaptive suspension and a sport-tuned all-wheel-drive system. You can even select a rear-wheel-drive mode should you like going sideways just as much as you like going forward.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 BMW M8 Competition 2dr Coupe 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 Competition

　　M8 Competition

　　Competition 2dr Coupe AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo 8A) - $134,100 MSRPCompetition 2dr Convertible AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $143,700 MSRP

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　BMW sells the M8 as a coupe, convertible or four-door Gran Coupe. The two-door M8s, which are reviewed here, compete with high-performance luxury grand tourers such as the Aston Martin DB11, Bentley Continental GT and Porsche 911 Turbo. Read on for our Expert Rating to find out if the M8 is the right six-figure GT car for you.

　　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

　　8.1

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

9.0/10

　　How does the M8 drive? Acceleration from a standstill beggars belief. We recorded a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds. That's quick enough to dust off most any non-supercar, let alone most convertibles. It also ripped past the quarter mile in only 11.3 seconds at 121.8 mph. Better yet, the M8 convertible in Competition form can deploy that power all day thanks to its impressive all-wheel-drive system.

　　But the M8 is anything but high-strung. With plenty of low-end torque, its intelligent transmission tuning all but eliminates unnecessary shifts and provides you with ample and immediate power.

　　That all-wheel-drive system does what it can to offset the M8 convertible's somewhat portly 4,500-pound curb weight. The BMW delivers neck-stretching grip and loads of confidence through medium- and high-speed bends. We wish the steering delivered more feedback, but that's a common complaint with modern BMWs. We weren't particularly fond of the somewhat grabby feel of the carbon-ceramic brakes since that made it tricky to stop smoothly in city traffic. Performance braking is nonetheless impressive. Our test car stopped from 60 mph in a scant 104 feet, and there was no fade after repeated stops.

　　

Comfort

8.5/10

　　How comfortable is the M8? You can't build a grand-touring convertible without offering high levels of comfort and the ability to sustain them over a day's worth of driving. The M8 convertible does exactly that, offering accommodating yet supportive seats, a well-insulated cabin (especially for a convertible) and an exceptional ride.

　　A smooth ride quality is one of the hallmarks of the M8 Competition convertible, balancing excellent body control with good impact absorption. Only a slightly soft Comfort setting earns a mild demerit. We're very impressed.

　　The climate control works well but can be difficult to decipher, even if you mainly leave it in Auto mode. Activating seat heating or ventilation requires multiple steps, and we found the ventilation, even at its highest setting, to be marginal. We'd also skip the optional Neck Warmer option since the warm air it blows on your neck all but vanishes at speeds over 30 mph.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below