BMW 8 Series Gran Coupé 2021 review: Simply Gorgeous!

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The NamasteCar review:

BMW 840i Gran Coupé

₹1,32,50,000 – ₹1,58,00,000

BMW’s most beautiful car is also amongst the best to drive as we discover in our review below.

OVERALL POINTS: 90/100

WE LOVE: ⇑ Looks stunning and is beautiful with classic proportions while hiding its length very well. The car is also luxurious and well appointed with high quality materials plus having good enough space for five. Above all it is fast and fun to drive

WE DON’T LOVE: ⇓ It is not as spacious or as comfortable as a 7 Series and yet is more expensive than that!

1. Introduction

There was a time when differentiating between cars was easy based on body styles. There was a coupe which was a car which had only two doors and mostly was a 2+2 or a sporty car which mainly had two big seats and space for luggage or children at the back. These cars were great to drive and also great to cover long distances hence the GT or grand tourer name was given to them. Then Mercedes-Benz changed that segment when it launched the first generation CLS which was a four door coupe. That was interesting since here was a car which had four doors but was lower and wider than a conventional E-Class plus was called as a coupe! After Audi followed it up with the A7 Sportback, BMW also has now got its own version of the four door coupe called as the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe (G16 codename).

The 8 Series sits above the 7 Series as the flagship premium luxury sports car also being the most expensive BMW that you can buy discounting the BMW M range of course. The 8 Series Gran Coupe is the third model range in the BMW 8 Series family after the M8 and the standard two-door 8 Series coupe which is not sold in India. The 8 Series Gran Coupe is the more luxury version and also the four-door version of the 8 Series. In India it is currently imported via CBU route.

2. Looks from outside

There is no doubt that merely one glance is enough to fall in love with the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe as it is gorgeous and simply stunning. It is perhaps the best looking BWM on sale now with a long and flat look. It is a four door version of the 8 Series Coupe but it looks better with two of the extra doors added and some of the extra design details.

It is a very long, wide and low car with length being longer than other sedans that BMW makes. To put it in numbers the 8 Series has a length of 5,082 millimetres and that is 231mm longer than a standard 8 Series coupe. The 8 Series Gran Coupe is also wide with a width of 1932mm as it is wider than the 8 Series Coupe by 30mm. It is also higher from the ground with a height of 1407mm which is 61mm higher than the coupe. Interestingly BMW says that it is the widest car that they make since it has a front track width of 1,627 mm, which is the same as the two-door version while the rear track of 1,671 millimetres means it is 28 millimetres wider.

If you think that the Gran Coupe is just same as the standard 2-door coupe then you are wrong as it is only standard up-to the A-pillar. No doubt from the front the Gran Coupe looks attractive while it also has a smaller BMW kidney grille plus twin headlamps which are broad plus having the pure BMW look with the LED lights. There are also nice blue accents in the lights while laser lights are an option. The bonnet is shaped well while the car is low-slung.

Compared to the roof the windscreen and the roof-line are changed while the C-pillar is also re-designed. The lines are flowing and it looks better than the coupe no doubt. The rear doors are also nicely designed plus they open a wide wider and upward like a swan while the car also carries the signature BMW design detail like the Hofmeister kink the rear.

As is the case the M Sport model adds in a further sporty look while there is also the ‘M Aerodynamics’ package which gets extra-large air intakes, new side skirts and rear apron. The wheels here are 19inch M light alloy wheels double-spoke style. There are also two chrome exhaust tips.

The version that we got for test featured a nice deep colour while the paint finish is obviously fantastic. There is a chrome line at the rear below which gets the exhaust while it also has a rear mounted spoiler. The tail-lamps are similar to the coupe which looks stunning.

3. Driving feel

The 8 Series Gran Coupe does not get the V8 engine which the M8 gets as instead it has a 3-litre 6 cylinder in-line petrol which develops 340hp and 500Nm. Those are big numbers and that means the 8 Series Gran Coupe is quite fast with a 0 -100 km / hr time of 5.2 seconds. In terms of gearbox it has an eight-speed Steptronic Sport automatic transmission while the driver can change gears manually with shift paddles behind the steering wheel. With a car of this class you also get the BMW adaptive suspension which tunes how the car performs and how power is sent to the wheels. There are also different drive modes like Comfort, Sport and Sport+.

In terms of driving it the first test of the 8 Series Gran Coupe was rush hour traffic as it is important since it is more than just a sports car so you have to use it every day. First impressions are solid as while the car feels big behind the steering wheel, the engine is quiet plus the gearbox is smooth to use. There is no lurch or jerks at speeds and neither is the ride quality too stiff. The 8 Series Gran Coupe is a luxury car which it proved with its ride quality; being able to absorb our roads plus handle potholes. The ground clearance is also decent and you do not have to take potholes like it was some low-slung sports car. The visibility along with the driving position is also top-class while comfort or eco mode is good enough.

But what happens if you want some fun? Then the 8 Series Gran Coupe does reward you very well with excellent inputs and a very powerful engine. In-fact we think that this engine is powerful enough for India and better suited than a V8. It is fast and the smallest pressing of the accelerator pedal will lead it to reach big speeds with ease. You put it to Sport and the engine sounds more aggressive plus gets louder while aggressive shifts are there via the steering paddles. The handling despite the huge size is precise and has less roll with excellent stability. It is also fun when you want it to be and sliding it is no issue but you will have to turn the systems off for that.

4. Interior features and feel

Inside the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe has a luxurious interior but with also a sporty focus unlike the 7 Series which is only about luxury. The design is pure BMW but the light coloured interior along with the dual-tone black/chrome lined centre console looks classy too. The steering wheel is thick and comes with a three-spoke layout with M lettering at the end. The overall feel good factor is high plus the quality in the car is just fantastic. The driving position and the lay-out of the cabin are similar to the coupe but it is a bit more upright. The dashboard is big and wraps around you though which is nice.

When it comes to materials you have the nicest leather used along with chrome, glass and other top-grade materials. The lay-out is nice but my favourite detail is the gearlever made with a jewel like glass which glitters. You can personalize this car with various types of leather and interior trim finished so that you can get the car right up-to your choice something which only a few BMWs get.

In terms of features as this is a luxury BMW you get pretty much everything and more. There is a massive glass sunroof which is panoramic while the ambient lighting comes with six options and adds to the overall ambience. Of the features include things we take for granted in cars of this type including powered seats with memory, all smart phone connectivity features, a virtual instrument cluster with neat graphics plus a massive touch screen which is brilliant with its display and touch sensitivity. Also available is the iDrive of course plus a four-zone climate control system. That is not all as you have soft close doors plus a choice of either a Harman Kardon Surround Sound System with an output of 464 watts and 16 speakers or a Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System. In terms of safety it has six airbags, Attentiveness Assistance, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) including Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Anti-lock Braking system (ABS), electric parking brake with auto hold, side-impact protection, electronic vehicle immobilizer and crash sensor and ISOFIX child seat mounting for the two outer rear seats.

Compared to the M8 coupe the wheelbase is increased to an extra 201mm in the Gran Coupe and that makes all the difference. Space inside while obviously less than a 7 Series is around the same as that of a 5 Series. The rear seat has enough space to fit three passengers and for two passengers you can stretch out and relax with enough features on board too. In terms of practicality it has a 40:20:40 split/folding rear seat while the boot is 440 litres.

5. Ownership

The 8 Series Gran Coupe is more efficient over the M8 and you will get 8 kmpl but it depends on the way you drive mostly. In terms of maintenance it gets the standard warranty but being an expensive CBU you can expect bigger bills over say a 5 series. However this is an exclusive BMW that lets you some benefits like the membership to the BMW Excellence Club.

6. Our opinion

The 8 Series Gran Coupe is for those who want more than just another luxury car and want something beyond the 7 Series

Prices for the 8 Series Gran Coupe start at Rs 1.32 crore while the M Sport is Rs 1.58 crore. The 840i at Rs 1.32 crore as seen here is the better choice and more value for money. The 8 Series Gran Coupe is for those who want more than just another luxury car and want something beyond the 7 Series. The 8 Series Gran Coupe looks stunning and has luxury but is also a sports car which delivers on performance along with driving pleasure. However you can also sit at the back or even drive it every day without worrying too much about its ground clearance. In short it is a car which is about both performance and luxury.

Specifications –

  • Cylinders/valves: 6/4
  • Capacity in ccm: 2,998, BMW TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder petrol engine
  • Stroke/bore in mm: 94.6/82.0
  • Engine power in kW (PS) at 1/min: 250 (340)/ 5,000-6,500
  • Engine torque (Nm) at 1/min: 500/1,600-4,500
  • Top speed in km/h: 250
  • Acceleration 0–100 km/h in s: 5.2
  • Transmission: 8-Speed Steptronic Sport Automatic Transmission
  • Combined in km/l: 11.3
  • Tank capacity, approx. in l: 68
  • CO2 combined emissions in g/km: 210
  • Unladen weight EU in kg: 1,969
  • Max. permissible weight in kg: 2,35
  • Tyre dimensions front: 245/44 R18 100 Y XL
  • Tyre dimensions rear: 275/40 R18 103 Y XL
  • Wheel dimensions and material front: 8Jx18 inches, light-alloy
  • Wheel dimensions and material rear: 9Jx18 inches, light-alloy
Somnath Chatterjee
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Somnath Chatterjee

Been in love with cars for as long as I can remember and love writing about them along with driving them of course. Nothing makes me happier than a fast car and an empty road! Favourite Car: Ferrari 458 Speciale Quote: Life's too short to drive boring cars