Review: BMW M8 Competition Coupé and M8 Competition Convertible

The result is the most powerful engine ever developed by BMW for a road car: a high-revving V8 petrol unit with two turbos, developing a total of 625 horsepower and 750Nm (555lb ft) of torque. That means 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds – the same time it takes the McLaren GT to reach that speed.

Two turbos, cross-bank exhaust manifolds, direct injection with increased pressure and track-led cooling and oil systems all combine to deliver a trackway like experience.

Happily, however, the suspension feels more attuned for the road, making both the coupé and convertible entirely liveable with on the daily commute: neither feels as hardcore as the M5, for example.

We tested the coupé at the Portimao circuit, completing six laps round the track, and drove the convertible version from the circuit to the airport. It’s an astonishing feat of engineering to bleed this car for three very different iterations: track day warrior, convertible and GT.

The coupé, with its xDrive four-wheel-drive (rear-wheel biased) system plus the electronic limited-slip diff on the rear wheels, tidies up most mistakes made in pursuit of the racing line. We rather overcooked it on a couple occasions and would have lost the back end, but could feel the controls rushing to save us. Two red buttons on the steering wheel – M1 and M2 – will give you the option to give the rear a little more play, or, with M2, to turn off traction control completely and go through the gears manually. Given the presence of 4WD, you can have a fair amount of confidence with traction control off, which is a weird feeling.

The convertible does pretty much everything its coupé sibling does – gone are the days of lopping the roof off and enduring scuttle shake. It’s the complete car really: not much usable rear leg space and depleted boot space with the roof-down protector in place, but it’s huge fun to have that much performance available with the roof down.

It’s just a shame that, due in part to emissions targets, much of the exhaust noise that enters the cabin is artificial. BMW has been artificially enhancing the exhaust note for a while, but to our ears it sounds synthetic and strange.

Options on the M8 Competition include ceramic brakes, a carbon-fibre engine cover, seat ventilation and a £2,095 Driver’s Package which offers an increased top speed of 189mph, and a voucher for “M Intensive” training at the BMW Driver Experience.

BMW M8 Competition Coupé specifications

-       Price: £123,435

-       Engine: 4.4-litre, twin-turbo V8 petrol

-       Power/torque: 600bhp @ 6,000rpm/750Nm (555lb ft) @ 1,800-5,600rpm

-       Transmission: eight-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive

-       0-62mph: 3.3 seconds

-       Top speed: 155mph (189 de-restricted)

-       Combined economy: 26.6mpg

-       Kerb weight: 1,960kg

BMW M8 Competition Convertible specifications

-       Price: £130,435

-       Engine: 4.4-litre, twin-turbo V8 petrol

-       Power/torque: 600bhp @ 6,000rpm/750Nm (555lb ft) @ 1,800-5,600rpm

-       Transmission: eight-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive

-       0-62mph: 3.4 seconds

-       Top speed: 155mph (189 de-restricted)

-       Combined economy: 26.1mpg

-       Kerb weight: 2,085kg