Instead, the 8 Series is going to receive some attention that befits its status at the top of the Bavarian automaker's passenger car lineup, with BMW announcing the arrival of a special edition at Monterey Car Week next month.
Details of the enhanced 8 Series are scant, but we think it will probably be a regular production model, rather than an ultra-limited, ultra-expensive machine like the mechanically related Skytop and Speedtop.
Aiming For Greater Refinement Or Performance?
Speaking at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, BMW M CEO Franciscus "Frank" van Meel said the new product would be a sendoff for the M850i trim that marked the return of the 8 Series back in 2019. Considering the high-performance BMW M8 has a murky future for the 2026 model year, we think the special-edition M850i could receive more power and greater visual aggression to fill the vacuum somewhat. But BMW could also bring some of the interior refinements of the Alpina B8 Gran Coupe to the mainstream 8 Series lineup, giving it an added measure of comfort. Unfortunately, van Meel wouldn't confirm whether the special edition will be a two-door coupe, droptop convertible, or five-door Gran Coupe – or if it might even be offered in all three 8 Series body styles.
Only two 8 Series trims have been confirmed so far for the 2026 model year. The base 840i comes with a single-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, good for 335 horsepower and a 4.7-second run to 60 miles per hour. The aforementioned M850i comes next with a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 and 523 hp, and it'll hit 60 in under 4 seconds. The BMW M8 and Alpina B8 Gran Coupe, which were available for 2025 but may no longer be offered in 2026, played a much more powerful game, boasting 612 hp (B8) and 617 hp (M8) and hitting 60 mph in just a smidge over 3 seconds. We've asked BMW for comment on their availability next year and will update the story when we get an answer.
Also Coming To Monterey: Historics
As befits a primarily vintage-oriented car event, BMW will bring a handful of significant historical vehicles to Monterey Car Week. Appearing at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca Raceway will be a variety of racing-prepped 3 Series, celebrating the model's 50th anniversary on the track. A 1977 BMW 320i Turbo that competed in IMSA Group 5 will take a bow on the paddock, while the 2004 BMW M3 GTR endurance racer will hit the track alongside a 2011 BMW M3 GT built for the American Le Mans Series (ALMS).
BMW will also show up to Car Week's signature event, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, with two members of its famed Art Cars series. The 1979 BMW M1 Group 4 car painted by Andy Warhol will appear on the famed lawn alongside Julie Mehretu's foil-wrapped, evocatively designed 2024 BMW M Hybrid V8 that raced at last year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.
2026 BMW M2 (97)-1BMW
Finally, the company will use Legends of the Autobahn for the North American debut of the aggressive BMW M2 CS, which packs a 523-hp, twin-turbo inline-six with rear-wheel drive – marking the first time an M product has combined that high-output mill with two driven wheels. Should be fun.
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