New 2022 BMW 8 Series gets public debut at Amelia Island

The facelifted BMW 8 Series and hot M8 in coupé, cabriolet and Gran Coupé guises have made their public debut at the Amelia Island concours in the US.

Set for UK sale in the coming months, the 2022 8 Series receives the performance-inspired M-Sport styling package – previously an option – as standard. It imbues the trio of standard 8 Series models with a number of signature BMW M design elements, including a more heavily structured front bumper and rear diffuser as well as new-look 19in wheels and upgraded brakes with blue calipers on six-cylinder models.

The more powerful V8 models receive a similar treatment but with an added splitter element up front, M8-style exterior mirrors, a rear spoiler and a diffuser in what BMW describes as “Dark Shadow Metallic” colour. Also included are new 20in wheels and a M-Sport differential as standard.

Changes to the range-topping BMW M8 models are even more subtle, restricted to a range of new exterior colours, including a Shadow Line treatment for the first time, as well as newly designed 20in M-Sport alloy wheels.  

In a development planned for other new BMW models, the new 8 Series and M8 come with an optional illuminated grille. Lightly altered in design to that seen on pre-facelift models, it comes as standard in combination with the ‘Iconic Glow’ package, with an illuminated surround and waterfall lighting for each of the grille elements. The illumination is activated when the door is opened and can be switched off manually.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of BMW M, all new 8 Series and M8 models can be ordered with optional M emblems in blue, purple and red in place of the traditional blue and white BMW roundel.

Inside, six-cylinder models receive multi-contour front seats as standard. The previous standard 10.25 infotainment display also makes way for a larger 12.3-inch unit.

The standard 8 Series continues with the same range of engines as before: a turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six petrol unit developing 333bhp in the 840i xDrive, a turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 with 523bhp in the M850i xDrive and a turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder diesel offering 335bhp in the 840d xDrive. All are four-wheel-drive as standard.

The M8’s twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8, meanwhile, continues to develop 592bhp as standard, but the more potent Competition car that is sold in the UK gets 616bhp for a 0-62mph time of 3.2 seconds.