BMW M8 Convertible storms to the peak of automotive pleasure
If you want to combine drama and fresh air, the BMW M8 Convertible is a good choice. ntv.de has taken the open-top athlete for a spin.
Are you wondering why the editorial team is reviewing a performance convertible in the dingy winter weather of all times? Sounds like a legitimate question with an equally logical answer: ordered in winter, delivered in spring. And admittedly, when the pictures of the M8 competing here in the somewhat unwieldy color "M Isle of Man Green metallic" were taken, the weather was much better, even if the clouds in the sky look quite threatening.
However, it also looks threatening when the 4.4-liter eight-cylinder engine with the internal designation "S63" comes to life. The "S" stands for the engines in which BMW M GmbH has a finger in the pie. A little angry, a little rumbling and in any case quite emotional, the power unit makes it clear that it is not entirely weak on the chest. As far as pure performance is concerned, the combustion engine now has a hard time. This has to do with the fact that it is now relatively easy to generate incredibly high peak outputs with electric motors.
Strong acceleration turns dream cars into pulse accelerators
I can see the car enthusiasts quivering with indignation at these lines, wondering how anyone can even dare to think about electromobility in the context of a BMW M8 Competition. Well, strong acceleration is a characteristic that turns dream cars into pulse accelerators. Unfortunately, drive power has become a bit of an inflationary commodity due to the emergence of electric cars, it has to be said. Nevertheless, powerful combustion engines have lost little of their exclusivity. Firstly, unlike powerful electric cars, combustion engines are not available at a bargain price. And secondly, the classic heat engine not only delivers its power emotionally, but also permanently and without any signs of loss, no matter how often it is used.
From 0 to 305 km/h (2450 euro Driver's Package, otherwise 250 km/h), the BMW M8 always pushes with the same power, right down to the last drop of fuel in the tank. It doesn't falter as a result of high thermal loads, because it can cope with them and is always cooled down effectively, even in the event of imaginary track use. The 191,500 euro Oberbayer even has what it takes for the racetrack. There are adaptive dampers and an active sports differential on the rear axle to distribute the drive torque precisely. Plus the stable and easily controllable compound brakes. Really now? No, this is merely a hypothetical consideration, as the 2.1-ton fresh-air hammer is not really a candidate for the Nordschleife or other circuits, despite its "Competition" lettering.
The twin-charged V8 pushes and pushes
So let's go, drop the hood (at the touch of a button, of course) and explore the country road. But wait a minute! First you have to program the engine and transmission curves. Phew, there are so many combinations. Too many, actually, which is known to make people unhappy. You can even decide to drive with all-wheel or rear-wheel drive. Comfort or Sport is enough for me, to be honest. And all-wheel drive is no bad thing when 625 hp and 750 Newton meters of torque are raging.
Perhaps you should know that it's not the sheer number of Newton meters that matters, but in particular the rev range within which the torque can be called up. With this twin turbo, this is the case from 1800 to just under 6000 rpm. This means that the V8 heart under the well-formed hood pushes and pushes and pushes in virtually every situation. If you put your mind to it, the most powerful convertible in the BMW range can reach 100 km/h in just 3.3 seconds. Unfortunately, you can do a lot more, which puts your driver's license at acute risk if you don't have yourself under control.
Anyone can do straights anyway, so it's better to concentrate on bends and throw the part-time all-wheel drive around the corner with the strikingly thick precision steering wheel. What's more fun? Turning your head into the wind or listening to the eight-cylinder baritone from the front and the sports exhaust system? Both are possible, of course, and a healthy balance can be achieved with the right pedal.
What is the M8 Cabriolet actually, a road hooligan or an automotive gentleman? Neither exactly - perhaps a mixture? In any case, the sumptuous bucket seats perform various tasks quite well. On the one hand, they keep the passengers in the middle lane even when driving at high speed, and on the other hand they provide a respectable level of comfort.
The M8 retains a spark of residual comfort
Incidentally, comfort is something that the wild drivetrain still masters. Since this M generation, BMW has moved away from the gruff dual clutch and towards the basically smooth automatic torque converter - here with eight gears. However, it lands in the lock-up as soon as you start rolling (there is then a positive drive connection), so it has to land if you want to be sporty. In the conversion range, where there is no frictional connection, there is neither efficiency nor maximum performance propulsion. The BMW, which is somewhat rough in its basic configuration, does not really start off smoothly, but shifts smoothly if you are not in the most wiry setting. Then the gears are hammered in with gusto (you can also use the shift paddle, by the way).
To put it mildly, you could say that the M8 Cabriolet is neither meat nor fish. That's right, so you can confidently enjoy it in the open-top version, which has little use on the track because it is heavier and not as torsionally rigid. And even the coupé is actually too heavy for optimum track performance.
For customers with an abundant budget, there are still various gimmicks that improve the driving dynamics in theory. If necessary, even the 9400 euro ceramic brakes. Some prospective customers may feel more comfortable with the idea of decelerating the 4.87 meter long convertible from high speeds with the maximum heat-resistant high-tech brakes, even though the basic brakes are not suspected of being plagued by fading.
Does the vehicle, which tends to be extroverted with its striking four-pipe exhaust system, actually have any utility value? Of course, if you can squeeze enough luggage into the 350-liter trunk, you can easily cover long distances in this BMW. Because in the most comfortable setting, the beast rolls quite smoothly and defies bad roads accordingly.
And what else? You can tell that the eight is no longer the youngest member of the BMW family by the relatively small display. Although the instrument cluster also consists of a pure display surface without mechanical needles, there is no trace of the oh-so-fashionable "curved display". But the M8 doesn't care about that, and its drive chapter is probably the main reason for buying it. Incidentally, if you manage to rein yourself in and keep the top-of-the-range convertible around the recommended speed, you can even achieve single-digit fuel consumption figures. Of course, this probably doesn't convince many prospective M8 buyers or they simply don't care. They just want to combine drama with fresh air. And that's exactly what the M8 Cabriolet does best.
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Source: www.ntv.de
