What kind of vehicle is the 2021 BMW 8-Series? What does it compare to?
The 2021 BMW 8-Series splits the difference between sports car and luxury cruiser, with the svelte 8-Series Gran Coupe serving as the happy medium ground.
Shop the 8-Series Gran Coupe against the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT and Audi RS7, while the convertible and coupe square off against the Mercedes S-Class, Porsche 911, and Lexus LC.
Review continues below
Is the 2021 BMW 8-Series a good car?
The 8-Series is an exceptionally broad lineup, but we base our 7.0 out of 10 rating on the most popular—the Gran Coupe. The stylish four-door blends performance and attention-grabbing looks with a dose of practicality. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2021 BMW 8-Series?
Minor updates mark 2021 for the majority of the 8-Series range, including newly standard lane-departure warnings balanced by the deletion of a formerly available night vision system.
The 8-Series coupes as coupe, convertible, or Gran Coupe—really a four-door with a low-slung roofline. There’s not an ugly choice here, both inside and out. M8 coupes and convertibles have been dropped for 2021, leaving only the M8 Gran Coupe as the $130,000-plus flagship of the lineup.
Power options range start with the 3.0-liter turbo-6 in the 840i and move to the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 in the M850i before topping out at the 617-hp version of the V-8 in the pricey M8 Competition. Base 840i versions send power to the rear wheels while others shuffle tons of grunt to all four corners. Fuel moves through the powertrain at a similar pace, though the 25 mpg combined from the 840i Coupe isn’t terrible.
Predictably, there’s no sloth in this lineup, with 0-60 mph sprints from 4.7 seconds for the base 840i slice to a staggering 3.0 seconds flat in the M8 Competition. An 8-speed automatic delivers power; don’t look for a manual gearbox here.
The 8-Series is beautifully trimmed inside with complex tech highlighted by a 10.3-inch touchscreen at the top of the dash. Surprisingly, the best collision-avoidance tech including adaptive cruise control and a traffic jam assistant costs extra; it’s like paying for wi-fi at a high-end hotel.
How much does the 2021 BMW 8-Series cost?
Figure just shy of $87,000 for a base 840i Gran Coupe, with two-door coupes running another $3,000 more and convertibles tacking on around $10,000. Realistically, don’t look for an 8-Series in a dealer’s inventory for much less than six figures, especially if you pop for the M850i or the full-boat M8 Gran Coupe.
For day-to-day use, an 840i xDrive Gran Coupe pairs sensibile all-wheel drive and four-door convenience with gorgeous style for around $100,000 with luxurious must-haves such as optional paint, interior trim, and driver assistance gear. Or up your budget by a mere $20,000 and take home a nicely-equipped M850i.
Where is the 2021 BMW 8-Series made?
In Germany.