BMW 8 Series Review

How much does it cost?

The BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe was discontinued in 2025, meaning that it is no longer possible to buy one new. At its most recent update in 2022, however, prices started at £77,225 and rose as high as £103,715 for a flagship M850i xDrive model.

Today, you’ll need to head to the used market in order to get one. The good news is that there are plenty to choose from with a variety of trims and engine options available. On AA Cars, you can find low-mileage models for around £57,000, while we were able to find a pre-facelift model - made in 2021 - for £33,499 with 45,000 miles on the clock.

Engine and performance

Overview

When the BMW 8 Series Coupe was facelifted in 2021, BMW slimmed down the number of engine choices available with it. In fact, it was slimmed down to just two - the straight-six petrol 840i, and the V8-powered range-topping M850i. Both bring lots of performance, while the more powerful V8 models also benefit from BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system.

If you’re after more engine choices, then you’ll need to pick an older model, as before the facelift, the 8 Series Gran Coupe was also available with a diesel. In fact, this straight-six unit was a great fit for the long-distance 8 Series.

Out on the road

The 8 Series Gran Coupe is all about long-distance refinement. This is a classically-shaped saloon car, so you sit very low with the raked roofline floating just above your head. There’s a cocoon-like feeling to the driving experience, but it’s all very quiet, comfortable and relaxed. As a result, the 8 Series Gran Coupe is ideal for long-distance journeys and it’s on the motorway where this car excels. With low levels of wind and road noise, it’s the kind of car that can make bigger trips feel shorter.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe has quite an old-school feel to it, but that’s not a bad thing. There aren’t too many alerts or warnings bonging at you and, as a result, you’re free to simply enjoy the drive.

Ride and handling

The 8 Series Gran Coupe is a large car, but it’s a very easy one to drive. The automatic gearbox is slick and moves through the cogs easily, while the handling is well-weighted and predictable. Through the bends, the 8 Series Gran Coupe remains controlled and flat, and those cars with xDrive all-wheel-drive feel secure even in wet conditions. That said, the regular rear-wheel-drive models still generate lots of grip.

The ride quality is good, too, and as a result, the 8 Series Gran Coupe isn’t a tiring car to drive over long distances. All versions bring more than enough performance to keep things interesting, too, while earlier diesel versions had a nice amount of torque that makes overtaking a breeze. That said, you can’t fault the petrol alternatives for their smoothness and responsiveness.

Interior and features

Interiors

The interior may not be the most-up-to-date, but what the 8 Series Gran Coupe lacks in cutting-edge technology it more than makes up for in quality. As with the rest of the car, the Gran Coupe’s interior has quite an old-school feeling to it, with lots of physical controls and plenty of upmarket materials. It’s an expensive car, but throughout the Gran Coupe’s cabin you get the feeling that it is more than living up to the price tag.

The ergonomics are good, too, and there’s plenty of adjustability for the driver to get comfortable. It may fly in the face of the current popularity of SUVs and crossovers, but the low-slung driving position that you get in the 8 Series Gran Coupe only adds to the experience and certainly gives the whole car a sportier feeling.

Boot space and practicality

The Gran Coupe is built in the image of the classic long-distance GT car and, as a result, there are some compromises in terms of outright spaciousness. Above-average-height passengers will find the rear seats of this car a squeeze in terms of headroom, though there’s a lot of legroom to stretch out and enjoy. The addition of the rear doors makes the Gran Coupe a far more practical proposition than the standard Coupe, and means that exiting and entering this car is much easier. It’ll prove easier for those who need to put child seats in the back, too. Technically, the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe is a five-seater, though in real terms that middle rear seat is barely usable - it would have to be a very occasional option.

At 440 litres, the boot in the 8 Series Gran Coupe certainly isn’t cavernous, but it’s got enough space back there to accommodate a few weekend bags or a lot of shopping. There’s quite a big ‘drop’ into the boot, mind you, so removing heavier items that you’ve put in there could be quite a struggle.

Features

Compare the cabin of the 8 Series to that of one of BMW’s latest models and you’ll see quite a difference. The screen, by the latest standards, is quite small and the same goes for the driver’s display. However, what we really like about this car’s interior is how intuitive it is and that’s thanks to lots of physical controls. There are buttons for the heating and ventilation and a rotary controller for the main screen. You’ve then got physical switches for the various driver settings. On the move, this is much easier to use than a system which relies wholly on the screen.

While the screen might be small, it still gets all your must-have media and navigation functions. Plus, both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included as standard, so you can easily mirror your smartphone on the car’s display.

Trim and colour options

As mentioned earlier, the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe was facelifted. At this point, the level of standard equipment was increased, too, the the popular ‘M sports package’ equipped as standard. On the used market, most Gran Coupes - either pre- or post-facelift - tend to be an M-Sport, but after 2022 this was brought into the car’s standard equipment. Highlights of the pack include redesigned front and rear bumpers, 20-inch alloy wheels and a new rear diffuser for a sportier appeal overall. All cars get a 12.3-inch infotainment system as standard, too, and it even came with a very early version of BMW’s ‘Iconic Glow’ kidney grille - this brings LED lights to the famous kidney grilles for a futuristic look at night.

All cars post-facelift gained luxurious Merino leather upholstery as standard, too, with an M Sport steering wheel also equipped on all models. The wheel, in particular, gets handy multifunction controls and mounted paddles to give manual control of the gearbox when you want a more involving driving experience.

The 8 Series was offered in a range of classic hues, including some very cool-looking greens, which only add to the old-school charm.

Safety and reliability

The BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe is a large, expensive and complex vehicle, so, as mentioned, you’ll need to keep on top of servicing in order to avoid some far larger issues down the line. When looking at a used model, a full service history is paramount. That said, the engines that this car uses are robust and well-tested across the BMW range, so these shouldn’t prove to be too much trouble.

All 8 Series Gran Coupe models get plenty of safety equipment as standard, too, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and plenty of airbags. Look out for cars equipped with the Driving Assistant Professional package, as this brings even more features, including blind spot detection and lane-keep assistance.

MPG, emissions and tax

As a big, heavy and large-engined car, the 8 Series won’t be the cheapest to run. You’ll have to bear maintenance costs in mind, too, as a complex car like this will need routine servicing to keep it at its best. Repairs are likely to be expensive as well. You can get up to 29.4mpg on standard 840i models which actually isn’t too bad, though driven hard this figure will quickly fall. Though discontinued now and unavailable post-facelift, the 840d diesel could return around 40mpg - though expect higher repair bills since these cars are now quite a bit older.

A standard-rate road tax of £195 for the year isn’t bad, though bear in mind that since the 8 Series Gran Coupe costs over £40,000, that cost could be as high as £620 for the year with the Expensive Car Supplement. It’s worth bearing in mind beforehand.