BMW has revealedthat the new 8 Series will feature a hardened M version.

BMW showcased the 8 Series concept car last week at the Concorso d’Eleganza d’Este and it has now been revealed that BMW is working hard on an M8 version that will highlight the range’s sporty nature.

Frank van Meel, President BMW M Division said “The future BMW M8 will build on the genes of the 8 Series and augment its DNA with added track ability and generous extra portions of dynamic sharpness, precision and agility. It all flows into a driving experience that bears the familiar BMW M hallmarks and satisfies our customers’ most exacting requirements.”

BMW is also developing an M8 GTE, specially developed for BMW’s return to Le Mans. They will not be fighting for overall victory but hope to challenge the likes of Ford, Ferrari, Corvette and Aston Martin in the GTE class.

The BMW M8 will offer honed performance ability but powertrain details have yet to be revealed.

No details are available on the production M8 yet but we can speculate on the powertrain BMW might use. The obvious choice would be the 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo unit that powers the new M5. It makes the most sense as it has already been developed as a performance engine and with the 8 Series using the same platform as the 5 Series, it might be easier to engineer. There is the option for something else though.

BMW once built an M8 prototype in the ‘90s, a car that never saw the light of day as the BMW bankers deemed it ‘unprofitable’. To be honest, it would have cost way, way more than its competitors but BMW fans would have swooned over it. It packed a naturally aspirated 6.1-litreV12 engine and booted out 410 kW and 500 Nm of torque, impressive for natural aspiration.

The reason we mention this is that BMW has developed a V12 motor that it uses in its 7 Series M760Li X-Drive. In standard guise that engine develops 448 kW and 800 Nm, but with fettling by the M division, it could get close to the 500 kW mark. Scary stuff, but if the bankers have anything to say about it, it will basically be an M5 in an M8 body.

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