BMW 8 Series Review 2024

While most big luxury coupes of this type take the softly-softly grand tourer approach, the BMW 8 Series offers buyers something a little more sporty and exciting. It won’t match a Porsche 911 in the bends, but it’ll have the measure of most other rivals, yet it’s also comfortable enough to perform grand touring duties when called upon. The 8 Series is also handsome to look at and pleasant to sit in, and a range of terrific engines is offered, but it’s the diesel version that makes the most sense and gives the car a unique selling point among rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe, Lexus LC, Aston Martin DB11 and Bentley Continental GT.

The word ‘flagship’ gets kicked around a lot in the car world, especially by posh companies like BMW. The 7 Series has served as the firm’s flagship luxury saloon for several years, whereas the X7 sits on top of the firm’s popular SUV range. However, having gone one better than both of those cars in terms of the number in its name, you could argue that the 8 Series is the company’s real flagship.

What is it? Well, it’s a large luxury coupe with four seats and two doors (convertible and four-door versions are also available, which we’ll review separately), putting it up against cars as diverse as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe, Lexus LC, Aston Martin DB11, Bentley Continental GT, even the Porsche 911.

But what does the 8 Series bring to the party that the others don’t? Well, that will much depend on which version you go for.

Let’s begin with the 850i range-topper. Powered by a snarling petrol V8, it has the performance and soundtrack to match its rivals. It’s also similar to the Mercedes for price, and way cheaper than the Aston or Bentley.

Having said that, though, it also feels pretty similar to those cars in terms of the job it does. No bad thing considering the quality of the rivals we’re talking about, but by the same token, there isn’t much to mark it out against its rivals.

The 840d diesel version, on the other hand, is a very different matter. No rival offers an equivalent, and that immediately gives the 8 Series an appeal that no other car does.

Aside from the improved economy and extended touring range a diesel gives you, the engine is quiet, smooth and effortlessly muscular. Granted, diesel isn’t exactly as popular these days as it once was, but for high-mileage drivers looking for a bit of luxury and style, this will be a very tempting package.

It’s also a very enjoyable car to drive, with sportier handling than most rivals, but with a ride that’s comfortable enough to satisfy as a daily driver. Settle for one of the more humble versions, and it even manages to look like pretty good value for money compared with most rivals.

All versions except the 40i (which we haven’t tried) come with four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering, while all cars come with an adaptive suspension that firms things up or softens them off according to which of the various driving modes you select.

Whichever you select, though, the 8 Series is enjoyable to drive. It has bags of grip and traction, and sharp body control also helps to deliver really crisp direction changes. Even better, it really manages to shake off its considerable size and weight down a country lane, making it feel more athletic than most big coupes. The steering doesn’t deliver a great deal of feedback, but other than that, it’s really good

But does this impressive handling ability translate into a bone-shaking ride? Well, no. Sure, you won’t feel as cosseted as you will in a Bentley or Mercedes, but this is still a comfortable car, keeping things serene and civilised on the vast majority of surfaces, and never feeling harsh.

We haven’t yet tried the 840i, which uses a 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine developing 340PS. We have driven the 840d, though, which has a 320PS diesel engine of the same size and configuration. Its main talent lies in the ease with which it builds speed. It delivers huge low-down pull, so you can execute overtakes without breaking a sweat, and the power delivery is as smooth as it is effortless.

The 850i, meanwhile, has a 4.4-litre petrol V8 with 530PS. Again, there’s a mammoth slice of low-down torque, which means you can deal with the vast majority of driving situations without having to tap into the upper half of the rev range, just like you can in the diesel.

However, the main difference comes when you really plant your right foot: while the diesel’s willingness to rev is more limited, the petrol just keeps on pulling.

All versions drive through a brilliant eight-speed automatic gearbox. It changes smoothly and gently when you’re taking things easy, and quickly and intuitively when you’re getting a move-on.

The 8 Series hasn’t been tested by Euro NCAP yet, and because it’s likely to sell in such low numbers, it probably never will be.

It comes with most of the safety gear you expect - airbags and traction aids and all that - plus a couple things you might not, such as a head-up display and headlamps with a handy automatic high-beam function.

Automatic emergency braking is also provided, but it’s a little disappointing (although not entirely surprising) that some of the cleverer driver-assistance systems - such as active cruise control with lane-keeping assistance and stop-and-go functionality - are left on the options list. No version gets a spare wheel. The 850i comes with a pot of tyre sealant, while the 40i and 40d come on run-flat tyres.

The seats up front are as roomy and as comfortable as you’d expect, with plenty of handy storage spaces dotted around. However, the two in the back are very cramped, considerably more so than in the Mercedes S-Class Coupe, and even a modestly-sized adult will find their knees pressing into the seat in front and their hardo pressing into the headlining.

Smaller children in booster seats will probably be ok, but you might struggle to get bulky child seats in the back, not just because of the tight space, but also because of the small opening that results from tipping the front seat forward to gain access to the rear. This also makes getting in and out of the back seats pretty undignified.

The boot is a decent size, but the space is rather narrow and shallow and the opening is rather small. You’ll get a couple of sets of golf clubs in, but nothing much bulkier than that. A powered tailgate is provided across the range.

Every surface is dense and lustrous, and most of them are as much a treat for the fingertips as they are for the eyes.

It’s all attractively finished, too, with splashes of brushed chrome trim and stitched leather here and there. Flush-fitting panels and sturdy assembly also helps everything feel like it’s built to last. Granted, it can’t match the hand-made feel of a Bentley Continental, but it’s a match for the Mercedes S-Class Coupe, and considerably better than an Aston Martin DB11.

Happily, the infotainment system you get in the 8 Series is the best in the business. It comes with navigation, DAB radio, Bluetooth, a wifi hotspot, wireless phone charging and a whole bunch of clever connected services. Apple Carplay is also supported, but Android Auto isn’t, although it will be in time.

The best thing about the system, though, is that it’s so easy to use. It has touchscreen functionality, but it can also be operated using shortcut buttons and a scrolling wheel on the centre console, which makes it much simpler and less distracting. It’s also really intuitive to use, with logically arranged menus, easy-to-find features and graphics that are fast and sharp.

At the time of writing, prices started at around £74,000 for the 840i, while the 40d checked in just above £78,000.

If it’s the 50i that takes your fancy, you’ll be looking at an outlay of £102,000. Obviously, the various options and packs - of which there are dozens - will take prices even higher: the Ultimate Pack (we’ll describe this later in the Models and Specifications section) on its own will set you back up to £19,000. The 8 Series is not a cheap car, then, but to be fair, you were probably never under any illusion that it would be.

Despite that, though, the big BMW still looks like pretty good value, comparatively speaking. Prices are a bit lower than those of a Mercedes S-Class Coupe, and a lot lower (we’re talking fifty grand here) than those of an Aston Martin DB11 or Bentley Continental GT.

Even better, in percentage terms, the 8 Series holds onto its value better than any of its rivals, meaning it’ll depreciate less relative to its list prices, so it will provide better protection for your investment than the rest.

That should also help keep monthly payments down for those who buy on finance, although at the time of writing, we couldn’t find any finance deals for the 8 Series on BMW’s own website.

According to official WLTP figures, the diesel's maximum average fuel return is just upwards of 40mpg, which is significantly better than the equivalent figures of 34mpg for the 40i and 25mpg for the 50i. Bear in mind, too, that these are laboratory figures that you’ll only have a prayer of getting anywhere near if you drive very gently. 

Insurance won’t be cheap, either. The 40i sits in group 45, making bills a fraction more palatable, but both the 40d and 50i sit in group 50, the most expensive group there is. On road tax, meanwhile, you’ll pay the flat rate of £150 per year, and between years two and six of your car’s life, you’ll also pay a £325 surcharge on top, taking your annual outlay to £475 during that period.

You’ll also part with a steep first-year tax payment - between £1305 and £2175 depending on the version - but that will be rolled up into the car’s list price.

On all versions, company car drivers will pay Benefit-in-kind on 37% of the car’s value, which will make it extremely expensive. Perhaps more concerningly than all that, though, is the fact that BMW finished stone-dead-last in the manufacturer standings of the 2019 JD Power Vehicle Dependability Survey, which doesn’t provide much confidence over how reliable it’ll be.

Unlike most cars, the 8 Series doesn’t have trim levels as such. The various versions are separated mainly by the engine they have, but other than one or two other minor differences, (such as a few styling tweaks of what sort of braking system they get) all are pretty much the same in terms of luxury kit.

Each version is very much a luxurious high-end offering, and that means your standard kit includes leather upholstery, heated front seats, two-zone climate control, keyless go, ambient interior lighting, a powered tailgate, all-round parking sensors and a reversing camera.

There are also dozens of optional extras, many of which are bundled up into packs. Most of these packs, meanwhile, are also bundled up and offered as one fantastically expensive mega-pack, called the Ultimate Package. This gives buyers all-sorts, including soft-close doors, ventilated front seats, 360-degree camera, TV functionality and a Bowers and Wilkins Surround Sound audio system.