BMW Teases M8 Gran Coupe Render Before Geneva Reveal

The German automaker posted a partially obscured shot of its new 8 Series variant on Twitter.

Rumors have swirled of a four-door Gran Coupe variant of the upcoming BMW 8 Series since the Concept 8 Series broke cover last year. Now the German automaker has given us a sneak peak of the speculated four-door coupe by way of a partially obstructed render it posted on Twitter. Further confirming the automaker's intention of an imminent reveal, the render was accompanied by the message, “Stay tuned. More to come in Geneva next week.”

BMW revealed its stunningly aggressive 8 Series Concept during Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy last year. Expected to be a replacement for the outgoing 6 Series Coupe, the 8 Series Coupe will draw inspiration from the concept, which attempted to visually tie together the brand's traditional models with the radical, green-focused i8 sports car. Shortly after the 8 Series Concept's reveal, numerous speculative renders hit the internet to guess at what other body styles BMW could derive from the coupe—including a fantastical pickup model. A highly-anticipated 4.4-liter turbocharged V8-powered M8 is expected, as is a possible M860 with the supposedly endangered 6.6-liter turbocharged V12 powerplant from the M760Li xDrive.

BMW last built a car bearing the 8 Series name during a simpler time in automotive history. Back then, automakers didn't feel the urge to build two, three, or four different body-style variants from the same basic car. Instead, from 1989 to 1999, the 8 Series could only be had as a coupe or convertible. An M8 model was studied but eventually shelved as BMW didn't see a big enough market for the car, though it did spawn two collectible Alpina variants powered by 5.0- and 5.7-liter V12 engines. If BMW sticks to its planned roll-out schedule, a production 8 Series Coupe will arrive in dealers later this year.

BMW X7 Reveal Will Happen Sooner Than We Thought

The Bavarian manufacturer seemingly can’t wait to get into the full-sized SUV market.

Fans of large three-row SUVs have been eagerly awaiting the release of BMW’s largest X model yet, the X7. Initially slated for a global debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, The Drive learned that the reveal will now most likely occur a month earlier at the Paris Motor Show.

As with most new market entrants, the X7 has garnered mixed responses from both the media and the public, its enlarged dimensions and snouty front-end have proved to be hot points of debate.

Aesthetic appeal aside, the X7 will be packed with the latest tech on offer and while BMW has neither confirmed nor denied it, a hybrid and even all-electric X7 variant may well become part of the line up as they push towards their 2025 electrification goals. Aside from the eco-friendly variants, the possibility of an M Performance X7 has already been a topic of discussion between the BMW management team.

While most of what we know about the upcoming X7-range topper is based on rumors and second-hand information, based on the positioning of the current range of X models, this new entrant should slot in amongst the sportier offerings in the segment.

Official BMW concept images show a vehicle that combines a selection of existing and upcoming tech. Love it or hate it, the reveal will be an interesting one and it will give us a good idea of what new developments will be making their way into the rest of the BMW model range in the near future.

Leaked Patent Images Reveal BMW 8 Series Convertible And Gran Coupe

BMW has confirmed the 8 Series Convertible and Gran Coupe will go on sale next year.

One of our most eagerly anticipated new models of the year was the reborn BMW 8 Series, and it didn’t disappoint. BMW’s new grand tourer looks gorgeous from every angle. So far, only the Coupe variant has broken cover, but we know the BMW 8 Series will eventually be sold in several different body styles including a Convertible and Gran Coupe.

BMW hasn’t officially revealed them yet but leaked patent images of both body styles have leaked online via Dutch site Auto Visie. A few patent images of both models emerged a few months ago, but these new images are much better quality and show the designs from every angle.

Unsurprisingly, the 8 Series looks stunning as a convertible, retaining the Coupe’s athletic shape. As we saw in recent spy photos, the 8 Series Convertible will have a soft top instead of a folding hard top. Not only does this make the car more luxurious, it also saves weight. Being a convertible, it will still be heavier than its coupe counterpart and is expected to weigh in at least 4,400 lbs.

As for the four-door Gran Coupe, the patent images give us a clearer look at the design than previous spy shots, as we can now see the car’s side air vents and rear ducktail spoiler. The 8 Series Gran Coupe was previewed earlier this year with the M8 Gran Coupe concept and it looks like the production model’s design will be faithful to the concept, though the front and rear bumpers look less aggressive.

With room for four, the luxurious 8 Series Gran Coupe should be a formidable rival to the Porsche Panamera. Under the hood, expect both cars to use the same twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 as the Coupe, which produces 523 hp. BMW has confirmed the 8 Series Convertible and Gran Coupe will go on sale next year. More potent M8 versions are also coming, which could borrow the new M5’s 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 producing over 600 hp.

BMW Gives Us A Good Look At The X7 SUV, Confirms Reveal This Week

Look at that pretty glass roof framing all four seats.

BMW can't seem to stop hitting home runs. It followed the 8 Series Concept, a car already dripping with sex appeal, with the Z4 roadster to give us a taste of where its sights are0 set for at least the next generation or so. However, the German automaker is far from done, especially when it finds itself in the middle of a pivotal year where it can either reclaim its sales crown from Mercedes or let the Silver Star stay ahead. To advertise just how hard it intends to fight, BMW USA just tweeted a teaser image.

The picture, an overhead shot of a four-seat vehicle with a glass roof sitting on what appears to be a helipad, is paired with a caption that reads, “We’re redefining luxury with something big on September 8th. Stay tuned.” Of course, it immediately becomes necessary to dig into the message and rip apart the photo for any evidence of what BMW could be planning. Fortunately, we don't have to look too hard to spot some obvious clues, starting with the fact that the vehicle sits exactly four occupants and no more. That rules out supercars, sports cars, standard run-of-the-mill sedans (because these come with five seats), and new takes on current SUVs in the lineup due to the same lack of a rear bench seat.

The glass roof and four-seat configuration gives us a clear message that BMW is working on something with more luxury than capability. Something like, say, the X7 SUV that’s supposed to compete with the Audi Q8. Motor Trend took to Photoshop in order to mess with the image in search of further clues. There it found a Y-brace holding up the glass roof and the infotainment consoles straight out of the 7 Series. That top-tier equipment combined with the four seats we know will be featured on the X7, compounded by the fact we know the range-topping X will be revealed at Frankfurt, all points to this being a confirmation that BMW will reveal the X7 on September 8th. Time to get excited. If you're rich that is.

BMW X7 Reveal Will Happen Sooner Than We Thought

The Bavarian manufacturer seemingly can’t wait to get into the full-sized SUV market.

Fans of large three-row SUVs have been eagerly awaiting the release of BMW’s largest X model yet, the X7. Initially slated for a global debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, The Drive learned that the reveal will now most likely occur a month earlier at the Paris Motor Show.

As with most new market entrants, the X7 has garnered mixed responses from both the media and the public, its enlarged dimensions and snouty front-end have proved to be hot points of debate.

Aesthetic appeal aside, the X7 will be packed with the latest tech on offer and while BMW has neither confirmed nor denied it, a hybrid and even all-electric X7 variant may well become part of the line up as they push towards their 2025 electrification goals. Aside from the eco-friendly variants, the possibility of an M Performance X7 has already been a topic of discussion between the BMW management team.

While most of what we know about the upcoming X7-range topper is based on rumors and second-hand information, based on the positioning of the current range of X models, this new entrant should slot in amongst the sportier offerings in the segment.

Official BMW concept images show a vehicle that combines a selection of existing and upcoming tech. Love it or hate it, the reveal will be an interesting one and it will give us a good idea of what new developments will be making their way into the rest of the BMW model range in the near future.

(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-MJCGS3N');var _comscore = _comscore || [];_comscore.push({ c1: "2", c2: "28140907" });(function() {var s = document.createElement("script"), el = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.async = true;s.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js";el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);})();

The Countdown For The BMW 8 Series Reveal Is Officially Underway

Also included in this preview video are some impressions from a few BMW engineers assigned to the 8 Series. “The trick is to offer maximum driving pleasure with a given suitability for everyday use,” said Markus Flasch, 8 Series project leader. We’re also introduced to head of drivetrain integration, Christian Billig and Jos Van As, head of application chassis. Each offer some valuable insights regarding their respective areas of expertise. So why did BMW choose Le Mans as the venue for the big 8 Series debut? That’s simple. BMW is officially returning to La Sarthe where it will race the M8 GTE.

BMW M To Reveal Mysterious Concept At Geneva?

And it's said to be based on the upcoming 8 Series.

Geneva is the annual auto show where automakers often like to go all-out. BMW is no exception. According to BMW Blog, the German automaker will unveil a mysterious concept next month at the Swiss show. Word also has it that the production version of the new Z4 will also be shown, alongside the M5 Competition Package. We’ve also heard the new 8 Series may have its big day reveal as well. But what intrigues us about this concept is that inside sources told BMW Blog it’s the work of the M Division.

Could it be a preview of a new supercar? Possibly, but considering this source says the concept in question is based on the 8 Series, we’re not so sure. Remember, the 8 Series rides on a slightly modified version of the 7 Series architecture, meaning it’s more of a grand tourer than anything else. Supercar platforms are, generally speaking, smaller and lighter for obvious reasons. Therefore, it’s fair to say an M supercar is very, very unlikely. Probably best to forget about it, at least for now. But we’re still intrigued as to what this concept, assuming it even exists, will be. BMW Blog also speculates the concept will preview a future production car that’ll be within the 8 Series family and have a similar design.

BMW will, more than likely, begin releasing more details, likely teaser images, over the next few weeks as we get closer to Geneva. Our best guess at this mystery vehicle's identity is that it'll be the M8 concept. Months ago BMW-released camouflaged M8 "spy shots" so it makes sense to show a clearer, cleaner vision that's closer to reality. So stay tuned because this could be one very interesting concept, perhaps nothing quite like anything we’ve ever seen before from the M division.

Bentley Bentayga Hybrid Leaks Before Official Reveal

A production version of the EXP12 Speed 6e Concept will also follow.

We’ve known for some time Bentley planned a surprise for this year’s Geneva Motor Show. Now those plans have leaked out: a plug-in hybrid version of the Bentayga SUV will debut at the Swiss show. While Bentley has not yet officially announced its first-ever plug-in hybrid for the show, a report emerged on Autocar with details and images of the model. The British outlet swiftly took down the report, but not before Carscoops gathered all the details and photos.

According to CarScoops, the Bentayga will inherit the same setup as the Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid. This means we can expect a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine paired with an electric motor, generating a combined output of around 450 horsepower. The report didn't detail any performance figures. It will also offer 31 miles of pure electric range and take 7.5 hours to fully charge. A quick-charger styled by renowned designer Philippe Starck will reduce that time to 2.5 hours, however. It’s designed to keep cables “neat and safe” while acting as a “functional piece of art.”

Three E Modes will be available in the Bentayga Hybrid to manage battery usage: EV Drive, Hybrid, and Hold. A dedicated infotainment system will also provide data on powertrain usage. Visually, the Bentayga Hybrid looks virtually identical to its combustion-engined counterparts and can only be distinguished by copper-colored “Hybrid” badges and wheel hubs. As part of its electrification plans, a fully electric Bentley sports car is also expected to launch in 2020 as a production version of the exquisite EXP12 Speed 6e concept that debuted at Geneva last year. It's expected to share the same platform as the Porsche Mission E.

No pricing details have been revealed, but the plug-in hybrid is expected to be priced below the range-topping W12 Bentayga. Bentley will be lifting the wraps off the Bentayga Hybrid at Geneva this week, but we suspect an online reveal is imminent now that the details have leaked.

(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-MJCGS3N');var _comscore = _comscore || [];_comscore.push({ c1: "2", c2: "28140907" });(function() {var s = document.createElement("script"), el = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.async = true;s.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js";el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);})();