Alongside the ongoing development of the standard 8 Series, the engineers at BMW are also working flat out on the M model, the company said.

A fully camouflaged, early prototype of the future BMW M8 was unveiled in a driving presentation as part of the support programme for the Nürburgring 24-hour race recently.

Classical M features like larger air intakes, modified brakes and a sports exhaust with four tailpipes hint at the significantly boosted power and dynamic potential of the car and whet the appetite for a driving experience of intense emotional richness, it said.

“The conception and development of the standard BMW 8 Series and the M model run in parallel,” explains Frank van Meel, president BMW M Division. “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.”

Development is also under way of a race-spec car – the BMW M8 GTE – to spearhead the return of BMW Motorsport to Le Mans.

“The BMW M8 GTE development programme for our Le Mans comeback is in full swing,” said BMW Motorsport director Jens Marquardt. “Developing a new racing car is always exciting, and in the case of the BMW M8 GTE the anticipation is that much greater still. We can’t reveal any pictures yet, but I can promise you that the BMW M8 GTE will look spectacular. We are planning an initial roll-out for the first half of this year and are looking at giving the car its race debut in the Daytona 24 Hours in late January 2018.” - TradeArabia News Service