This is the facelifted BMW 8 Series range, not that you’d notice it

Believe it or not but the BMW 8 series in current guise has been around since 2018. In those 4 years only a limited number of the flagship grand tourer have sold but as every automaker does, a mid-cycle refresh may reinvigorate sales. The facelifted BMW 8 Series coupe seeks to do just that for the Bavarian brand, although the subtle changes are almost non-existent to the untrained eye.

Treatment across the range; the two-door Coupe and Convertible models as well as the four-door Gran Coupe, all receive subtle tweaks.

For the reason of its underperforming sales, decision makers at the Munich HQ have kept the updates budget friendly with small touches here and there. Unfortunately this direction won’t give the facelifted BMW 8 Series range the impact it needs to really perform well in its segment and gain market share from other premium rivals but in the same breath it has fortunately been spared the nostril treatment in house designers have been crazing over.

Spot the difference? The illuminated grille on the facelifted 8 Series should be the giveaway.

Alas, the small changes found subtly throughout the grand tourer should be appreciated. With the premium that the new 8 Series comes with, BMW has logically opted to replace the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with its 12.3-inch Live Cockpit Professional display. 

The plush interior remains but this time with a 12.3-inch Live Cockpit Professional display.

The 2023 derivative will also receive a new illuminated grill with redesigned vertical bars while the most significant changes to the mild update have been implemented on the M850i xDrive coupe, convertible, and Gran Coupe models. Now equipped with mirrors stolen off the BMW M8 and an M badge perched on the grille. An optional M Sport Package Professional for the M850i xDrive coupe gets exterior bits painted in black. Luckily, the illuminated grill that glows into life once unlocked or when a door is opened can be manually turned off. 

A sleek looking M Sport Package Professional with dark accents.

On the topic of colours; a wide range of five new ones can be chosen when speccing a facelifted BMW 8 Series. These include Skyscraper Grey metallic, San Remo Green metallic, Portimao Blue metallic, BMW Individual Frozen Tanzanite Blue metallic, and Frozen Pure Grey. The process also includes two two new optional wheel choices for prospective buyers. 

The updates have been implemented across the range.

While things mostly say the same in the powertrain department, no information has been provided on the 840d variant meaning it’s probably been given the axe. There is still the 3.0-litre, six-cylinder turbo-petrol motor in the rear-wheel drive 840i and the the 4.4-litre turbocharged V8 petrol engine is employed in both the M850i xDrive and M8 Competition. 

 

No pricing information has been provided but we can expect further details closer to its local launch from around the third quarter of 2021.

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