Overview The BMW 8-series Gran Coupe is a modern blueblood in the sports-sedan mold. With four doors and room for five, the Gran Coupe offers a choice of either a smooth and stout turbocharged six-cylinder or a mighty twin-turbocharged V-8, both mating to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The chassis is built for comfort and speed in equal doses, excelling in sinewy backroad exercise sessions and high-speed extended travel, though it’s reasonably adept in tighter situations too. Interior furnishings are appropriately lavish, though rear headroom can be tight thanks to its aggressive roofline. Along with rivals including the Audi S7 and the Mercedes-AMG GT four-door, the BMW 8-series Gran Coupe delivers power and indulgence in spades. What’s New for 2026? The 2026 BMW 8-series Gran Coupe carries over unchanged to the 2026 model year; if you’re interested in other body styles, the 8-series is also offered as a two-door coupe and convertible.Pricing and Which One to BuyThe price of the 2026 BMW 8-series Gran Coupe is expected to start around $91,975 and go up to $153,000 depending on the trim and options.The V-8 M850i commands a hefty price premium over the six-cylinder 840i, but there’s a lot of heritage behind BMW’s inline-six engines. We think it’s wiser to spend those savings on the M Sport Package, which includes M Sport brakes, a more aggressive body kit, black exterior trim, and more. We also recommend checking the box for the Comfort Seating package to add heated front and rear seats, ventilated front seats, and—for maximum privacy—rear electric sunshades. Engine, Transmission, and Performance The 840i is powered by a 335-horsepower, 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine and eight-speed automatic transmission with either rear- or all-wheel drive. Then there’s the M850i with a far more muscular 523-horsepower, 4.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V-8 and standard all-wheel drive. If that’s still not enough power for you, seek out the 617-hp M8 Gran Coupe (reviewed separately). Yet the Alpina B8, with 612 horsepower, is nearly as quick as the M8. When trying to characterize its performance, a lot of commonly used adjectives come to mind—words like rocket and missile. While none of the 8-series models are blessed with much road feel through the helm, the rest of their dynamics and performance more than make up for that. This is one car that feels more engaging and enthusiastic the harder you work it.0–60-MPH TimesThe rear-wheel drive 840i hit 60 mph in 4.6 seconds in our testing and managed a 4.3-second rip with all-wheel drive. The M850i is quicker, with a 60-mph sprint of 3.5 seconds; the Alpina B8 is even more rapid, accomplishing the same feat in 3.1 seconds, a couple of eye-blinks—six-tenths of a second—slower than the M8 Gran Coupe.More on the 8-Series Gran Coupe SedanFuel Economy and Real-World MPG The EPA hasn’t released any fuel economy information for the 2026 8-series Gran Coupe yet, but the 2025 840i with rear- or all-wheel drive earned ratings of 19 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined. The 850i and Alpina B8 earned EPA ratings of 17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 19 combined. Tests on our 75-mph fuel-economy route saw the rear-drive 840i return an impressive 34 mpg highway, while the all-wheel-drive 840i saw 30 mpg, and the M850i earned 28 mpg. For more information about the BMW 8-Series Gran Coupe’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.Interior, Comfort, and CargoOpulent and understated, the Gran Coupe’s cabin is much like that of the two-door 8-series coupe and convertible. It’s fitted with the amenities you’d expect, including a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless charging, a head-up display, ambient lighting, leather upholstery, and a panoramic sunroof. But you can opt for a more luxurious headliner, glass switches, and multipurpose front seats with more adjustment options. Even with the standard thrones, you’ll find the Gran Coupe provides an extremely pleasant driving position with a perfectly positioned dead pedal. Forward visibility is excellent, but the view is more limited looking rearward. Headroom is limited in the rear seat due to its fastback roofline. Cargo room seems better, though, as 15 carry-on suitcases fit inside with its rear seat folded. With the seats in place, Gran Coupe swallowed five suitcases in the trunk.The Car and Driver DifferenceInfotainment and ConnectivityWhile the 8-series Gran Coupe may lack the Times Square garishness of some of its rivals’ dashboard displays, its 12.3-inch digital infotainment touchscreen proves easy to use. If you’d rather, the interface can be controlled by an ancillary rotary controller and six shortcut buttons on the center console; voice commands also accomplish the same tasks. As you’d expect, Apple CarPlay, charging ports, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot come standard. As you might not expect, Android Auto is AWOL. The optional Bowers & Wilkins stereo system provides impressive sound, although not quite as impressive as the turbocharged V-8. A Harman/Kardon stereo system is standard.How to Buy and Maintain a CarSafety and Driver-Assistance FeaturesThe Bimmer offers some standard driver-assistance technology such as forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, and lane-departure warning, but more advanced equipment costs extra. For more information about the 8-series Gran Coupe’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
- Standard automated emergency braking and lane-departure warning
- Available lane-keeping assist
- Available adaptive cruise control
Warranty and Maintenance CoverageEvery BMW includes a limited and powertrain warranty that aligns with luxury competitors from Audi and Mercedes-Benz. BMW also offers one of the best complimentary maintenance plans in the industry.
- Limited warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
- Complimentary maintenance is covered for 3 years or 36,000 miles
SpecificationsSpecifications
2020 BMW 840i Gran Coupe
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED
$96,695 (base price: $85,895)
ENGINE TYPE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve inline-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 183 cu in, 2998 cc; Power: 335 hp @ 6500 rpm; Torque: 368 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): multilink/multilink
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 3 ZP, F: 245/35R-20 95Y ★ R: 275/30R-20 (97Y) ★
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 119.0 in; Length: 200.2 in; Width: 76.1 in; Height: 55.2 in; Passenger volume: 97 cu ft; Trunk volume: 16 cu ft; Curb weight: 4201 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
Zero to 60 mph: 4.7 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 11.8 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 17.6 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 5.2 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.6 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.4 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.3 sec @ 106 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 129 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 161 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.95 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 21 mpg
75-mph highway driving: 34 mpg
Highway range: 610 miles
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 24/22/29 mpg
2022 BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base: $140,895
ENGINE TYPE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 268 in3, 4395 cm3; Power: 612 hp @ 6500 rpm; Torque: 590 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION:
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 119.0 in
Length: 200.4 in
Width: 76.1 in
Height: 56.0 in
Passenger Volume: 97 ft3
Trunk Volume: 16 ft3
Curb Weight (C/D est): 4800 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.1 sec
100 mph: 6.9 sec
1/4-Mile: 11.2 sec
Top Speed: 201 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 19/17/24 mpg
–
–
–
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
–
–
-More Features and Specs
Source: caranddriver.com