BMW’s M850i Is a Tour de Force
If you prefer your Bavarian muscle cars with two doors instead of four, there’s good news: BMW has a new flagship coupe. The 8 Series is returning to BMW’s lineup after a 20-year absence.
Sadly, the new 8 Series doesn’t have the flip-up headlights of the original. What the new car does have, however, are all the high-tech gadgets, stitched leather, and immense horsepower BMW knows how to cram into a car.
It’s more luxurious than the old 6 Series, but the intent is the same. This 8 Series is a mature machine. Despite the M badge, the M850i is a soft grand tourer rather than a hard-edge sports car. Think: the Sea to Sky Highway, a road trip down California’s Highway 1, or a very, very posh means of transportation to the cottage.
Press all the right buttons and the M850i will get angry, loud, and snappy. But there’s always a sense that it’s just putting on a show for your entertainment. You see, despite having just two doors, the 8 Series is surprisingly practical. It has useful back seats — for children or luggage, at least. The trunk is cavernous, and all-wheel drive means you can use it year-round. It’s impossible to fault as an all-rounder, but it just whets our appetite for the full-jam M8.