Rumors All that Talk about a BMW Supercar

[Zafiro]

BMW’s plans to unleash a new mid-engined supercar are firming up. Previously known as M1, the 600bhp supercar is now called M8 internally, and is being lined up as the flagship car to mark BMW’s 100th birthday in 2016.

M division boss Friedrich Nitschke has proposed that the M8 shares the exotic carbonfibre and aluminium underpinnings of the i8 plug-in hybrid due in 2014. The i8 has a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine mounted amidships to drive the rear wheels, supplemented by an electric motor turning the front axle. The combined output is 349bhp and 405lb ft of torque, sufficient to power the i8 from zero to 62mph in 4.6sec.

For the M8, however, the three-cylinder would be replaced by a twin-turbocharged V8, producing around 600bhp. That would slash the 0-62mph sprint time to around 3.0sec, and give the M8 a 200mph v-max – assuming BMW does the decent thing and derestricts its supercar. The M8 could end up being considerably lighter than mid-engined V8 rivals like the 1485kg Ferrari 458 and 1560kg Audi R8. The i8 donor car weighs 1480kg, and that’s with a 200kg penalty due to the batteries and motor.

Nitschke’s plan is compelling, and not just because of the performance figures. The approach would give BMW another revenue stream from the i8 components set, welcome news given plug-in hybrids’ slow start in the market. Now he has to convince BMW chairman Norbert Reithofer, not a natural sports car aficionado, whose dream sports car is i8 – not M8.

If the M8 does get the green light, it will be BMW’s first M8 to hit the market. Although one prototype version of the 1990s 8-series was converted into an M8 with a V12 and carbonfibre-spoked 17-inch rims, the project was mothballed. The V12 was said to kick out 580bhp – not far off the 2016 M8’s proposed output.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Secret-new-cars/Search-Results/Spyshots/BMW-M8-2016-supercar/

 

[PanterroR]

Let's dream it will finally happen...

 

[LaArtist]

Ile believe it when i see it..as always with BMW supercars

 

[mini_cooper4]

IF it happens this thing will cost 160k-200k EUR VAT excl. - IMO really worth it and I don't think a pricing over this is possible for a BMW M car.

 

[Wunderkind]

BMW supercars and halo cars are always ill-timed. I hope this time around, we will see it become a reality.

 

[chonkoa]

I will believe it when I see it.
I am sure there will be another rumour in 2016 suggesting a super-car in 2019.

 

[Hofmeister]

If this was to be launched by 06/03/16 then surely the development process would have to have started yesterday, no? I really really (!) want this to materialise, but, like others I agree that I will believe only when I see it

 

[Sovereign]

BMW M8 due in 2016 with 650 bhp and 250,000 EUR price tag - report
Based on the i8

New rumors are circulating the web about the BMW M8 which is allegedly due in 2016 to celebrate the brand's centennial year.
Car & Driver reports it will utilize the i8 platform and will be powered by an evolution of the 4.4-liter, direct-injection, V8 TwinPower Turbo inside the M5 (F10). The upgraded mill is expected to provide somewhere in the region of 600 - 650 bhp (447 - 484 kW) sent to wheels through a dual-clutch, eight-speed automatic transmission.
As far as styling are concerned, the same source indicates the M8 will adopt some retro design cues, while the body and structure will make use of lightweight materials like carbon fiber, magnesium, aluminum and titanium - all for the purpose of hitting a target weight of 2,760 lbs (1,252 kg).
Expect a price tag of approximately 250,000 EUR (about 326,000 USD / 211,100 GBP).
Note: BMW M1 Concept artist rendering pictured

Source: caranddriver.com

I hope that the car would look like this concept in the picture. It will be a very nice update on the legendary and beautiful M1 from the time when BMWs were really beautiful.

 

[SCOTT27]

No no . For the 100th anniversary each BMW brand and sub-brand will showcase something for 2016 but as concepts to begin with.

 

[Tumbo]

250,000 EUR ???

Good luck!

 

[Betty Swollocks]

No no . For the 100th anniversary each BMW brand and sub-brand will showcase something for 2016 but as concepts to begin with.

Ha ha!!! Seriously? So we're still three years away from just a concept?!!

 

[klier]

BMW presents concepts every year, so 2016 is no exception. Scott's a bit like those horoscopes in the newspaper.

250,000 EUR ???

Good luck!

If Audi can sell a car for that money, or close that money?

 

[tomazino]

If they make that car with weight of only 1250kg, the closest thing to that will be LaFerarri (over 1 milion EUR), so price of 250.000EUR is not too much. Not good comparation, but...

 

[Deckhook]

I don't believe you can look at the weight of the i8 and make an assumption the M8 will weight X amount, increasing power and speed demands everything to be beefed up accordingly. As for using Audi as an example isn't entirely the same thing that BMW will need to do, Audi basing their car on an already establish super car that cost significantly more was much easier task to make people buy into than a company with little experience/history in this field starting from scratch. That said if a brand like Lexus can do it then who knows and in any case there's little doubting BMW's ability to produce the goods.

 

[klier]

^ But the LFA isn't exactly lightweight at around 1550 kg...300kg still has to come off somewhere for an hypothetical 1250 kg.
But like you said, this BMW supercar would maybe be half as extreme as a LaFerrari, so 1250kg is much easier to obtain.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

If Audi can sell a car for that money, or close that money?

Ah yes. Holland. Once again you refer to your tiny domain and think that is representative of the rest of the world. The R8 V10 is nowhere near €250,000 in most countries, so no, it's NOT close to the price of an Audi.

And tell me young Klier, how many R8 V10's do you think Audi sold in Holland in the last 12 months?

 

[EnI]

Supercar? It's not happening.

There will be some (even very) special "100th anniversary" editions in 2016 but no supercar as a separate model. There's nothing like that in development! By now the design would have been chosen ... but there's nothing there.

There are other more sustainable ways to celebrate BMW's 100th anniversary ... Supercar is definitely NOT one of them.Times have changed. And are still changing. And as you can see BMW are not playing the "My d**k is bigger than yours" game anymore. The brand's image is strong & sound - even with supercar missing in the portfolio ever since 1981!!! So, 32 years without supecar in the portfolio, and I guess there will be another 32 at least.

i8 is BMW's THE sports car of the 21th century. Get over it.

But here will be plenty of M's (even enhanced ones) available. What else do you need? A toy? A collector's item? A wet dream?

Btw, ignore what M CEOs do say ... the are NOT the decision makers.
Garching does what Munich says it has to do!
Personal dreams & wishes of M CEOs are irrelevant. The decision is made in Munich, and Garching has to deliver it. Period.
In the reign of Herr Reithofer BMW AG CEO (since September 2006) there were 5 different M CEO's: Bruhnke, Richter (acting CEO), Willisch, Segler & now Nitschke ... And after Nitschke ... That absolutely does mean something, doesn't it?

 

[klier]

^^ how do you know there is nothing there regarding a design of a supercar? You would know how?

Not that I think there will be a super car coming from BMW at all, I am just curious

 

[EnI]

@klier

If there's no R&D process, no purchasing process, no logistics process in the going ... then there's also no design process as well, I assume.

 

[klier]

But such a project could he kept a secret wihin the orginisation or doesn't it work that way?