2019 BMW M8 Prototype Undergoes Testing In Estoril

As an 2019 BMW M8 prototype undergoes testing in Estoril, it won’t be long before the final production models become available next year. And the German car company has revealed a few details about the high-performance saloon as a result of the track time.

So we know that there will be a 2019 BMW M8 Coupe next year. And also planned are an M8 Convertible, plus an M8 Gran Coupe version.

As a high performance BMW you’d expect a decent amount of power. It seems you’ll get it from the high-revving V8 engine. With an M TwinPower Turbo it’s producing somewhere above 600hp (440 kW). And in order to get that translated to the Tarmac, there’s the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system with rear-wheel bias and 2WD mode. So you can choose to go for all-out grip, or something a bit more playful.

As you’d expect from an M series BMW, you get some M-specific suspension to deliver high levels of stability, steering and cornering. And the 2019 BMW M8 Coupe will also have further efforts to optimise the rigidity of the body structure. Plus the chassis components and mounting have also been designed for high levels of stiffness to help the handling.

The track time is also being used to find out the fuel consumption and economy figures. Which probably isn’t calculated by a test driver hammering around every corner sideways.

The figures being shares are 10.8 – 10.7 l/100 km (26.2 – 26.4 mpg). And you also get CO2 emissions at 246 – 243 g/km according to the latest European regulations.

So as the 2019 BMW M8 prototype undergoes testing in Estoril, you can start working on your justification for buying one when it arrives in dealers next year. And it’ll probably be around the handling performance rather than the fuel economy, if we’re being honest.

It’s also good to see how the 2019 M8 Coupe will look in the real world. Obviously the test car camo paint won’t be a standard option, but the big BMW does look pretty good. The aerodynamic scooped doors and body panels also help to make the car look a bit slimmer and more streamlined. And the rear end doesn’t look too bulbous, which it always a good thing.

Obviously any BMW M series at a race track has to pose next to a true racing model. But the 2019 BMW M8 Coupe holds up pretty well in comparison, and it’s definitely the version better suited to driving on UK roads.

So as the 2019 BMW M8 prototype undergoes testing in Estoril, the question is whether you’re looking forward to a test drive, or planning to put down a deposit next year?