Every year, the grounds of Grand Hotel Villa d’Este bordering the waters of Lake Como in Italy plays host to one of world’s most exclusive gathering of historic automobiles and motorcycles. Called “Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este”, the event is quite popular amongst automotive historians and enthusiasts. The 2017 edition is ongoing and BMW has used it to unveil the 8-Series Concept, the brand’s take on a luxury coupe of the not-so-distant future.
Expected to make it to production as early as 2018 with minimal changes, the concept previews the future design direction of the brand. And boy, does it look exciting!
With the 8-Series Concept, the designers at BMW have done a commendable job of mixing the iconic design cues of the past with an eye on the future.
Up front, the large kidney grille is placed lower and wider, flanked on either sides by laser-lit slim headlights with hexagonal detailing. Further emphasizing the car’s width are the large side air intakes in the bumper. The silhouette looks brilliant, with the long hood and the flowing roofline giving the car a fast and dynamic look. BMW’s expertise in surfacing comes to the fore on that scooped-out portion in the door that appears to have been formed by air gushing out of the side intakes. The massively-flared rear wheel arches take over seamlessly from there and lead to a dynamic rear that’s dominated by thin L-blade taillights stretching out to the flanks. How can we not drool over those gorgeous 21-inch light-alloy wheels that feature functional aero elements as well?
Giving not-so-subtle hints at the speed and power in store are the carbon-fiber diffuser, the twin trapezoidal tailpipes and the integrated lip spoiler. The front bumper also gets a carbon-fiber element between the two side air intakes.
The interiors in the 8-Series Concept are clearly amongst the best we have seen in a BMW. The flat-bottomed steering wheel looks fabulous with aluminium spokes that gravitate forward and the red-anodised shift paddles. The instrument cluster gets a TFT display with an all-new user interface and revised graphics. The cabin is tastefully appointed in Merino leather in Dark Brown and Fjord White accentuated by contrasting elements made of carbon-fiber and hand-polished aluminium. Further adding to the luxury quotient are the faceted ground gearshift lever and the iDrive Controller made from Swarovski glass with a smoky quartz finish! The slim sports seats are wrapped around a carbon-fiber shell and aimed at providing the driver and the passenger a snug and cossetting fit and feel.
Details of what’s under the hood aren’t known yet but the 8-Series is expected to share engines and transmissions with the brand’s current flagship, the 7-Series sedan. A faster and more powerful M8 is also in the works, some say, as is a roadster based on this. When the production version debuts sometime next year, the 8-Series will proudly sit atop BMW’s lineup, rivaling the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe.
If you can't have enough of the pictures, we suggest you fly to Italy right away. If you can't make it there before this Sunday, wait for the next movie in the Mission Impossible franchise. Tom Cruise might just be driving one of these!
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