Photo: BMW
Recognized as the Design of the Year by Automobile magazine, the revived BMW 8 Series coupe has no trouble turning heads. This large, powerful coupe stands out among industry-wide cutbacks on passenger cars. But even in a market dominated by SUVs, the BMW 8 Series makes a statement with both classic styling and new design innovations. Here’s a look at the history and styling of this sophisticated heavyweight cruiser.
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The BMW 8 Series first arrived on the scene in 1990 and ended its run in 1999. It made a triumphant return in 2018, with fresh styling. The prestigious coupe still sports BMW’s iconic twin-kidney grille. However, BMW’s famous “Hofmeister kink” is nowhere to be found. It’s been replaced by a streamlined daylight-opening profile that mirrors the elongated design of the 8 Series’ doors. Complex flame surfacing adorns the coupe’s body side surfaces, lending its design both softness and complexity.
BMW’s Individual Manufaktur customization team is hard at work putting a gorgeous and unique spin on the already-impressive 8 Series. The one-of-a-kind BMW M850i Night Sky evokes a starry nightscape with its glittering black exterior. But its aesthetic runs more than skin-deep — the design team incorporated real meteorites into the cabin’s start button, selector lever, and touch controller. BMW even emblazoned other interior surfaces with a geometric design based on the Widmanstatten patterns, found exclusively in extraterrestrial materials.
Another spectacular, exclusive model is the First Edition M850i, with a limited run of 400 cars. Its interior boasts refined leather upholstery, finished in Ivory White and Night Blue, evoking BMW’s iconic logo.
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Whether you can get your hands on a special edition BMW 8 Series or not, it’s easy to appreciate BMW’s commitment to breaking new ground, pushing the limits, and elevating automobile design. Thanks to its sophisticated styling, BMW 8 Series has earned its place as a star amongst the most luxurious and prestigious coupes on the road.
Sources: Automobile, Autocar, BMW Group, BMW Group
Kimiko Kidd is a native Daytonian. She graduated from Wright State University with degrees in environmental science and sociology. She loves her trusty old Honda Civic, but dreams of owning a 1974 Ford Falcon XB with a custom paint job and a vintage Kawasaki Z1000. In her free time, Kimiko can be found watercolor-painting, baking muffins, collecting rocks, playing old-school Nintendo games, writing her novel, sewing stuffed animals, and cosplaying as her favorite Mad Max characters. See more articles by Kimiko.
