Ever since news broke that BMW would be dropping the 6 Series Coupe and Convertible, fans have been highly interested in the upcoming 8 Series. Not that a new BMW 8 Series doesn’t warrant attention on its own, but fans want to see what the next BMW grand-touring coupe will be like without the smaller 6 Series around.
Well, we’ve received some more spy photos of the BMW 8 Series, in both Coupe and Convertible spec, driving around Munich. While the spy photos don’t really offer anything we haven’t already seen, as there isn’t a difference in the way BMW’s camouflaged it, we do get more clear looks at it.
It’s very low, sleek and aggressive looking, which is good. Its overall profile is very attractive and we can see the beginnings of what will be a very sexy coupe. Just in the 8 Series body shape, it has all of the right elements for a proper grand tourer — long hood, short rear deck and muscular rear haunches.
In Convertible form, it looks extremely long, as the soft-top roof accentuates the car’s overall length. The length and shape actually remind me quite a bit of the Aston Martin DB9, still one of the best looking cars ever made. If the 8 Series can bring even half the charm of the DB9, it’s going to be a stunning car. I also like how BMW stuck with the soft-top roof, rather than going for a folding metal roof. The soft-top, while maybe not as “premium” to some buyers, offers more elegance than a metal roof. There’s a whiff of class to a fabric roof that a folding metal one doesn’t have. It’s why Rolls Royce still uses a soft-top, rather than a hard-top, for its convertible options.
Overall, I really like the way this BMW 8 Series is shaping up. In both Coupe and Convertible form, there’s a sort of refined aggression and muscularity to their designs. We won’t be able to see more of them for awhile but, from what we can tell, the future of the 8 Series looks bright.
[Photos: Matski]
