Almost thirty years after the debut of the first-generation BMW 8 Series, the Bavarian brand has launched another. Well, it’s launched a concept of another but that concept will become a production car quite soon. At the moment, this new concept 8 Series has the entire automotive world buzzing, as it’s a successor to one of the brand’s most beloved models.
The first-gen 8 Series, which debuted back in 1989, was a flawed car. It was big, heavy and a bit too soft to handle as well as its sharp design and muscular engines promised. However, time really does cure a lot, as the first-gen 8er has become very popular among BMW enthusiasts as of late. So which car is better looking, the popular classic or the exciting newcomer?
This video gives us a good look at both cars’ styling up close and side-by-side, allowing for easy comparison.
What’s interesting is how similar the proportions of both cars are. Both cars are long, low and sleek, with short rear decks, long hoods and relatively long overhangs. They’re both classic sports cars, as far as their styling goes. Both cars even have similar hood creases, though the new car’s are larger.
That’s really the main theme hear, as the new car is bigger, more aggressive and more exaggerated in every way. Admittedly, this 8 Series Concept is exactly that, a concept, so it’s design will change and become less dramatic once it reaches production. But you still get the idea.
Inside, things are remarkably similar, yet again. They both feature a very driver-oriented cockpit with a sort of cascading waterfall effect for the center console. The biggest difference is obviously the manual gear lever in the old car and the funky little electronic automatic shift lever in the new car. A sign of the times.
When the BMW 8 Series concept first debuted, fans were constantly comparing it to the now-defunct 6 Series Coupe but it’s more of a faithful recreation of the original 8 Series. That’s something that should be celebrated by fans because, while the O.G. 8er was flawed, it was a stunning looking car.
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