2020 BMW M8 Review

BMW M8 Competition Convertible Exterior Shown

+35

The M8 Competition is BMW's tour de force. It shows that BMW still has what it takes to make a beast of a performance car but one with satisfying comfort and luxury. It might not be built as an exotic from the ground up, but the M8 is able to deliver a supernatural driving experience.

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BMW M8 model years

BMW M8 for Sale

2022
2020

BMW M8 types

Convertible
Coupe

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2020 BMW M8 Review

byKurt Niebuhr^{Senior Vehicle Test Editor
Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of Edmunds' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.}

Pros

Stunning acceleration
Extra performance capabilities do not impinge on luxury
Decent-size trunk
Excellent ride quality

Cons

Bigger and heavier than competition
Lacks the raw performance of some rivals
Interior is a little button-heavy

What's new

All-new high-performance version of the 8 Series
Turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 makes up to 617 hp
2020 marks the introduction of the BMW M8

Overview

After a nearly 20-year absence, BMW brought back the 8 Series for 2019. As an encore, there's the 2020 BMW M8. The M8 treatment extends across the entirety of the 8 Series body lineup, with not only the two-door coupe benefitting from the extra performance but also the convertible and stylish Gran Coupe sedan.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 BMW M8 2dr Coupe AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.98 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$281/mo

$163/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

Calculate my fuel costs

The M8 comes with a 600-horsepower turbocharged 4.4-liter V8. It's also fitted with an adaptive suspension and a sport-tuned all-wheel-drive system. You can even select a rear-wheel-drive mode, should you like going sideways just as much as you like going forward. Extra performance can be had via the Competition package, which bumps the horsepower to 617 and offers further tuning to the suspension.

If the M8 looks to be an attractive option, the Porsche 911 would like a word with you since it offers more nimble handling and more options for personalization. Another fantastic option is the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, which offers similar performance and comfort but lacks the M8's somewhat usable back seat.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Great

8.1

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

8.5/10

How does the M8 drive? Acceleration is like the Starship Enterprise jumping into warp speed. In our testing of an M8 Competition coupe, we recorded 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds and a quarter-mile in 11.2 seconds at 125 mph. There's so much power. The brakes feel equally potent and stopped our car in 106 feet from 60 mph. They're also easy and smooth around town. This is a larger and heavier car than most in its class, but you wouldn't know it from these numbers.

The M8 delivers surprisingly agile handling, tracking through curves with a high amount of grip and confidence. The steering doesn't have quite the engagement of other sports cars of this ilk, but the M8 is responsive and it goes where you point it. When you're not trying to blast into orbit, the M8's effortless power and smooth-shifting transmission feel simply luxurious.

Comfort

8/10

How comfortable is the M8? The M8 Competition is proof that BMW knows how to balance performance and comfort. The cabin is solid and well isolated from most noise, save for that nice burly V8 when you lean on it. Ride comfort is shockingly good. It doesn't matter if you're on a rough patch of road or a smooth freeway, the suspension does a great job of controlling motion and softening impacts. It's even comfortable enough to leave in Sport mode for a majority of the time.

The front seats are well cushioned and bolstered in all the right places and have a lot of adjustment. They offer plenty of support yet retain their comfort unlike some of the more extreme seats you'd find in this class. The rear seats aren't nearly as comfortable, but they're far more livable than those in, say, the 911. Climate controls take some familiarization but work just fine.

Interior

7.5/10

How’s the interior? Getting in and out of the front seats is easy except in tight parking spots due to the long doors. Rear-seat access is challenging, but that's typical for a two-plus-two coupe. There's an abundance of space for front occupants plus plenty of adjustment range for the driver. The rear seats, again, aren't very spacious or comfy but still a lot better than others in this class.

Visibility out front is mostly decent except for thick windshield pillars that can impede your view through left turns. The over-the-shoulder view is a bit compromised as well due to the thick rear pillars. Blind-spot sensors definitely help when driving and a high-res screen and 360-degree camera really improve parking situations. We like that you can interact with the vehicle via touchscreen, rotary controller or through voice commands but wish there were fewer buttons and a better menu structure.

Technology

8/10

How’s the tech? The M8's strength in technology comes primarily from a wealth of driver aids and voice interface. The driver aids are what you would expect at this level: adaptive cruise, surround-view parking camera, etc., and it all works really well. The voice assistant is state of the art and recognizes natural speech for all types of commands for the onboard navigation, audio and even climate (it works on the ventilated seats). But it's still not quite as advanced or quick as the Mercedes system.

The optional Bowers & Wilkins audio system delivers great sound and feels worthy of the price tag. The M8's onboard navigation is easy to use. Wireless Apple CarPlay smartphone integration is also included. (Android Auto arrives later this year.) There are more than enough USBs and power ports for all your charging needs.

Storage

8/10

How’s the storage? Compared to the typical exotic, the M8 has a good amount of storage. It's a larger coupe for this class so there's just more interior space to start. The trunk's wide opening and low liftover height are nice, but the inside area narrows quite a bit between the rear suspension. Still, there's 14.8 cubic feet available, and the seats fold down close to flat to help accommodate longer items.

Small-item storage space isn't abundant. But there's a small console in front of the cupholders, a nice-size armrest bin and glovebox, and decent door pockets. Car seat accommodation is quite limited since the space is tight, but at least the anchors are relatively easy to access.

Fuel Economy

7.5/10

How’s the fuel economy? The M8 Competition coupe is EPA-estimated to return 17 mpg in combined driving (15 city/21 highway). This is respectable for the class. Admittedly, owners of these vehicles aren't likely to be too concerned with fuel efficiency.

During our 115-mile evaluation route, which equally covers highways, mountain roads and city streets, we were shocked to get 23 mpg. During our two weeks with the M8, we were able to average 17.2 mpg. That easily matches the EPA estimate, and we'd like to note that the onboard fuel computer was pretty close with our calculations.

Value

8/10

Is the M8 a good value? Every penny you spend on an M8 seems justified. It has superb build quality and has more to offer for the price. For instance, the M8 Competition is comparable to a Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C and Porsche 911 GT3 Touring but has more usable interior room and more luxury per dollar.

BMW's warranty and ownership perks are as good as, if not better than, most in this group with basic and powertrain warranties at four years/50,000 miles and roadside assistance for four years. BMW also offers complimentary maintenance for three years/36,000 miles.

Wildcard

9/10

BMW has spent a lot of time making sport sedans, so it's easy to forget that it's still capable of building some Ultimate Driving Machines. The M8 may not be an exotic from the ground up, but it shows the brand can compete at a very high level.

Which M8 does Edmunds recommend?

It might not seem like much of a difference on paper, but the revised suspension, as well as the extra horsepower, of the Competition have won us over. To that, we'd add the carbon-ceramic brakes as well as the upgraded Bowers & Wilkins audio system. The Driving Assistance Professional package is a nice-to-have because of its surround-view camera system and front and rear parking sensors.

2020 BMW M8 models

The 2020 BMW M8 is a high-performance version of the 8 Series. It comes as a coupe or convertible. (The four-door Gran Coupe is reviewed separately.) Like most current BMW M models, the M8 is available in two trims: the standard version and higher-performance Competition.

Both come with a turbocharged 4.4-liter V8, an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The base power output is 600 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. The Competition is slightly more powerful at 617 hp.

M8
Notable standard features include:

20-inch wheels with performance tires
Heated front seats and steering wheel
Dual-zone automatic climate control
LED headlights
M Sport seats
Leather upholstery

It also comes with:

Wireless Apple CarPlay integration
16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system
Digital instrument cluster
10.25-inch central touchscreen
Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)

Competition
Has the same standard features but adds performance and appearance upgrades such as:

M Sport exhaust system
Different wheels
Black exterior trim
Revised suspension for better handling
Track drive mode that sets up the car for optimum track-based performance

Options available on both trims include:

Driving Assistance Professional package

Traffic-adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go
Lane keeping assist (steers the M8 back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
Semi-automated steering for certain roads and conditions

Night vision with pedestrian detection
Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound system
M carbon-ceramic brakes

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2020 BMW M8.

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Most helpful consumer reviews

Go back to the M6 shape and more

Q Skydiver, 02/26/2022

2020 BMW M8 Competition 2dr Convertible AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo 8A)

Been driving M8 Competition Convertible for a couple of years now. Drove M6 for 8 years. I wish they had just put all the performance features of the M8 Comp in the M6 design and call it good. M6 Convertible looks so much nicer the the M8. Reducing the rear seat leg room, TERRIBLE idea, Who the heck came up with that idea? Rear Wind deflector, put the glass back on there. Can't …

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2020 BMW M8 videos

Drag Race! BMW M8 vs. Ford Shelby GT500 — Sport Coupe Drag Race — 0-60 Performance, Specs & More

In this drag racing video, we took a 2020 BMW M8 Competition and put it up against our very own 2020 Ford Shelby GT500 in a battle of high-performance sport coupes. Which car had the better 0-60 time? The 600-hp M8 or the 760-hp Shelby GT500? How much of an advantage does all-wheel…

2020 M8 Highlights

Type:

Convertible

Trim:

Base

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$142,500
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	17 MPG
Cost to Drive	$281/month
Seating	4 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	12.4 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the M8 models:

Evasion Aid: Helps mitigate an accident by proactively swerving, if appropriate, to avoid a front collision.
Traffic Jam Assistant: Helps keep the car centered in the lane and follows the car in front in stop-and-go traffic.
Active Protection System: Automatically tensions seat belts, closes windows and sunroof, and activates the brakes when it detects an imminent collision.

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2020 BMW M8 Review

2020 BMW M8 Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 BMW M8 2dr Coupe AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.98 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which M8 does Edmunds recommend?

2020 BMW M8 models

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2020 BMW M8.

Trending topics in reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

Go back to the M6 shape and more

2020 BMW M8 videos

Drag Race! BMW M8 vs. Ford Shelby GT500 — Sport Coupe Drag Race — 0-60 Performance, Specs & More

2020 M8 Highlights

Safety

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2020 BMW M8 Review

2020 BMW M8 Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 BMW M8 2dr Coupe AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.98 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which M8 does Edmunds recommend?

2020 BMW M8 models

Most helpful consumer reviews

Go back to the M6 shape and more

2020 BMW M8 videos

Drag Race! BMW M8 vs. Ford Shelby GT500 — Sport Coupe Drag Race — 0-60 Performance, Specs & More

2020 M8 Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2020 BMW M8 info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop similar models

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Bmw

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 BMW M8 2dr Coupe AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.98 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}