BMW M8 Coupé, Track Test

Before I dish out the accolades, I have to get something out of the way first. Actually, it’s a bit more than one thing – it’s more like two crore and fifteen lakh things. Rupees to be exact! Because that’s how much an M8 will run you. Now, I can’t afford one, so I’m not going to make a value judgement. What I can tell you is that it costs more than a Porsche 911. But that’s more sports car, and this is more sports car & luxury grand tourer rolled into one.

Oh, and there are some more numbers of significance – 4.4-litres, 8-cylinders, twin-turbos, 600 horses, 750Nm, and 0 to 100km/h in an astounding 3.3 seconds, to point out a few. Luxury has never been quite this rapid! Now, if you want a track tool, get an M2 Competition, you’ll have a lot more fun. But, if you want a grand tourer that can keep up with any sports car on the planet, get an M8. An added bonus is the fact that it has an appropriately-sized kidney grille (unlike some other new BMWs), and, really, it looks absolutely stunning.

The thing with BMW’s chassis engineers is that they know a thing or two about making cars handle just right – no matter the size of the machine, or how much power they’re wielding. And that’s very much the case with the M8. Putting 600 horses down to the tarmac has never been this easy. Uneventful even. Honestly, any moron could have gotten into this car and claimed the ‘Performance Car of the Year’ crown for 2020. And that’s good because I was the said moron fortunate enough to do so.

Of course, when I say sports tourer and luxury car, I’m speaking in relative terms. The rear seats are usable only if you don’t have legs and the ride is punishing on our roads. But that V8 is an absolute joy to use. Big engines are a dying breed, but I just can’t see how an electric motor can match a screaming, growling, and ground shaking engine like this for drama and sheer occasion. That in itself is worth the price of admission alone. 

The M8 is a powerhouse that deserves to be preserved and enjoyed. So, if you can afford it, you owe it to the rest of us to buy one… 

And that’s what makes it a deserving recipient of our ‘Best of 2020’ award.

Best of 2020 << BACKNEXT >> 2020 Honda City