BMW has unveiled the all-new 8 Series Convertible in
November 2018 but the model is only now arriving in dealerships across Europe
and North America. The automaker recently organized the international media launch of
the 2019 8 Series Convertible in Faro, Portugal.
All the photos show the range-topping M850i xDrive
model but in Europe, the 8 Series Convertible is also available with a diesel
engine labeled 840d xDrive.
The latter features a 3.0-liter turbocharged
straight-six engine that delivers 320 PS at 4,400 rpm and 680 Nm of torque between 1,750 – 2,250 rpm. Mated to an eight-speed automatic
transmission and xDrive AWD, the 840d Convertible sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in
5.2 seconds and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h.
While those are respectable numbers, the 4.4-liter
twin-turbo V8 engine in the M850i xDrive is the better choice for those who
want more performance — at least until the M8 Convertible arrives. The power
plant delivers 530 PS at 5,500 – 6,000 rpm and 750 Nm of
torque between 1,800 – 4,600 rpm. Hooked to the same eight-speed auto and
standard xDrive system, the M850i Convertible accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in
3.9 seconds and is also limited at 250 km/h.
Unlike its coupe sibling, the 2019 BMW 8 Series
Convertible adopts a retractable soft top which raises or lowers in 15 seconds
at speeds up to 48 km/h. The cabriolet is also equipped with an
invisible automatic rollover protection system that becomes visible when
needed, deploying two high-strength aluminum roll bars within a fraction of a
second.
2019 8 Series models are priced from € 108,000 in
Germany (840d xDrive) and US$ 111,900 in the United States (M850i xDrive).
