Luscious eight

Looks might be the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe’s USP, but there is much more to it than meets the eye as we discover having spent time with most practical member of the 8 Series range

- Dhruv Saxena

The BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe is a 4-door version of the regular 8 Series Coupe with the added practicality of more space without compromising on style. It goes up against the MercedesBenz CLS and the Porsche Panamera promising to deliver sports car like thrills while being able to ferry four occupants around.

A wide, low-slung stance coupled with a coupe-like sloping roofline that just about levels out before it merges with a subtle ducktail spoiler-Esque element accompanied by sleek LED tail lamps give the 8 Series Gran Coupe the head-turning looks expected from a car in this particular segment. The front end with its expansive hood, sharp headlamps and a kidney grille that, mercifully, is the right size help highlight the car’s sporty intentions. Compared to the regular 2-door 8, the GC is 231mm longer, 30mm wider and 61mm taller along with a 201mm increase in wheelbase. What’s also impressive is the fact that despite the difference in size, the Gran Coupe is just 70kg heavier than the 2-door version thanks to the plastic boot lid, the magnesium cockpit support and the use of carbon fibre reinforced plastic in the centre tunnel. This here is the entry-level 840i variant with 18-inch alloys, plenty of chrome all around and as mentioned earlier, it looks quite attractive, but it’s the M Sport variant that appeals more to me with its blacked-out grille, gloss black inserts, aggressive front and rear bumpers and tastier 19-inch wheels.

Likes Looks, driving experience, rear-seat legroom

Dislikes Lack of certain creature comforts in the entry-level variant