- The 8 Series Gran Coupe makes its Indian debut
- Will be launched soon alongside the new-gen X6
BMW India has debuted the all-new 8 Series Gran Coupe in the country at a very unusual venue. The four-dour grand tourer from the Bavarian carmaker is showcased at the 2020 India Art Fair in New Delhi alongside the 1979 M1 Art Car.
The all-new 8 Series is a spiritual successor to the 6 Series Gran Coupe and is aimed at the likes of the Bentley Continental GT, Porsche Panamera and Mercedes-Benz GT4 Door. It is wider and longer than the 8 Coupe on which it is based and gets three seats in the second row, however, BMW says that ‘the third rear seat is suitable for use on short journeys only’.
When launched in India, the 8 GC is expected to be offered with three powertrain options – the 840i, 840d and the iconic M850i. The 40i is powered by a straight-six turbo-petrol with 340bhp/500Nm while the oil-burner 320bhp/640Nm. Under the hood of the M850i is a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 sending 530bhp and 750Nm to xDrive all-wheel-drive system.
Showcased for the first time on Indian soil, the M1 Art Car was commissioned by Andy Warhol for the fourth instalment after the 3.0 CSL and 320i Turbo. However, unlike the three art cars before him, Warhol opted to paint directly onto the M1 race car himself instead of letting technicians transfer his scale-model design to the car. It was indicated that Warhol spent only a total of 23 minutes to paint the entire car.
Both the 8 Series Gran Coupe and the M1 Art Car will be on showcase between 30 January and 2 February at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds in New Delhi.
