2018 BMW M8 – we peel back the camo of M’s new flagship

HOLD onto your lederhosen and behold what could be the sexy curves of the BMW M8.

Full disclosure, this isn’t an official rendering. It is the work of Wheels’ resident com-gen guru Brendan Wise, who has mocked up plenty of production car predictions and come scarily close more than a few times.

We set him to task on the camo-clad BMW M8 prototype that was revealed at the Nurburgring 24 Hour last month, and this is what he served back.

With the 8 Series concept as inspiration, Wise has been able to peel back the camouflage and bring to life a realistic prediction of what BMW’s new halo super-coupe will look like.

The M8 will be the cherry on top of the 8 Series’ already distinctive design. As a base, the delicious curves of the 8 Series Concept gives BMW’s stylists plenty to work with, and Wheels understands the family will encompass Coupe, four-door Gran Coupe and drop-top Cabriolet body styles – just like the current 6 Series range.

Sadly, the flagship model won’t be rocking an iconic 12-cylinder engine this time around.

Despite the stillborn M8 project of the 1990s having an orchestral bent-12 under its wedge-shaped snout, the modern iteration will be sticking to a proven twin-turbo eight-cylinder recipe, likely to be plucked from under the bonnet of the upcoming new-generation M5.

The prototype M8 has been filmed revving, idling, and generally shouting at anyone who approaches its snarling maw while on display in Germany.

While not as operatic as an atmo V12, it certainly sounds like the M8 will have the bark to match its hopefully substantial on-track bite.

Before it appears on road, the M8 will debut at Daytona International Speedway early next January in GTE racecar spec. The engine for the racecar is likely to be the same 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 that powers the M6 GT3 racer.