BMW is launching yet another special version of the 8 Series, and it’s called the Collector’s Edition. This marks the fourth special edition of the 8 Series after the most recent Golden Thunder, and while anything branded as a collector’s item is perhaps best taken with a grain of salt, the latest Eight is an interesting combination of colors and packaging. The only problem is that it’s available exclusively for Japan.
The 8 Series Gran Coupé Collector’s Edition is, as you might expect, only available in four-door form, and comes exclusively in either Aventurine Red, Azurite Black, Dravit Grey, or Tanzanite Blue, all of which are BMW Individual colors. When it comes to wheels, there’s just a single design: twenty-inch style 729 M multi-spoke wheels which come in a bicolor finish that have a bit of an Alpina appearance to them.
M Sport package is another element, and it adds another dimension of desirability to the 8 Series Gran Coupé Collector’s Edition thanks to accentuated aerodynamics in places like the bumpers and side skirts, along with the addition of a rear diffusor. The sole interior upholstery choice is Ivory White Merino leather, which is paired with a contrasting Alcantara headliner.
Finally, the 8 Series Gran Coupé Collector’s Edition is sold exclusively as an 840i, which means it has 335 horsepower from 5,000 to 6,500 rpm and 369 pound-feet of torque from 1,600 to 4,600 on tap from its B58 turbocharged inline-six cylinder engine. While that’s plenty of power, it’s hard not to be left wanting more from something like the M850i, which has an N63 V8 making 523 horsepower and 553 found-feet of torque, while the S63-powered M8 Competition is among the fastest production cars available.
The 8 Series Gran Coupé Collector’s Edition is available exclusively for the Japanese market and can be purchased for a limited time starting April 8 until the end of June. Even with the odd choice of sticking with a six-cylinder, the special edition 8 Series shows that contemporary design doesn’t have to be garish or over-the-top, but can instead be tasteful and restrained. With that being said, it remains hard to top the 8 Series Individual Night Sky, which includes actual meteorite fragments in the cabin and lightweight brake calipers made using additive manufacturing, among much more.—Alex Tock
[Photos courtesy BMW AG.]
