Video: BMW 8 Series Coupe Testing In Italy

The new G15 BMW 8 Series Coupe will be launched this year. As has become its practice over the last year, BMW is teasing us with a video of the car while it is still wearing its test-phase camouflage. In this particular video, the car is undergoing testing at the high-speed proving grounds in Aprilia, Italy.

Covered mostly with the new-style techno camouflage and seemingly devoid of the sheet metal screws that indicate fake plastic body panels on some BMW prototypes, the 8 Series in this video may be close to a production version of BMW’s new flagship luxury coupe.

Although we can get a good idea of most of the car’s styling, the camouflage is doing a great job of preventing us from seeing the exact nature of the Hofmeister kink behind a B pillar that is rather substantial for a coupe. The front and rear fascia look beefy and purposeful with the chin spoiler and large intakes in front and the trunk deck spoiler in the back.

BMW claims a close relationship between motorsports and series production. Perhaps that shows up in this video as the test car spends a lot of time drifting through corners. Could it be that BMW will give us a pure rear-wheel drive coupe that can be tossed through the turns with traction control turned off? Or might the car be available in an xDrive version with similar rear-drive bias and capabilities as found in the new BMW M5 Sedan? BMW does admit that the production coupe “is being developed parallel to and in close coordination with the BMW M8 and the racing BMW M8 GTE.

Based on the factory designations we have seen for the new G15 BMW 8 Series, there will also be a G14 BMW 8 Series Convertible and a G16 BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe for those fans of coupes with four doors.

Being big coupe enthusiasts, we are anxious to see the new 8 Series Coupe in all its uncamouflaged glory. Until then, this video of the car on the track will have to do, but we’re encouraged that BMW chose the track as the setting for this preview rather than mountains or other distracting scenery.—Scott Blazey

[Photo and video courtesy of BMW AG.]