BMW M8 Reportedly Going Away. Are The Other 8 Series Models Next?

Fans of the BMW 8 Series may have reason to be concerned. According to BMWBlog, dealers have been informed that the M8 Coupe will end production early next year, leaving the only M options for the Gran Coupe and the convertible versions. It seems like another sign that the days are numbered for the BMW’s big two-door, even if it’s not the end of the brand’s big engines.

It’s A Tough World For Two-Doors

Much as we enthusiasts like sleek two-door coupes and convertibles, the buying public just really doesn’t. Or at least, they don’t seem to like them in a form that isn’t an explicit sports car. Mercedes discontinued its two-door S-Class coupe and convertible a few years ago. Aston Martin has been shifting its image away from GT two-doors to more intense sports and track cars.

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The actual numbers provide some evidence, too. The 8 Series, in all its forms, was the fourth worst-selling model for the BMW brand in the U.S. in the last three quarters with 4,058 units sold. The three vehicles that sold worse were the Z4, XM and X2. The X2 is quite strange to see so low, but the XM is an extremely niche product, and the Z4, which is only available as a convertible, lacks some of the sporting image and name recognition of its twin, the Toyota Supra.

It’s Not Just BMW That Struggles

On the subject of Toyota, that company makes one of the few remaining real competitors to the 8 Series, the Lexus LC. It sells worse than the 8 Series with just 1,294 cars leaving the line in the last three quarters. Certainly, the Lexus LC and the BMW Z4 show that things could be worse for the 8 Series, but there are other contributing factors that make its future look bleak.

One of the big ones is simply that the 8 Series, even with its positioning, isn’t much of a halo product for the company at the moment. BMW can point to the far more famous and better selling M3, M4, and M5 when it wants to highlight its sporting capability. The XM was even developed specifically in mind as a special halo product for the M division.

And for BMW’s luxury, it has the 7 Series sedan and X7 SUV. The Z4 isn’t in great shape either, but it’s partly tied-up with the Toyota Supra, so it’ll probably linger a few more years along with the current Supra until the two companies decide to work on a successor, or if Toyota goes a different direction. Basically, the 8 Series isn’t doing much for BMW right now, and it doesn’t really need it. So we don’t see it lasting much longer.

BMW Is Far From Done With Performance Or Combustion

Although it’s specifically an M8 variant being discontinued, nobody should be worried about hot BMWs going away. BMW has obviously already launched a few hot hybrids with the plug-in hybrid-only XM SUV and new generation of M5. They both pack twin-turbo V8s and additional electric power to crank out from 644 to 717 horsepower, depending on model and configuration. M isn’t afraid of electrification, and that will most certainly apply to all-electric cars, too. In fact, the performance sub-brand has been revealing details of its planned quad-motor powertrains.

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That’s not to say the end of performance combustion BMWs is near, either. The company recently made it clear that it has both inline-six and V-8 engines ready for upcoming European emissions regulations. And the next M3 will have a hybrid six-cylinder option available. So, regardless of your powertrain preferences, there should be a fast BMW for you, as long as you’re not holding out for an 8 Series. In that case, you’d better grab one while you can.

Source:
BMWBlog