2023 BMW 8 Series Gets Mid-Cycle Update, No Performance Upgrades
While rumour has it that BMW is thinking about merging the 4 Series and 8 Series models into a single lineup sometime around 2026, possibly marking the return of the 6 Series nameplate, the German automaker is giving its top-line car a series of tweaks and updates for the 2023 model year.
You see, the 8 Series—available in Coupe, Cabriolet and four-door Gran Coupe body styles—has now reached the midpoint of its current generation. No changes have been made under the hood, but the design is slightly refreshed.
- Also: 2022 BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe: Meet Germany’s Everest
- Also: This is the New 2020 BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe
For example, there’s a new illuminated kidney grille with black U-shaped bars. It lights up when the car is unlocked or when a door is opened, but the driver can also turn it on or off manually. Redesigned bumper intakes, aerodynamic mirror caps and new 20-inch wheel designs are other highlights, along with four new body colours including Skyscraper Grey Metallic, San Remo Green Metallic, M Portimao Blue Metallic and BMW Individual Frozen Tanzanite Blue Metallic.
The M Sport Package now comes standard on the 8 Series. Like the new M Performance Package for the eight-cylinder models, it includes the M High Gloss Shadow Line with extended features, brake calipers in black, the M Shadow Line lights with dark inserts (available for the first time) and a black M rear spoiler for the 8 Series Coupe.
As an option, all models of the 2023 BMW 8 Series have the classic “BMW Motorsport” logo on the hood, trunk and wheel hub covers instead of the usual BMW emblems. With its staggered semi-circles in blue, purple and red, the anniversary emblem is reminiscent of the original BMW M GmbH trademark that was first used on racing cars in 1973.
Inside, the BMW Live Cockpit Professional is standard, combining a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with an equally sized touchscreen (previously 10.25 inches) powered by the seventh generation of iDrive (not iDrive 8 like in BMW’s new electric vehicles).
The twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 engine continues to generate 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque in M850i xDrive configuration, or 617 horsepower and 553 pound-feet in the M8 Competition. For 2023, the latter is available with full leather Merino/Alcantara in the new Black/Sakhir Orange colour variant.
Production of the 2023 BMW 8 Series models will begin in March. Canadian pricing has yet to be announced, but in the U.S. the company chose to retain the same pricing structure as in 2022, so that’s good news.