2019 BMW 8 Series will be revealed in June, ahead of Le Mans
It'll be BMW's first time at Le Mans since 2011.
It feels like it's been years since BMW first announced the return of the 8 Series. Now, we finally know when it'll be revealed, and it turns out to be a pretty important date.
BMW will unveil the 2019 8 Series coupe on June 15, one day before the 24 Hours of Le Mans kicks off. It's an important weekend for BMW, because the following day it will return to the daylong endurance race for the first time in seven years -- the automaker will be fielding a pair of M8 GTE racecars based loosely on the 8 Series, so there's the tie-in.
The automaker tossed out a teaser alongside the announcement. Behind the M8 GTE is a completely uncovered 8 Series, albeit obscured with some pretty heavy blurring. If you've seen any recent version of the car in camouflage, you know what to expect -- a long, low coupe with slim lights and not-too-aggressive bodywork.
We don't yet know many details, but BMW did give us an early look at one specific trim back in April. The M850i xDrive will slot in beneath a forthcoming M8. Its 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 will put out 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, which is sent to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic. It packs standard adaptive suspension and four-wheel steering, so odds are it'll handle quite nicely.
We'll find out more in just over a month. Keep your eyes peeled to Roadshow when it's time for BMW to pull back the cover.
