2019 BMW M850i Convertible: A grand tourer you'll just want to drive

[MUSIC] [INAUDIBLE] Are all about Enjoying the drive and enjoying the road because when I think of best versions of GT cars, they're often convertibles. Like, for instance this BMW 8 series convertible. This one is the M850i which means that in addition to being a great way to soak up some UV rays, unless you're driving to Michigan, like today, its also got a ton of performance under the hood. [MUSIC] This 2019 BMW 8 series is really a car that's gonna get stared at. Whether it's parked out front of the valet line or blasting down the highway. It's long, it's low, it's wide, it looks really good and very sporty from every angle, Especially with the top down. In recent years I don't know if BMW has made a lot of really beautiful cars but this eight series drop top is about as good as it gets. [BLANK_AUDIO] Now the powered soft top can be raised or lowered in just 15 seconds at the touch of a button. When the roof is up it actually does a really good job of keeping wind and road noise out of the cabin This car also has a feature that makes it easier to use the convertible top down in more weather conditions. It can blow warm air out of the headrest on to the back of your neck similar to the air star feature in Mercedes convertibles. And as I found out today, that's really nice when it's 52 degrees and you've got the top down. the first impression when you get behind the wheel of the 8 series is that it's just so incredibly pleasant to drive, and that it starts with the right quality. The suspension is really creamy over very sort of road surface, and that'll make it do in long distances in this car much more pleasant. That also applies to the power trainer you've got, this really gentle, progressive, throttle tip, and makes it easy to drive in city traffic The transmission is so smooth you can never tell when it shifts, and all of that adds up to a car that just really lovely to drive and easy to drive. In fact, probably the only downside to driving this car every single day is fuel economy. It's rated for 17 miles per gallon city, and 26 mpg highway, but so far even with some stints on the highway, I've been averaging closer to 16 to 17 miles per gallon. But that might be because I've been driving it a little bit enthusiastically. [SOUND] Now, it's probably because there's an M at the front of this car's badge. Now, it's not a true M car, that we know that a real BMW M8 is coming later this year. But the MA 50 still has quite a lot of power. In thanks to that 4.40 liter twin turbo V8 serves up 523 horsepower, a 553 pound feet of torque. And because we've got a standard all wheel drive, it gets off the line really quickly, 0 to 60 having in just 3.8 seconds BMW says That's actually quicker than the M3, which is pretty fantastic. [BLANK_AUDIO] This car is so quick all of the time. But what's interesting about is that because you've got such consistent torque delivery all across this engine's rev range, it somehow almost doesn't always feel quite as quick as it is, just because you've got such consistent power the whole time. The engine also sounds really good. It's difficult to make turbocharged performance cost sound exciting when you're not driving them at Full Throttle. But in this eighth series you got this lovely burble and growl and Grumble from this engine even in Comfort mode. Make sure that you know, yeah. I've got a V8 under the. [NOISE] Throwing it through corners, the 8 series has tons of grip on offer and it's incredibly accurate as you're choosing your line through a bend. Frankly, it's much more capable out here than I can really use on a public road like this. [NOISE] And it's actually quite impressive that the car handles as well as it does, because It's pretty heavy, it's 258 pounds heavier than the eight series coupe, at about 4700 pounds. And that's even with the fact that there's aluminum used for a lot of body panels and there's even carbon fiber reinforced plastics in the center tunnel. So the fact that it feels as lithe, and small, and agile, as it does on the road is really a testament to how well sorted the Chassis. Other engineering highlights on this car include, laser headlights, yes, really laser headlights, a big 12.3 inch color instrument clustering front of me, wireless phone charging, BMW latest I drive seven Infotainment system. If you want more information on this infotainment system, we've got a separate video running down all of its features, on our YouTube channel and at theroadshow.com. As for other parts of this cabin, it's really nicely designed in here. My car has the optional glass controls package. What that means is that shifter, infotainment knob, and start stop button are made from glass, and they look Fantastically cool, it's kind of like having a prison there with all this cool light refractions, very nice, there's also this metal mesh texture that looks very modern, and pretty much every other service in that is covered with stitched leather, so we're told inside of the 8th series feels and look. It's really nice. Now as in any four seat convertible like this, back seat room is a bit limited. I can fit and sit back there, but I wouldn't want to do it for a long journey. Trunk space is pretty good. 12.4 cubic feet is a little bit less that in the 8 serious coupe because the convertible top stows in the trunk, you don't have a lot of height. Do you go on a long trip, you 're probably gonna wanna take a soft sided bags. [MUSIC] Priced from just over $122,000, BMW 6 series convertible is certainly expensive, they do get a lot of car for that. And there's also not a lot of direct competition for me to compare it to, more powerful for instance that no Mercedes Eclass can be related, and it's not as quote as long Mercedes S Class cabriolet. It's certainly a different type of car than a Porsche 911 convertible, and it's nowhere near as expensive or quite as glamorous as a Bentley Continental GTC convertible. So the eight series is really in the class on its own. And frankly, I really like this car. Remember the last time This time I enjoy driving a BMW quite so much. Taken as a whole, I actually think I enjoy this car as an entire package more than their M2 competition I drove back in the fall. I know that sounds crazy to say, but the 8 series convertible is really pretty good. [BLANK_AUDIO] The new BMW 8 series convertible is a brilliant car. It's got all the style and driving pleasure you could want from a Gran Toro. All the technology you might need in a modern car. And, let's be honest, it's just a ton of fun to drive. This M850i makes me wanna just cancel my weekend plans and go for a long drive. And that's a big compliment, because that's exactly how a car like the 8 series should make you feel. [MUSIC]