The new BMW M8 Coupe Competition was put through its paces at the Top Gear test track, during Series 28, Episode 6 that aired over the weekend.
With The Stig behind the wheel, the most expensive BMW M car out today posted a lap time of 1:26.2. That’s identical to the old M5 E60 and Porsche 997 Carrera S, and almost 1 second slower compared to the M3 E90 and Panamera Turbo.
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To its defense, the M8 Coupe Competition would have been a tad quicker if the weather was on its side. According to the description of the video that shows it unleashed at the Dusnfold Aerodrome in Surrey, UK, “the track was ludicrously greasy and track temps were low”. Thus, “it’s far from the car’s best”, they said, admitting that “it’s not the quickest time in the world”.
Now, whether it would have been faster than the old M3 is a very delicate subject, which will be answered only if the Top Gear team decides to give it another go against the clock, with the mysterious racing driver behind the wheel.
With a £123,435 ($158,141) starting price in the United Kingdom and $146,000 in the U.S. of A., the M8 Competition Coupe features a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, shared with the M5, matched to an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. It delivers 616 HP (625 PS / 460 kW) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque, which rocket the car to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.2 seconds.