The updated 2022 BMW 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Gran Coupe range has been revealed, ahead of an Australian launch likely to occur later this year.
While the 2022 model serves as the 8 Series line-up’s mid-life facelift, blink and you’ll miss the changes – with updates to BMW’s flagship passenger car centred around revised styling, upgraded technology, new personalisation options, and more standard features.
On the outside, BMW says the updated 8 Series range has gained a “redesigned vehicle front” and an “extensively modified design” – though the differences are almost imperceptible to the untrained eye, limited largely to new ‘kidney’ grille inserts with wider vertical slats, and revised lower intake inserts.
The kidney grilles are now offered with the same ‘Iconic Glow’ illumination as the X6 SUV – with LED elements in the grille slats that can be manually activated or deactivated – while V8-powered M850i models gain the ‘aerodynamic’ side mirrors typically exclusive to top-tier M cars.
Buyers can select from four new colours (Skyscraper Grey Metallic, San Remo Green Metallic, M Portimao Blue Metallic and BMW Individual Frozen Tanzanite Blue Metallic), a handful of new 20-inch wheel designs, and new black accents for V8 variants.
All models in Europe are now equipped with the M Sport exterior styling package as standard, with blue M Sport brakes – though these have been standard-fit in Australia since the latest 8 Series generation launched in 2019.
Inside, the central infotainment touchscreen has been upsized from 10.25 to 12.3 inches, running BMW’s iDrive 7 software – one generation behind the latest iDrive 8 system in the company’s latest all-new models – with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite navigation and a voice assistant.
Standard features in Europe now include a hi-fi sound system, wireless charging, Display Key fob, Merino leather upholstery and four-zone climate control (in the Gran Coupe) – though many or all of these items were already standard-fit in Australia.
No changes have been made under the bonnet, with the 840i retaining its 250kW/500Nm turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol inline-six, the M850i xDrive keeping its 390kW/750Nm twin-turbo 4.4-litre petrol V8, along with Europe’s carry-over 840d, powered by a 250kW/700Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel inline-six.
BMW Australia currently offers the 840i and M850i, across all three body styles – plus the high-performance M8 – though it’s not clear if this duo will carry over into the updated range.
The 2022 BMW 8 Series range will go on sale in Europe in the coming months – with an Australian launch likely towards the middle of the year, using the European and Australian launch timing of past BMW models as a guide.
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