INTERNATIONAL LAUNCH
BMW lifts the lid on the convertible 8 Series
Mark Smyth drove the sun-worshipping version of BMW’s M850i in the Algarve
The BMW 6 Series is dead, long live the 8 Series. Actually, that’s not quite true because BMW has killed off the 6 Series coupe and convertible and made the 5 Series GT wear a 6 Series badge instead. After BMW raised the profile of the 8 Series as its flagship coupe, which launched recently in SA, we have now driven in Portugal in convertible guise. While it looks bigger than the 6, it is actually 50mm shorter, but 8mm wider. The drop-top is quite a bit heavier too and the convertible gains more than 150kg in weight over the 8 Series coupe to facilitate the extra strengthening and safety gear. The 8 Series is all about “expanding our line-up in the luxury segment”, says Sarah Lessmann, product manager for the new convertible. She told us that “strengthening our position in this segment is very important in BMW’s Group One Next strategy”. It’s part of the reason why a couple of years ago BMW used its full name to form a luxury division, Bayerische Motoren Werke, to give its high-end ...
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