The revived BMW 8 Series is currently in the final development stages and the Bavarian company is putting the finishing touches on the luxury grand tourer. Engineers and test pilots of the automaker were at the Nurburgring track this past weekend to push a prototype of the M850i Coupe xDrive to its limits and even try a light drift on one of the corners. This new video from Automotive Mike is giving us a good look at a near production trial car in motion and provides a taste of its V8 sound.

Think of the M850i xDrive as the next best thing to the mighty M8. The two will share a “completely redeveloped” V8 biturbo engine, which should pack an extra 67 horsepower (50 kilowatts) and 74 pound-feet (100 Newton-meters) of torque over its predecessor without gaining any weight. In total, the eight-cylinder gas motor will generate 523 hp (390 kW) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm), and even more impressively the full amount of torque will kick in at low 1,800 rpm.

BMW is also promising a revised version of its eight-speed automatic gearbox, which will send power to the wheels delivering quicker shift changes than before. The manufacturer’s xDrive all-wheel drive will be in charge of controlling the power distribution between the two axles.

Of course, as a typical sub-M model, the M850i xDrive is bound to receive a lot of upgrades from the M Performance catalogue, including larger wheels, upgraded brakes and stiffer chassis setup, and even a carbon fiber roof.

BMW will unveil the second generation 8 Series Coupe on June 15 and will put it on sale before the year’s end. We will likely see the M850i xDrive from day one, which will be joined by the fully-fledged M8 a couple of months later.

Source: Automotive Mike on YouTube