Opinion: Has BMW found a gap in the market with the 8 Series?

There aren’t exactly many gaps left in the increasingly crowded car market, yet BMW reckons it’s found one with the new 8 Series.

It’s a matter of nuance: the 8 Series isn’t the only sporty two-door coupé on the market, but by aiming to make a sports car that rivals the 911 yet offers the luxury of an S-Class coupé, the Bavarian firm thinks it has found a niche to begin its attack on the high-end premium market.

It certainly looks the part: in the metal, and in M850i guise, it is stunning.

The question will be the dynamic focus. Autocar drove a prototype M850i recently, with our initial impressions that, while neither as sharp as a 911 nor as luxurious as the S63 Coupé, it has a broader range of skills than either.

But are there ultra-luxury buyers looking for a broad range of skills, rather than either a pure performance or luxury car?

We’ll need to drive a finished 8 Series to fully judge it, of course, but indications are the M850i could be something special. The question could be whether the gap in the market it’s aiming for is big enough. 

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