The 2025 BMW M8 Competition: A Grand Tourer That Thinks It’s a Supercar (and Almost Pulls It Off)
For years, I’ve watched the automotive landscape morph. Back in the day, a car knew its lane. Sports cars were built for speed, luxury cars for comfort, and SUVs…well, they were glorified trucks. But these days, technology has blurred those lines. You’ve got SUVs that handle like sports cars (I’m looking at you, Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT) and supercars you can actually live with (McLaren 720S, I see you). The modern driver demands versatility. The BMW M8 Competition attempts to fill the “do-it-all” role, but how well does it succeed?
However, not every car manages to straddle these worlds successfully. Some try to be everything to everyone and end up satisfying no one. Then there’s the BMW M8 Competition. On paper, it’s a high-powered luxury grand tourer. But get behind the wheel, and you’ll quickly realize it has a serious sporting agenda. As a seasoned automotive professional based in Los Angeles, CA, with over a decade of experience, I have seen a fair share of these vehicles and I think this one hits the mark.
Historically, BMW GT cars were exactly that: grand tourers, pure and simple. The original 8-Series was never going to set any lap records, and even the V10-powered M6, while fantastic on the open road, felt a bit out of its depth on a challenging back road. But the current M8 Competition breaks that mold, redefining what a modern, M-badged GT car can be.
The M8 Competition, introduced as the M6’s successor, sticks to a similar formula. Dimensions are almost identical to the M6, though the M8 is shorter, wider, and lower. The curb weight increases a tad, but considering it now comes standard with all-wheel drive (xDrive), the extra weight is negligible. For the purpose of this article we will discuss the coupe body style.
What truly sets the M8 apart is its performance, pushing out 617 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque from its twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine. All that power is delivered to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The result? A blistering 0-60 mph time of around three seconds, with a top speed of 155 mph (or 190 mph with the M Driver’s Package). This puts it squarely in supercar territory. With the M Driver’s Package, this thing is a beast!
But those numbers don’t fully convey the experience. Driving the M8 Competition, you get the feeling that the official figures are a serious understatement. A three-second 0-60 mph is insane, especially in something that weighs over two tons, but the M8 feels even faster. The power delivery is ferociously immediate, and makes me wonder what other performance secrets are hidden in the engine.
On a twisty road, you’d need something truly special (think McLaren, Lamborghini, or Ferrari) to outrun the M8 Competition. And as soon as the road straightens out, this luxury GT car is just as quick as most high-dollar exotics. It might seem strange to call a $160,000 super coupe an overachiever, but considering you’d have to spend twice as much to get significantly better performance, it’s hard to argue otherwise. This type of performance for this price point is quite impressive!
However, despite its raw speed, there’s a slight disconnect between the speedometer and the driver. The M8’s impressive noise isolation makes the cabin incredibly refined, but it also detracts from the overall experience. You don’t always feel the physics-defying performance. The electronic power steering and optional carbon-ceramic brakes, while effective, offer minimal feedback. Even the engine note, artificially enhanced through the car’s speakers, sounds muted at times. To optimize this experience, I would highly recommend upgrading the exhaust system for a richer auditory experience.
Body roll is inevitable in a car of this size and power. BMW could have stiffened the adaptive suspension to eliminate it completely, but that would compromise ride comfort. The key is finding the right balance, especially in a GT car. The M8 Competition’s Adaptive M Suspension is impressive in its range. It’s firmer than the standard M8, but still surprisingly comfortable. It doesn’t completely mask the car’s weight in tight corners, but the trade-off is well worth it for maintaining everyday usability.
Don’t mistake body roll for a lack of agility, though. The M8 Competition handles corners in a way that seems impossible for something this large. The grip is seemingly endless, and the all-wheel-drive system puts the power down beautifully. And for those who want a bit more excitement, you can fully disengage the front wheels and drift through corners like an old-school BMW. The softer suspension actually helps here, making the car more forgiving at the limit.
On the open highway, the M8 truly shines. Like its predecessor and most other BMW M cars, this GT is most comfortable cruising at high speeds. It’s comfortable, quiet (thanks to the noise isolation), and refined. It effortlessly switches between being a supercar slayer and a comfortable cross-country cruiser. This is a fantastic option if you are planning on taking it on long road trips across California.
A major factor in the M8’s comfort is the seats. The cabin is covered in leather, and carbon-fiber trim adds a touch of sportiness, but the seats make the biggest difference. The standard M Sport Seats are the way to go. The optional carbon-backed bucket seats might be fine in an M2 or M3, but they’re out of place in the M8. While they might enhance the driving experience on a back road, they detract from it elsewhere.
For 2025, BMW has added new options to the M8 Competition, including those carbon bucket seats. The central infotainment screen has been enlarged to 12.3 inches, bringing it in line with the rest of the BMW lineup. Exterior changes are subtle, with M Shadowline trim now available for the adaptive LED headlights, along with new colors like Frozen Pure Grey, Tanzanite Blue II, and Isle of Man Green. These color options really highlight the curves and sharp design of the vehicle.
The 2025 BMW M8 Competition is a masterclass in using modern technology to make a large, heavy car dance like a lightweight sports car. It may look like a GT on paper, and its refined cabin reinforces that impression, but there’s no denying its sporting character. By combining supercar performance with a comfortable ride and a luxurious interior, the M8 achieves a duality that most modern GT cars can only dream of. For around $160,000, the breadth of its abilities makes it an appealing one-car solution. I highly recommend scheduling a test drive at your local BMW dealership. The proof is in the pudding!
If you’re in the market for a high-performance GT car that can do it all, the BMW M8 Competition is definitely worth considering. Contact your local BMW dealer in Beverly Hills or Santa Monica for a test drive and experience the thrill for yourself. You might just find that it’s the perfect blend of luxury and performance you’ve been searching for!
