BMW revived the M8 nameplate for the modern 8 Series era, first bringing it back as the high-performance coupe and convertible introduced in 2019 for the 2020 model year. The modern car sits at the top of BMW M’s grand-touring hierarchy and was developed as the range-topping performance counterpart to the revived 8 Series, combining luxury-coupe styling with full M treatment. The name also carried extra weight because BMW had used M8 only as an internal and motorsport-linked legend for years, including the M8 GTE race program, before finally applying it to a production model.
The initial production run began with two body styles: a two-door coupe and a two-door convertible. BMW later expanded the family with a four-door Gran Coupe, broadening the nameplate beyond its original grand-touring format while keeping the same flagship M positioning. Across its modern life, the model has been closely associated with BMW’s large luxury performance segment rather than the smaller, more track-focused M cars. It is best understood as BMW M’s modern flagship 8 Series performance line, created to pair long-distance luxury with the brand’s most exclusive full-M identity.