The new open-top is the convertible version of a revival model. The carmaker's initial foray into the luxury two-door segment started in 1989 and abruptly ended a decade later.
Based on the revived 8 Series Coupe, which was introduced in June 2018, the convertible is a soft-top, with the roof made of flexible textile material, capable of being operated at speeds of up to 50 kph (31 mph). The roof can be lowered or raised in about 15 seconds.
The car is huge even for a luxury convertible, measuring 4,851 mm in length and 1,902 mm in width. That doesn't quite translate into an incredible amount of space on the inside, but the feeling of a lot more space available is apparent once the roof is down.
The command interface for the car is the carmaker’s Live Cockpit Professional with navigation system and a 10.25-inch screen. The driver and other three occupants of the car can enjoy all the technical advancements deployed in other high-end BMW’s, including Microsoft Office 365 and Skype for Business.
The car is powered by a choice of two turbocharged engines, a straight-six and a V8. The unit with fewer cylinders powers the 840d xDrive and develops 320 hp and 680 Nm of torque, while the one with eight pumps out 530 hp and 750 Nm of torque, into the M850i xDrive.
The 2020 BMW 8 Series convertible starts at $121,400 in the U.S.
