BMW makes too many models, so you would be excused for forgetting that a car like today’s Nice Price or No Dice M8 Gran Coupe Competition even exists. Let’s see if its price tag makes it more memorable.
As Forest Gump likely would have told us, old Alfa Romeos and rust go together like peas and carrots. That was the case with the 1988 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce we considered yesterday. It had obvious signs of road rot encroachment, which, while admittedly making the car lighter and, hence, a tad quicker, also called into question the car’s structural integrity. Fortunately, the seller was aware of this fact and priced the Spider at $2,900 as a result. Fully 60 percent of you felt that was a reasonable asking, giving the Alfa a solid Nice Price win.
There’s a scene in The Simpson’s Movie in which neighbor-ino Ned makes Bart a cup of hot cocoa that he fancy-fies by piling on ever more toppings, culminating in a flame-toasted marshmallow. Needless to say, Bart finds its taste life-altering.
Today’s 2023 BMW M8 Grand Coupe Competition is a bit like Ned’s hot cocoa in that it’s a good thing that has had a lot of more good stuff piled on top of it. Let’s start by acknowledging that probably few of us have ever seen an M8 Grand Coupe in the metal. This is a fairly rare car that seems to get lost in the patchwork quilt that is BMW’s contemporary lineup. Obviously, that makes it all the more interesting, though, right?
The M8 is based on the current 8 Series, which, in turn, is based on the CLAR platform shared with the 7 Series, 5 Series, and larger X Series SUVs. Initially launched as a two-door (real) coupe and convertible in 2018, the lineup was expanded to include the slinky four-door Gran Coupe one year later.
An M-massaged edition carrying the first-ever M8 designation arrived at the same time, leveraging the all-aluminum double-wishbone front suspension and five-link rear setup of the M5, along with its 617 horsepower S63 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. The Competition edition—now the only way the car can be ordered—adds stiffer springs, harder bushings, and a more nosebleed-inducing price. Like all 8 Series, it comes with an 8-speed automatic. The M8 also comes exclusively with BMW’s xDrive AWD. See? That’s a lot of stuff.
For this car, though, that apparently wasn’t enough. According to the ad, since leaving Dingolfing, this M8 has had its dial cranked up to eleven with the addition of Dinan suspension upgrades, Eventuri carbon fiber engine air intakes, high-performance oil coolers, and 21-inch HRE alloy wheels recently fitted with fresh Michelin meats. In total, the seller claims $50,000 in upgrades to have gone into the car.
It looks relatively badass as a result. The wheels are perhaps not the best choice since BMW is the best in the Biz when it comes to alloy designs, but the HREs aren’t bad. The cabin is awash in carbon fiber trim, and seemingly every single technological gee-gaw BMW presently maintains in its nerd arsenal.
The only fundamentally goofy element in the cabin is the back seat, which is bifurcated by a large center console that takes up precious footwell space but still offers seatbelts for three.
The engine bay offers even more carbon fiber and M-badging galore. It’s also the mechanic’s nightmare to which seemingly all modern performance BMWs aspire.
As all the add-ons and upgrades were done within the last year or so, there probably wasn’t much time to actually drive the car, something evidenced by its low 7,300-mile odometer reading. It comes with a clean title and appears to be in factory—fresh condition, inside, outside, and upsidedown.
It should also be noted that the seller seems to know a thing or two about how to present a car for sale in a good light, having gone to the lengths of some boudoir-style shots of the Big Bimmer in a photo booth cove. That helps account for the $114,995 asking price.
Now, before you all get your panties in a Timber Hitch, it should be pointed out that a brand new 2024 M8 Grand Coupe Competition has a starting MSRP of almost $140K. And that’s before the myriad of options, subscriptions, and whatever else BMW and the dealer want to milk out of an un-savvy buyer. That’s additionally without all of the aftermarket stuff that this car carries.
What, then, is your take on this M8 and that $114,995 asking price? Does that feel like a fair price for so unique and interesting a car? Or, regardless of what one might cost new, is that still too much because the smart thing to do would be to lease one anyway?
You decide!
Houston, Texas, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Jim Pittman for the hookup!
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