DINGOLFING: Three new models from the BMW 8 Series (G15) family are going into production at BMW Group's plant in Dingolfing - namely the Gran Coupé, as well as the M8 Competition in Coupé and Convertible forms.

This will bring the total number of luxury sports coupe variants built at the plant in lower Bavaria to five, with the sixth member - the Gran Coupe due to make its world premiere later this year.

The Gran Coupe, M8 Coupe and Convertible variants join the variants of the seventh-generation 5 Series (G30) and sixth-generation 7 Series (G11) being produced at this plant.

There will be three engine variants available for the new BMW 8 Series Gran Coupé from market launch somewhere in the third quarter this year which includes a 530hp 4.4-litre V8, 320hp inline-six turbo-diesel and a high-revving 340hp 3.0-litre inline-six as well.

The four-door model of the 8 Series is touted to combine rear passenger spaciousness with all the benefits of a luxury sedan thanks to its added dimensions that make it 231mm-longer and 61mm-taller.

Not to mention, it has a 28mm-wider rear track at 1,670mm compared to the regular coupe's 1,642mm. No other BMW has a wider rear axle.

The Gran Coupe can be had with an exclusive panoramic glass roof as an added cost option and stretches from the front windscreen to the rear window.

Also, the German carmaker says that it's going to be 70kg heavier than the regular coupe, but the German carmaker has made efforts to reduce the weight gain through the use of aluminium for the doors and flaps while the boot lid is formed from sheet moulding compound (SMC) - a form of glass fibre reinforced polyester material.

The Bavarian automaker assures that the rear bench seats - styled as individual seats, will be a comfortable experience yet capable of providing a sporty experience and will, of course, provide headrests as well.

The company expects that over half of its 8 Series sales will be of the Gran Coupe with the majority of clients hailing from the US which should account for almost a third of sales, followed by the Middle East region and the UK market.

Sitting at the top of 8 Series stable is obviously the model that carries the 'M' designation that's indicative of it being a high-performance sports car with 625hp produced by its 4.4-litre V8 which defines the M8 model range.

This catapults the M8 from 0 to 100kph in 3.2 seconds and onwards to an electronically limited top speed of 305kph, rather than the usual 250kph.

The defining external feature of the M8 variants is its double-bubble carbon-fibre reinforced plastic roof (CFRP).

Around 60 M8 vehicles leave the Dingolfing facility per day and each undergoes a final quality inspection at the plant’s own break-in course prior to delivery.

Sales for the M8 are expected to come predominantly from the US and it is seen by the company that both coupe and convertible variants are equally popular.

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