2020 BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe official: 4 doors and M850i flagship

BMW was always upfront about the fact that its 8 Series would be more than just a luxury two-door GT, and now there's the four-door 2020 BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe to whet your appetite. Three versions of the sleek "four door coupe" are being revealed today, topping out at the 2020 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe with a healthy 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque.

All three share the same core body style. While the hood of the Gran Coupe is shared with the 8 Series Coupe, from the windshield back it's all different for the four-door. That includes being 9-inches longer, 1.2-inches wider, and 2.2-inches taller, the majority of the length increase going into 7.9-inches more wheelbase.

The entry-level 8 Series Gran Coupe use BMW's TwinPower 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder turbo engine. It's tuned for 335 hp between 5,000-6,500 rpm, and 386 lb-ft of torque between 1,600-4,500 rpm. In the 840i that means 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds; the 840i xDrive, with its all-wheel drive, trims that to 4.6 seconds.

Top speed is 130 mph with all-season tires, rising to 155 mph with optional performance tires. BMW pairs it with an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission, with swifter gearshifts and steering wheel paddles as standard. There's also Launch Control for the best possible 0-60 time, and integration with the navigation system so that the planned route will help the gearbox figure out what the best gear is to shift to next.

Double-wishbone suspension is used at the front, and five-link rear suspension. The steering is electromechanical, and there's Dynamic Damper Control as standard. xDrive cars get Integral Active Steering as standard, with rear-wheel steering to tighten up the turning circle at low speeds and increase maneuver stability at high speeds. It's optional on the rear-wheel drive 840i.

With seating for five, the interior of the 8 Series Gran Coupe is far more people-friendly than its Coupe sibling. Headroom in the rear, in particular, has increased: there's now 3.4-inches more, while legroom is up 7.1-inches. The wider body means rear shoulder room is up 7.7-inches, while the trunk holds 0.7 cu.ft. more.

Nappa leather has been used on the dashboard and upper door panels, and there's an extended center console which stretches into the rear and divides the rear seats. Admittedly that's likely to make the center seat the last-picked option. Within the console there are dedicated rear climate controls along with air vents, storage, and USB-C ports.

In the front, heated sport seats are standard. The rear seats fold with a 40/20/40 split. Ambient LED lighting is standard, as is the BMW Live Cockpit Professional system with a 12.3-inch digital cluster display and a 10.25-inch center console touchscreen. Haptic controls have been added to the iDrive controller, while a head-up display is optional.

A 464 watt, 16-speaker Harman-Kardon surround sound audio system and wireless phone charging is standard, while a 1,400 watt, 16-speaker Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System is optional. You can also get glass controls, night vision, and an extended carbon fiber package.

On the driver-assistance side, front collision warnings with city collision mitigation are standard, while features like blind spot detection, lane departure warnings, a surround view camera and parking assistant, and rear cross traffic alerts are optional. The Driving Assistance Professional package adds active cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, and the Extended Traffic Jam Assistant.