Large, swoopy grand touring cars are a rarity these days, but a few automakers remain committed to the format. BMW’s 8 Series is a great example, offering a range of high-performance engines, an opulent interior, and three body styles to choose from.
2026 BMW 8 Series Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 BMW 8 Series
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 BMW 8 Series
While much of BMW’s lineup has seen significant changes in the last couple of years, the 8 Series has remained mostly static. For 2026, the M8 has been discontinued in Canada. The M850i enters 2026 with no notable updates to report.
Design
The 8 Series is available as a convertible, coupe, or Gran Coupe. All three feature long lines, gentle curves, and an expansive hood. All body styles are long and imposing, and the two-door models look truly menacing with the available wheel and trim options.
Powertrain
In Canada, BMW offers a sole powertrain for the 2026 8 Series: the M850i comes with a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 that makes 523 horsepower. It’s matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard xDrive all-wheel drive (AWD). Together, this powertrain hustles the M850i from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds.
Interior
The coupe and convertible models seat four, but the Gran Coupe seats five, though its back seat offers limited headroom thanks to its sloping roofline. Merino leather upholstery is standard, along with heated front seats, heated outboard rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated door and centre console arm rests. Ventilated front seats and power rear sunshades are available. Cargo space is generous for the class at 351 litres for the cabriolet, 419 litres for the coupe, and 439 litres in the Gran Coupe.
Technology
A 12.3-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster come standard along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other standard tech features include navigation, a Harman Kardon sound system, SiriusXM radio, Bluetooth, LED ambient interior lighting, wireless device charging and more. Screens in the 8 Series are large and bright, making it easy to see and interact with the system, but BMW packed so many features into the interface that it can be overwhelming to use at first. That said, it’s highly configurable, so it can become easier to use after a proper setup.
Safety
The 2026 BMW 8 Series is too new to have been crash-tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety tech includes automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, rain-sensing wipers, and a rearview camera. Adaptive cruise control, parking assistance, traffic jam assist, and traffic sign recognition are available.
Pricing and Release Date
As of this writing, Canadian pricing for the 2026 BMW 8 Series starts at $122,500 for the M850i Gran Coupe, not including the $2,555 destination charge, the federal luxury tax, or other fees. The M850i coupe starts at $124,500, and the cabriolet starts at $133,500. All models are available now on the BMW Canada website.
