BMW M850i xDrive Convertible (2019) Review: Larger than life

It’s been almost 20 years since the last time an “8” badge graced the rump of any BMW, and that was the only other time in history that BMW used this model name at all. Since then, there have been a few generations of 6 Series to keep the fans occupied, but the 8 had to wait a little while for its next moment to shine. 

But, when it finally arrived, the latest 8 Series slotted perfectly into its intended role as BMW’s showcase car: it has every piece of tech you can imagine (and a few more besides), is blessed with serious road presence, and is capable of mind-warping speed. This is modern BMW at their peak, showing off what they can do when pesky things like budgetary constraints and practicality are taken out of the equation. The result is quite spectacular indeed, but does the M850i hit its target market with a bull’s eye? Read on to find out...

Styling

Beauty might lie in the eye of the beholder, but seldom have I driven any car which elicits such polarising opinions from onlookers. With its dark, pearlescent blue paintwork, topped off by a black folding roof, the test car should, in theory, have projected a subtly classy image; but in reality, it drew a lot more attention than its subdued colour scheme really justified.

The first reason for this is its sheer size: such long, low and wide proportions seem increasingly alien in a marketplace filled with high-riding SUVs and crossovers, yet it managed to grab all of the attention wherever it went. Marrying contemporary BMW styling cues with traditional coupé proportions certainly didn’t do its overall appearance any harm, but some of the details were seen as contentious nonetheless.

Starting at the front end, the latest interpretation of BMW’s kidney grille (which is growing larger with every new model they release) grabs your attention first. Because the new 8 Series is such a wide car, there’s a lot of styling space for an oversized grille design, bracketed by big, swept-back headlight clusters, and underscored by a bumper with gaping intakes and more lines and ridges than the San Andreas fault. It’s certainly striking, and all these oversized elements are balanced by the car’s substantial width, but its face didn’t quite meet with universal approval.

The profile view is a lot less controversial, with its classic rear-wheel drive proportions and sweeping character lines. Sculpted surfacing helps to disguise the sheer size of this machine, and the swept-back roofline adds an element of old-school swagger. Even the big, 20-inch alloy wheels seem perfectly at ease in these surroundings, and manage to balance out any bulkiness in the M850i’s styling. The appearance goes from svelte to downright sexy when the roof is dropped into its well - an operation which can be performed in only 15 seconds, at speeds up to 50 km/h.

Around the back, the 3-D effect employed by BMW’s current tail light cluster design and beefy exhaust outlet trim pieces are the only things that really set the 8 Series apart. However, the relatively uncluttered rear-end styling gives onlookers a proper chance to absorb the impact of those prominent “M850i” and “xDrive” badges – especially as the big BMW convertible disappears into the distance...

The Drive

And disappear, it most certainly will. Not only is it blessed with a monstrous engine, but the combination of a superbly-programmed 8-speed automatic gearbox and full-time all-wheel drive ensures that all that power can get to the tarmac without any drama – except for the occupants, that is. 

Stand on the accelerator pedal, and the M850i’s full fury is unleashed: it simply squats down on its haunches, and then launches itself at the horizon at a scarcely believable rate. It really is that simple, because of all the clever electronic systems keeping it all under a tight rein. For the occupants, the power arrives with all the subtlety of a well-aimed kick to the kidneys, and yet its overall demeanour towards the driver always remains well-mannered and co-operative. This car makes serious speed ridiculously easy to access.

It’s the same story when handling, road-holding and ride quality are considered. Yes, the adaptive suspension keeps the movements of that big body under tight control, and the xDrive AWD system manages the power distribution with devastating effectiveness, but there’s very little sense of intimidation in the way the M850i delivers its crushing performance. Helping things along are various driver-adjustable suspension settings, to switch from bone-jarringly stiff to limo-level smooth at the touch of a button.

In Comfort mode, it rides with surprising fluency, is well-insulated against the world outside, and cossets its occupants in luxury and quiet.  There isn’t even a whisper from the soft top at speed, and in a gentle cruise, the engine- and exhaust noises all but disappear. But when the road gets twisty, it darts around with an agility which totally belies its heft, feeling secure and planted, thanks to the adaptive suspension, AWD, and four-wheel steering all helping to keep the car pointing in the right direction.

The overall effect is akin to holding an informative, civilised conversation with a professional wrestler about astrophysics and philosophy. For all of the M850i’s obvious power, there are layers of intelligence and ability here that don’t seem to fit into the car's repertoire at first glance, yet it somehow manages to meld it all into a very user-friendly whole. 

Performance

There’s definitely no shortage of speed on offer here, courtesy of the twin-turbo, 4.4-litre petrol V8 slotted under that expansive bonnet. This engine is closely related to the one doing duty in the M5, but is detuned to deliver outputs of “only” 390 kW and 750 Nm in this application. Well, those are BMW’s claimed outputs, at least, although on-road performance gives a distinct impression of quite a bit more oomph on tap.

BMW says that the M850i convertible will hit 100 km/h from a standing start in only 3.9 seconds, en route to a limited top speed of 250 km/h. Gauging by the relentless acceleration, which doesn’t let up until you’re well into “Go Directly to Jail” territory, those figures seem entirely believable or even conservative. xDrive AWD certainly helps to channel all those ponies to the tarmac, because without it, big clouds of tyre smoke would be a certainty.

But it’s the effortless nature with which this car hurls itself into the future to punch a hole in the horizon that really impresses. Yes, it’s very quick out of the starting blocks in spite of its prodigious weight (2015 kg at the kerb), but it really only gets going from third gear onwards, once that heavy body has been set into motion. 

There’s never a situation where more power could be useful, because there always seems to be yet more available with a twitch of the driver’s right foot. Quite frankly, with this much power and torque available at any speed and in any gear, it’s hard to believe that there’s still room for a proper, full-fat M8 to slot in above the M850i...

Space and Comfort

This is a 4-seater convertible, so it stands to reason that interior space isn’t as generous as its overall dimensions would suggest. Front-seat occupants have nothing to complain about, though, with lots of leg- and shoulder room, even though the slightly squashed windscreen enforced by the soft top’s header rail can make the cabin feel cosier than it really is. It’s not quite so rosy in the back, however, because the rear bucket seats offer little in the way of leg- or headroom. 

But that doesn’t really matter: if you want space, just get a 7 Series (or the forthcoming 8 Series Grand Coupé) instead of any cabrio or coupé. Either way, the cabin is swathed in soft leather, plush-feeling plastics, and high-tech switchgear. Any possible gadget or driver aid is available, right down to active seat ventilation (with built-in “air collars” to keep your neck toasty in wintertime top-down driving), ambient lighting with configurable colours and brightness, and electrically multi-adjustable seats with memory functions. The gearbox and suspension even interfaces with the standard navigation system to fine-tune the car for the prevailing driving conditions as well as whatever waits around the corner.

A notable option fitted to this test car are the simply brilliant BMW Laser headlight units: adaptive, swivelling, and with an amazing spread of light, this box really must be ticked when you order one of these cars. If you don't want to spring for this option, you'll still get adaptive LED headlights as standard, but these laser units are simply streets ahead - literally.

Of course, the M850i also features niceties such as BMW’s display key, full internet connectivity and concierge service, a fully digital instrument cluster, and a top-notch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. A minor point of criticism is the abundance of touch-sensitive shortcut buttons on the centre console, where drive mode selection and a myriad of secondary controls can be found, fighting for space around the round iDrive controller and its own shortcut buttons. 

It’s not difficult to operate, but does take some getting used-to, upon settling into the driver’s seat for the first time. But, once the driver has figured out which buttons to press, it all becomes fairly intuitive – no small feat in a car with so many toys vying for your attention.

Safety

Advanced traction- and stability control systems are only the start of the 8 Series’ safety credentials, which are further augmented by 8 airbags and a pop-up rollover protection bar. Euro NCAP crash safety data isn’t available just yet, but it should also score the full 5 stars of its 5- and 7 Series platform-mates. In case it matters, ISOFIX child seat anchors are built into the rear seats.

The M850i also comes with a full complement of safety aids, including blind-spot monitoring and a host of driver assistance systems (including a surround-view camera system and parking sensors all round) making it even harder to experience a mishap on the road or in a parking garage. Lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, rear collision prevention, reversing assistant, and a parking assistant capable of self-parking in both alley docking and parallel parking situations are all present and accounted for as well. In short, if there’s a safety- or convenience gadget available, the M850i will probably have it fitted as standard.

Fuel Consumption

Nobody expects a big, heavy and powerful convertible such as the M850i to return fuel-miser consumption figures – if maximised fuel range is a priority, you’d be better served by a 320d. However, BMW’s claimed average consumption of 10.6 litres/100 km should be quite attainable in the hands of a conservative driver.

However, I have to admit that my time spent in the M850i wasn’t exactly the epitome of conservative driving. The accelerator was often flattened into the carpet, just to enjoy that surge of power, and the test period also saw a fair bit of traffic-dense driving duties. In this context, the test average of 15.2 litres/100 km should be deemed more than acceptable. Plenty of ponies need plenty of feeding, and that’s the (sad and expensive) reality.

Price

Being the pinnacle of BMW’s (non-electric, non-SUV) range, the M850i does not come with a modest price tag at all. R2 009 860 before options is a lot of money in anyone’s language, but, given the impressive spread of abilities on offer, that actually almost looks like fair value – especially when the very long list of standard equipment and sophisticated underpinnings are considered. 

Let’s be honest here: this isn’t a car for the youngster with a high-paying job, because an M2 or an M340i will be more suitable for that application. No, this is a car for that youngster’s boss’s boss, someone who demands the best and doesn’t mind paying for it. It’s a car not just to arrive with, but to show that you’ve actually arrived a long time ago already. In this rarefied market segment, there is really only one viable alternative, and that comes from Mercedes-Benz, where the S-Class convertible performs much the same job. These are the cars which prove that you’ve made it to the big time, and that you’re not afraid to show off your accomplishments.

The Verdict

It’s almost a pity that the M850i Convertible will be pigeonholed as an executive plaything and a mere status symbol, because it's really a lot more than that. It’s also a road rocket, luxury car, soft-top pose-mobile, tech-heavy showpiece and attention-grabber all in one, sporty when you want it to be, and comfy when you're just cruising around. It’s difficult to talk about value in a car with a starting price on the far side of 2 million Rands, but given its broad spread of abilities and wide appeal, even that elevated pricetag almost seems like a bit of a bargain. It’s a serious machine, and represents the current state of the petrol-powered performance car art. There’s really almost nothing else quite like it...

Expert rating:

4.5/5

 

Pricing is accurate at the time of writing, but may change without prior notice.

 

Related Reading:
We drove both the M850i and the new Z4 at launch. Find more information here.