Tag: Harman Kardon

2020 BMW 840i Coupe in Aventurin Red Metallic (a $1950 option)

2020 BMW 840i Coupe

Class: Premium Sporty/Performance Car

Miles driven: 251

Fuel used: 8.9 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 28.0 mpg

Driving mix: 45% city, 65% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 23/30/25 (city, highway, combined)

Fuel type: Premium gas recommended

Base price: $87,900 (not including $995 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Aventurin Red Metallic paint ($1950), Driving Assistance Package ($1100), Drivers Assistance Pro Package ($1700), M Sport Package ($4850), Comfort Seating Package ($500), 20-inch M V-spoke wheels with run-flat tires ($1300), Integral Active Steering ($1150)

Price as tested: $101,445

More 8-Series price and availability information

Quick Hits

The great: Classy cabin; confident 6-cylinder power with surprisingly good fuel economy for a high-dollar grand touring coupe

The good: About as agile as a big, heavy luxury coupe can get

The not so good: Rear seat is too small for most passengers–even kids; this “budget” 6-cylinder model can still be optioned past the 6-figure mark

John Biel

BMW planted a seed in 2019, and now the 8-Series seems to have reached full bloom in 2020.

The premium sporty/performance replacements for the 6-Series coupe and convertible launched in V8-and-all-wheel-drive M850i xDrive form. The new model year brings a Gran Coupe sedan, high-performance M and M Competition versions of all three body styles, and 6-cylinder 840i variants with the choice of rear- or all-wheel drive. Consumer Guide got its first taste of the 8-Series six in an 840i coupe, an $88,895 car (with delivery) that topped out at $101,445 with options.

The 8-Series Coupe’s bodywork is sexy and sleek in the best grand-touring tradition, and despite the extra-rakish roofline, rearward visibility is better than in some class rivals.

Displacing 3.0 liters and rated at 335 horsepower, the turbocharged straight six is a familiar sight under the hoods of current BMWs. It is famously smooth and flexible in tandem with the fine standard 8-speed automatic transmission. With 368 lb-ft of torque that peaks at 1600 rpm and sticks around to 4500 revs, the 840i puts a shoulder into its work right away and keeps pushing for effortless acceleration. BMW states the 840i coupe will go from rest to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds—and buyers willing to shell out $2900 more for xDrive all-wheel drive can cut that to 4.4 seconds. Moving from the default “Comfort” drive mode to “Sport” or “Sport+” sharpens the throttle’s reflexes a little bit, and alters the transmission shift timing, but there’s already enough confident, quiet power in the base setting.

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Our test vehicle came outfitted with “Cognac Extended Merino Leather,” a no-cost option that added to the regal interior ambiance. Seats are long-haul comfortable but they’re set low, so entry and exit is a “drop-in/climb-out” affair.

As for fuel economy, the EPA figures the rear-drive 840i for 23 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway, and 25 in mixed driving. This driver’s limited test—68 miles; 35 percent city-type operation—averaged 25.7 mpg, but CGers’ aggregate mileage crested 28 mpg.

All 8-Series cars share a basic platform, even if that other “coupe” in the family is 9.1 inches longer (on a 7.9-inch-longer wheelbase), 1.4 inches wider, and 2.3 inches taller than its 2-door sibling. That includes aluminum-member multilink independent suspensions at either end.

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The center console is home to drive-mode buttons, an electronic parking brake, and the control knob for the iDrive  interface. Climate controls are fairly straightforward, and the extra-wide infotainment screen is a plus.

While too big and too heavy—listed curb weight is 3933 pounds—to deliver sports-car agility, the 840i nonetheless responds alertly to steering inputs, a sensation that comes up a notch in the Sport settings. Also on hand to help is rear-wheel Integral Active Steering, included with xDrive but an $1150 option that was added to our test car. An M Sport differential is included to aid traction. Body motion is well controlled in lane changes and cornering. Meanwhile, the suspension steps smartly over road imperfections, recognizing their presence but denying them the opportunity to disrupt cabin calm. Coasting along on the highway, even an overworked urban expressway, the touring is grand.

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There’s a respectable 14.8 cubic feet of cargo space in the 8-Series coupe’s trunk, although the aperture is a bit on the small side.

The 2-door models in the 8-Series range are effectively 2+2s with a back seat that’s better suited for additional cargo space than it is for more companionship. A sharply receding roofline and rear seat cushions that can nearly touch the front seats see to that. (No adult—probably no person—could have sat behind this 5-foot-10.5-inch reviewer where he had the driver’s seat set.) The fortunate two up front are privy to good legroom on comfortable, cosseting heated Merino-leather seats with cushion extenders. Rear roof pillars are commendably thin, and help to maximize over-the-shoulder vision for the driver. Slope-roof coupe designs sometimes result in mail-slot rear-window views, but the 840i’s rear aspect is a bit more open than most.

Regardless of body style, 8s have the same instrument panel. Controls start with “Live Cockpit Professional,” BMW’s combination of a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch centered screen for the iDrive 7.0 infotainment system, including navigation. Voice commands, touchscreen contact, or remote control from a dial on the console work the system. While the current iDrive is more intuitive to use than earlier iterations were, it remains somewhat complicated, and the remote is a distraction when used on the go. Connectivity needs are treated with standard Apple CarPlay smartphone compatibility, wireless charging, and a Wi-Fi hotspot are included, too.

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The 840i’s gutsy 335-hp 6-cylinder feels even stronger than its horsepower rating would suggest, and delivered fine fuel economy in our tests. Even with the optional 20-inch wheels on run-flat tires, the ride was commendably absorbent.

Additional built-in luxuries are a heated steering wheel and door armrests, 14-way power-adjustable front seats, remote engine start, keyless entry and starting, Harman Kardon surround-sound audio, and satellite radio. Connected Package Pro adds real-time traffic information and BMW Remote Services telematics. The Active Guard system includes safe-driving aids such as front-collision warning and city-collision mitigation, but blind-spot detection and lane-departure warning are part of the Driving Assistance Package option that contributed $1100 to the total cost of the test car.

Interior storage options include a large glove box and a console box with a split-top lid that is hinged at the sides to allow entry from either seating position. There are long door pockets and twin covered cup holders in the console. Trunk space is serviceable, certainly roomy enough for weekend-getaway luggage, and the 60/40 rear seats fold flat to extend the load floor.

The BMW 840i is a sophisticated yet still fun-to-drive expression of a premium sports coupe, and further evidence of how the 8-Series has blossomed.

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Plus-size luxury/sport coupes are among the more decadent vehicles around, but the BMW 840i Coupe delivers satisfying acceleration AND decent fuel economy. And if you’re careful with options, you can stay under six figures.

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BMW 840i Coupe

2020 BMW 840i Coupe