Why Did BMW Discontinue The M8 Coupe? Possible Reasons, Explained

Cars have a habit of appearing and disappearing over time, with manufacturers either discontinuing certain models altogether or pulling them from specific markets to direct attention elsewhere, cut losses, or streamline their lineup. The BMW F92 M8 Coupe is the latest car to suffer this fate, with U.S. dealers no longer accepting orders starting this year, according to reports.

The M8 debuted in 2019 as a high-performance version of the second-generation BMW 8 Series. The luxury sports car is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 that makes up to 617 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque in Competition guise, directed to the wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission.

When Car and Driver tested the 2020 BMW M8 Competition, the car hit 60 mph in a quick 2.5 seconds and covered the quarter mile in 10.7 seconds at 129 mph. Its top speed was just as impressive at 189 mph with the M Driver's Package (or 155 mph in standard form), making the M8 Coupe one of the fastest BMW M cars. Sadly, all that wasn't enough to delay its departure, with the M8 Coupe now reaching the end of the line — in the U.S., at least.

BMW hasn't officially said why it dropped the M8 Coupe from its lineup, but it's likely due to poor sales, seeing as the two-door M8 has been a hard car to sell since launch. Reports surfaced in March 2020 that car dealers were extremely overstocked with M8 Coupes and Convertibles, which just couldn't attract many buyers at the time. With stock of unsold 2020 two-door M8s piling up, dealers began to push back, forcing BMW to take a year off by discontinuing the M8 Coupe and Convertible for 2021 to give them time to sell.

Sadly, the M8 Coupe didn't fare any better after returning to the lineup in 2022. Part of the reason was possibly its sky-high price tag, which kept the sports car out of reach for buyers who couldn't afford to part with six-figure sums. Despite dropping its starting MSRP by $16,000 over the 2020 M8 sticker price, the returning M8 Coupe remained quite pricey at $130,000. As a result, those looking for a more affordable way into a premium sports car often opted for contemporaries such as the Lexus LC, which started at $94,125. On the other hand, more affluent buyers who wanted something fast, sure-footed, and nimble tended to favor the lighter and more compact Porsche 911 Turbo.  

With the M8 Coupe now pulled from showrooms, your 8 Series M car options are down to just the BMW M8 Convertible and M8 Gran Coupe, which are still available to order. Prices for the current M8 Competition Gran Coupe start from $140,000, but you can add $10,000 to that and obtain the M8 Competition Convertible, which begins at $150,000. 

There have been reports that the remaining M8 models will be sold until 2026, when the whole 8 Series model range will be retired. Speaking with BMW Blog, Sylvia Neubauer, BMW M division's Vice President of Customer, Brand, and Sales confirmed production is stopping with no direct replacement planned. She, however, suggested that a new BMW performance model might be on the way, saying, "There's one very concrete project on the horizon that we are currently working on."