2020 BMW 8 Series 840i Gran Coupé M Sport Review

The luxury four-door coupe market in Malaysia has warmed up significantly in recent years. Consumers are no longer focused solely on traditional executive sedans but are leaning towards models that combine sportiness with practicality. The 2020 BMW 8 Series 840i Gran Coupé M Sport is a prime example of this market segment. Equipped with a 3.0-liter inline-six turbocharged engine and a standard M Sport package while retaining a four-door, five-seat layout, it balances driving pleasure with family use. In this test drive, we focus on verifying whether its luxury feel meets expectations, whether its power performance aligns with the 8 Series' positioning, and whether its daily practicality matches its price.

From a distance, the silhouette of the 840i Gran Coupé is sleek, and its four-door design lacks the bulkiness of traditional sedans. The addition of the M Sport package enhances its sporty appearance. The car's front features a wide kidney-shaped grille with a blackened finish and active air flap control, adding to its visual impact. The sharp design of the dual LED headlights, coupled with the double L-shaped daytime running lights, offers high recognizability and an impressive lighting effect when turned on. The side profile of the car reveals lines stretching from the hood to the rear, with a waistline running through the door handles, paired with 20-inch dual five-spoke M alloy wheels (front 245/35 R20, rear 275/30 R20), further enhancing its low-slung stance. At the rear, the dual round exhaust outlets characteristic of M Sport design are present, and the smoked LED taillights echo the treatment on the front, maintaining BMW’s signature family look while emphasizing the blend of sportiness and luxury through subtle details.

Sitting inside the car, the quality of the materials is immediately noticeable. The dashboard and interior door panels are largely covered in soft leather, complemented by metallic trim and piano black finish panels, creating a strong sense of luxury. The dashboard layout centers around the driver, with a 10.25-inch touchscreen tilted towards the driver for easy operation. The fully digital instrument cluster is clear and offers multiple display modes, paired with a head-up display (HUD) to provide key information without the need to look down while driving. In terms of features, the front seats are electrically adjustable with memory functions, and the cushioning and backrest offer good support, making long drives less tiring. The rear seats adopt a 40:20:40 split-folding design and include a center armrest. While the legroom in the back isn’t overly spacious (wheelbase is 3,023mm), it’s sufficient for everyday use, with about a two-fist gap between the knees and front seats for a 175cm passenger. Regarding storage, the door pockets can hold two water bottles each, the center armrest compartment is quite deep, the trunk has a capacity of 440 liters, and folding down the rear seats expands the storage space to accommodate luggage for a short trip. Additionally, features such as quad-zone automatic climate control (dual zones in the front and independently controlled rear zones), rear air conditioning vents, and a 220V power outlet enhance its practicality.

In terms of performance, this car is equipped with a 3.0-liter inline-six turbocharged engine that delivers a maximum output of 345 horsepower and a peak torque of 450 Nm, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The official 0-100 km/h acceleration time is just 5.2 seconds. During real-world driving, the power response was enthusiastic at launch, with a noticeable push-back sensation with just slight pressure on the accelerator. Switching to Sport mode increases throttle responsiveness, with the transmission adopting a more aggressive shifting logic. Accelerating to overtake, the power output is immediate, with quick downshifts and no noticeable lag. For everyday driving, Comfort mode suffices, with its smooth power delivery ideal for city commutes. In terms of handling, the steering wheel is precise with minimal play, light at low speeds and firming up at higher speeds, which inspires confidence. The suspension features a front double-wishbone and rear multi-link independent setup, tuned for sportiness yet capable of absorbing bumps effectively—whether over speed bumps or on uneven roads, the suspension quickly dampens vibrations to avoid harsh impacts. When cornering, the vehicle demonstrates excellent body roll control and strong tire grip, offering outstanding stability overall. As for fuel efficiency, our test drive involved equal parts city roads and highways, resulting in an average fuel consumption of about 8.5L/100km—slightly higher than the official 7.9L but reasonable given the performance. Noise control is also commendable, with minimal wind and tire noise at high speeds, maintaining a quiet cabin environment.

Overall, the core advantages of the 2020 BMW 840i Gran Coupé M Sport are prominent: First, its performance is strong. The 3.0T inline six-cylinder engine delivers smoothness and power, ranking among the top in its class (such as the Mercedes-Benz CLS 300 and Audi A7 45 TFSI). Second, its configuration is rich, with HUD, 360-degree panoramic camera, and Harman Kardon 16-speaker sound system all included as standard features, making it more practical than competitors at the same price range. Third, it balances sportiness and practicality, with a four-door layout and expandable trunk space that not only meets driving enjoyment but also caters to family needs. However, its rear-seat space is slightly smaller compared to traditional executive sedans (such as the long-wheelbase 5 Series), and tire noise is slightly noticeable when driving at low speeds on rough surfaces, but these are not significant drawbacks.

Compared to competitors in the same class, the 1.5T+48V mild hybrid engine in the Mercedes-Benz CLS 300 is less powerful than this 840i, and the 2.0T engine in the Audi A7 45 TFSI also has slightly weaker performance. The 3.0T six-cylinder engine in the 840i has an advantage in smoothness and power reserves; in terms of configuration, features such as the standard HUD and foldable rear seats in the 840i are optional in competing models. This car is suitable for two types of consumers: one type is young business professionals who value driving pleasure but also need to consider family needs, and the other type is those who like the luxury coupe style and seek a balance between power and quality.

In summary, the 2020 BMW 840i Gran Coupé M Sport is a "versatile" luxury coupe. It offers a sporty exterior and strong performance, as well as practical space and rich features. In the luxury four-door coupe market, it is a good choice that balances performance and practicality.