Generation history
BMW 8 Series generations and next redesign.
The BMW 8 Series has been through 2 generations, starting in 1990 and 2018. The gaps were 28 years, an average of 28.0. Some of those waits were long. The current generation began in 2018. On that cadence the next full redesign points to 2045 through 2047, centered on 2046. This is a projection. It comes from the model's own past redesign years, not from the manufacturer. A mid-cycle refresh usually lands in between. Public records describe the current generation this way: The BMW 8 Series (G14) was announced on 15 June 2018, with sales commencing from November 2018. Specifications, trims and the NHTSA safety record are on the BMW 8 Series model page.
Every generation
The BMW 8 Series, generation by generation.
| Generation | Code | Years | What changed |
|---|
| First generation | E31 | 1990–2018 | Design work of the first generation E31 8 Series began in 1984, with final design phase and production development starting in 1986. |
|---|
| Second generation | G14/G15/G16 | 2018–present | The BMW 8 Series (G14) was announced on 15 June 2018, with sales commencing from November 2018. |
|---|
The BMW 8 Series spent 28.0 years per generation on average. The current one is 8 years old. Treat 2045 to 2047 as a range, not a date.
Source: BMW 8 Series (Wikipedia). The estimate is our arithmetic on those start years.
Open the BMW 8 Series model page for specifications, trims, safety record and answers.
In more detail
What each BMW 8 Series generation changed.
First generation, 1990 to 2018
Design work of the first generation E31 8 Series began in 1984, with final design phase and production development starting in 1986. The car debuted at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show and was produced until 1999. The 8 Series was designed to move beyond the market of the original E24 6 Series, featuring greater performance and an increased price. The 8 Series was the first road car to offer a V12 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission and was one of the first vehicles to be fitted with electronic drive-by-wire throttle.
Second generation, 2018 to today
The BMW 8 Series (G14) was announced on 15 June 2018, with sales commencing from November 2018. It was initially available as a coupé (codenamed G15), with the convertible (G14) and four-door Gran Coupé (G16) variants introduced later, succeeding the F06/F12/F13 6 Series lineup. Production commenced in late 2018 at the BMW assembly plant in Bangkok, Thailand & Dingolfing, Germany. Direct competitors to the BMW 8 Series coupé and convertible are the Mercedes-AMG GT coupé & cabriolet and Porsche 911 coupé & cabriolet.
Generation notes adapted from BMW 8 Series (Wikipedia).
Today's BMW 8 Series
What the current generation is, and how it has held up.
BMW 8 Series at a glance
- Production
- 1990–1999, 2018–2026
- Class
- Grand tourer (S), Executive car (E) (Gran Coupe)
- Body style
- 2-door coupé, 2-door convertible, 4-door Sedan (automobile), sedan
- Layout
- Rear-wheel drive, All-wheel drive (xDrive)