2019 BMW M8 Competition exposed

Leaked images of the upcoming BMW M8 Competition have appeared online ahead of its global launch in 2019.

Likely to be officially unveiled at the Geneva motor show next March, the first BMW M8 Competition appeared completely undisguised in new images posted overnight by Germancarforum.com after the flagship coupe was photographed at a BMW-owned test facility.

Revealing significant changes over the regular 850i xDrive Coupe on which it's based, the hotter version of the upcoming BMW M8 Coupe wears an aggressively redesigned front bumper, weight-saving carbon-fibre roof panel, modest boot lid spoiler, prominent quad exhaust outlet and rear diffuser.

The images also show the M8's lightweight 20-inch alloy wheels and huge carbon-ceramic brakes.

Interestingly, it was originally thought the BMW M8 Competition would follow the launch of the M8, but now it's not clear if there will even be a base-model M8 version of the big BMW coupe. In Australia at least, the new M5 Competition replaces the standard M5.

What we do know is, like the M5, the M8 Comp is based on the same CLAR platform as the closely-related M5 sedan and shares that car's mighty powertrain.

That means that under the bonnet will be BMW's F98 twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 that's almost certain to produce even more power than in the 460kW M5 Competition.

Combined with all-wheel drive and the ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission, the M8 Comp should be easily capable of hitting 100km/h in less than three seconds and 200km/h in less than 10sec.

Its top speed, meanwhile, could be as high as 320km/h.

Featuring extra weight-saving over the heavy sedan, it's thought the M8 will boast a lower centre of gravity and the usual, optimal 50/50 front/rear weight distribution.

Other changes expected are bespoke suspension settings and a wider track for the M8 to generate extra cornering grip compared to the 850i xDrive.

Once launched, the M8 Coupe will be joined by an M8 Convertible and M8 Gran Coupe, which has already been previewed at the Geneva motor show.

When it arrives next year, the BMW M8 Coupe is expected to be priced above the $300,000 M6 Coupe it replaces, with the M8 expected to cost around $370,000 -- around the same as its closest rival, the Mercedes-AMG S 63 Coupe.